CHAPTER XIX. Fountain. The Nile rises in Ethiopia. But the canals alone were left dry. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the achi, every green herb along the river, and every," &c. (Haydock) read more
Fishers. The lake M'9cris produced a talent every day for the revenue, and so great was the abundance of fish, that they could hardly be salted. The Nile was also well supplied with fish. read more
1-17 God shall come into Egypt with his judgments. He will raise up the causes of their destruction from among themselves. When ungodly men escape danger, they are apt to think themselves secure; but evil pursues sinners, and will speedily overtake them, except they repent. The Egyptians will be given over into the hand of one who shall rule them with rigour, as was shortly after fulfilled. The Egyptians were renowned for wisdom and science; yet the Lord would give them up to their own perverse... read more
A Threat of Destruction v. 1. The burden of Egypt, including both Lower and Upper Egypt: Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, coming on light clouds as His chariots, in order to pass sentence, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, trembling with terror at their approaching fall and doom, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it, namely, for fear of the impending punishment. Thus the prophet summarizes his entire prophecy upon... read more
b) Prophecies that give Warning not to Trust in False Help Against AssyriaIsaiah 19:20α) EGYPT NOW IN TIME TO COMEIsaiah 19:0Various expositors from Eichhorn to Hitzig have attacked the genuineness of this chapter in whole or in part. But one may judge in advance how little valid the alleged reasons for this are, by the fact that Knobel rejects them all, and is decided in his recognition of Isaiah, as its author. We may therefore spare ourselves the investigation of these doubts, and so much... read more
These two chapters (19, 20) contain the burden of Egypt. Its doom is first declared (19: 1-15) . Jehovah's advent will result in the destruction of idols, in civil war, in failure in counsel, and in the government of the Egyptian people by a cruel lord, a false king. This day of visitation will be one of physical catastrophe. The waters of the Nile will fail, and consequently all industry-fishing, weaving, and building-will be paralyzed. Egypt is to be utterly discomfited by the failure of its... read more
‘And the waters will fall from the sea, and the river will be wasted and will become dry, and the rivers will smell. The streams of Egypt will be diminished and dried up, the reeds and rushes will wither away.’ Not only will they be worn down by war, but the very basis of their life will fail. The Nile’s provision for the country will become minimal. This would probably be due partly to a failure of the waters of the Nile and partly as a result of the Egyptians failing to maintain the... read more
‘The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile, will become dry, be driven away and be no more. The fishermen also will lament, and all those who cast hook into the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the water will languish.’ The centrality of the Nile to Egypt’s life comes out here. The fields which were fruitful because of their nearness to the Nile will cease to be fruitful, they will become dried up, they will cease to bear. And beyond them... read more
Isaiah 19. Oracle on Egypt.— This is one of the most difficult chapters in the book. It falls into two sections, Isaiah 19:1-Esther : and Isaiah 19:18-Lamentations :. If Isaiah 19:1-Esther : is in the main from Isaiah, it probably refers to an anticipated conquest of Egypt by Assyria. Three possibilities are then open: ( a) the defeat of Egypt by Sargon at Raphia in 720 B.C. (pp. 59, 71); ( b) the occasion which called forth the similar prophecy in Isaiah 20; ( c) the early part of... read more
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Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Isaiah 19:1-10
Here is the same subject of national distress for the burden of Egypt, as that of Damascus or Moab, though the end differs: foreign wars, and domestic jealousies are predicted: so that every man's hand is to be against his brother. As a nation and people, Egypt is described as most calamitous. Famine, and the want of bread; and fish, which their rivers supplied in plenty, were to fail by the Lord's drying up the waters. In short, a general desolation was to take place, in the burden of Egypt.... read more