Isaiah 31:3

The contrast between the relative strength of humans and God is stark.

"To us ’flesh’ seems so substantial, because visible and tangible, while ’spirit’ may seem ethereal. . . . Nothing could be further from biblical thinking, as a glance at passages like Zechariah 4:6 and John 3:5-8 will disclose." [Note: Grogan, p. 202.]

Yahweh would stretch out His hand in powerful judgment to defeat the helpers (Egypt) as well as the helped (Judah) because they trusted in human power rather than in God (cf. Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 7:19; John 4:24).