Isaiah 19:18-25
19:18 a five of Egypt’s cities: This is probably just a way of saying “a number of cities” (see also 17:6 b; 30:17 c).• Jews living in Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem spoke Hebrew, here called the language of Canaan.
• Heliopolis was devoted to Re, the sun god. At a time when Judah was resisting the Lord, Isaiah envisioned the Egyptians following the Lord.
Summary for Isa 19:19-25: 19:19-25 d The new Egypt would receive a place in God’s purposes together with Assyria and Israel. 19:19 e This altar or monument refers either to the temple that was built by Jews at Elephantine in Egypt (500 BC), to some other Jewish place of worship, or perhaps to a memorial the Egyptians constructed in devotion to the Lord.
19:20 f The altar (19:19 g) would be a sign and a witness of the Egyptians’ religious connection with Israel (see 19:24-25 h).
• God answers the prayers of those who cry to the Lord for help.
• The Lord is a savior; he would protect the Egyptians even as he protected Jerusalem from the Assyrians.
19:22 i strike Egypt: The Hebrew verb used here is the same as the one used for the tenth plague (Exod 12:13 j, 23 k, 27 l), bringing up associations of what God did during the Exodus.
• The Lord, who brings a plague, can also bring healing.
• he will listen to their pleas and heal them: This expresses a covenantal relationship between the Lord and Egypt (see Isa 65:24 m).
19:23 n Traditionally, Egypt and Assyria were enemies of one another and of Israel. They were idolatrous to the core, but they would leave behind their enmity and their idols to worship the true God.
• In the rugged terrain of the ancient Near East, a highway provided a means for safe, easy travel and trade (see 11:16 o; 35:8 p; 40:3 q; 62:10 r).
19:24 s Israel will be ... a blessing in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen 12:3 t).
19:25 u Two designations usually reserved for Israel, my people and the land I have made (see 29:22 v; 32:18 w), are applied here to foreign nations. The Lord promised to regard those from the nations who turn to him as his special possession (63:17 x).
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