

Egypt Will Disappoint
31:1 Those who go down to Egypt
for help are as good as dead,1
those who rely on war horses,
and trust in Egypts many chariots,2
and in their many, many horsemen.3
But they do not rely on the sovereign king of Israel,4
and do not seek help from the LORD.
31:2 Yet he too is wise5
and he will bring disaster,
he does not retract his decree.6
He will attack the wicked nation,7
and the nation that helps8
those who commit sin.9
31:3 The Egyptians are mere humans, not God;
their horses are made of flesh, not spirit.
The LORD will strike with10
his hand;
the one who helps will stumble,
and the one being helped will fall.
Together they will perish.11
The Lord Will Defend Zion
31:4 Indeed, this is what the LORD says to me:
The LORD will be like a growling lion,
like a young lion growling over its prey.12
Though a whole group of shepherds gathers against it,
it is not afraid of their shouts,
or intimated by their yelling.13
In this same way the LORD who leads armies will descend,
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.14
31:5 Just as birds hover over a nest,15
so the LORD who leads armies will protect Jerusalem.
He will protect and deliver it,
as he passes over16
he will rescue it.
31:6 You Israelites! Return to the one against
whom you have so blatantly rebelled!17
31:7 For at that time18
everyone will get rid of19
the silver and golden idols your hands sinfully made.20
31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword, but not a manmade
one,21
a sword not made by men will destroy them.22
They will run away from this sword,23
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
31:9 They will surrender their stronghold24
because of fear,25
their officers will be afraid of the LORDs battle flag.26
This what the LORD says,
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose fire pot is in Jerusalem.27

