# Isaiah 19.20-21 **Book:** [Isaiah](/codex/isaiah/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 18. In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction. 19. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. > > **20. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour, and a defender, and he will deliver them. 21. And Jehovah shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and oblation, and shall vow a vow unto Jehovah, and shall perform it.** > > 22. And Jehovah will smite Egypt, smiting and healing; and they shall return unto Jehovah, and he will be entreated of them, and will heal them. 23. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians. (Isaiah 19:18-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 18. In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called “The city of destruction.” 19. In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border. > > **20. It will be for a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them. 21. Yahweh will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh, and will perform it.** > > 22. Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them. 23. In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. (Isaiah 19:18-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 18. In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. the language: Heb. the lip of destruction: or, of Heres, or, of the sun 19. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. > > **20. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. 21. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.** > > 22. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. 23. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. (Isaiah 19:18-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 18. In that day there are five cities in the land of Egypt, Speaking the lip of Canaan, And swearing to Jehovah of Hosts, 'The city of destruction,' is said of one. 19. In that day there is an altar to Jehovah In the midst of the land of Egypt, And a standing pillar near its border to Jehovah, > > **20. And it hath been for a sign and for a testimony, To Jehovah of Hosts in the land of Egypt, For they cry unto Jehovah from the face of oppressors, And He sendeth to them a saviour, Even a great one, and hath delivered them. 21. And known hath been Jehovah to Egypt, And the Egyptians have known Jehovah in that day, And done sacrifice and present, And vowed a vow to Jehovah, and completed [it].** > > 22. And Jehovah hath smitten Egypt, smiting and healing, And they have turned back unto Jehovah, And He hath been entreated of them, And hath healed them. 23. In that day is a highway out of Egypt to Asshur, And come in have the Assyrians to Egypt, And the Egyptians into Asshur, And the Egyptians have served with the Assyrians. (Isaiah 19:18-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Isaiah the prophet, in the second half of the oracle concerning Egypt (19:1-25) - **Audience:** Judah, who hear an oracle about Egypt's future - **Location:** Jerusalem, where Isaiah ministered - **Time period:** Eighth century BC, during Isaiah's ministry (1:1). The passage belongs to the "in that day" sayings (19:16-25) that look past the judgment of 19:1-15 to a future turning of Egypt to YHWH. ## Theological reading "And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour, and a defender, and he will deliver them. And Jehovah shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day." The "it" is the altar and pillar to YHWH that the previous verse places in Egypt (19:19). **The exodus turned around.** In Exodus, Israel suffered in Egypt and God said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters" (Exodus 3:7). Here it is the Egyptians who "cry" (Strong's H6817) "because of oppressors" (H3905), and the same God answers them. The nation that once oppressed God's people becomes a people God rescues. **A saviour for Egypt.** "He will send them a saviour (H3467), and a defender (H7227, 'a great one' in the KJV), and he will deliver (H5337) them." The text does not name the deliverer. Interpreters have proposed historical figures, and Christian readers have also seen in it a pointer to the Saviour of the nations. The verse itself stresses the sender: it is YHWH who sends and YHWH who delivers. **Egypt will know YHWH.** In Exodus, God struck Egypt so that "the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah" (Exodus 7:5), a knowledge that came through judgment. Here they know him through worship: "they shall worship with sacrifice and oblation, and shall vow a vow unto Jehovah, and shall perform it" (19:21). The next verse holds both together: "smiting and healing" (19:22). The oracle ends with Egypt called "my people" (19:25). This is the hope [Kemetic Religion vs the Christian God](/codex/kemetic-religion-vs-the-christian-god/) sets before those drawn to ancient Egypt's religion: the Bible promises Egypt not only judgment on its gods but a Saviour. See also [Isaiah 19.25](/codex/isaiah-19-25/). ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._ - [H3467 - yasha](/codex/h3467-yasha/), *yasha*, Strong's H3467 - [H6635 - tzevaot](/codex/h6635-tzevaot/), *tzevaot*, Strong's H6635 - [H3045 - yada](/codex/h3045-yada/), *yada*, Strong's H3045 - [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), *YHWH*, Strong's H3068 ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Africans in Scripture Argument](/codex/africans-in-scripture-argument/), via [Isaiah 19.18-25](/codex/isaiah-19-18-25/) - [Kemetic Religion vs the Christian God](/codex/kemetic-religion-vs-the-christian-god/) **Passages:** - [Isaiah 19.25](/codex/isaiah-19-25/) ## Notes _Your annotations._ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.