Isaiah , Sarah Barry
LOOK TO THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL
Passage: Isaiah 31:1~9  
Key verse: 1
Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt31 Woe(A) to those who go down to Egypt(B) for help,
who rely on horses,(C)
who trust in the multitude of their chariots(D)
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One(E) of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord.(F)
2 Yet he too is wise(G) and can bring disaster;(H)
he does not take back his words.(I)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(J)
against those who help evildoers.
3 But the Egyptians(K) are mere mortals and not God;(L)
their horses(M) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(N)
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped(O) will fall;
all will perish together.(P)
31 Woe(A) to those who go down to Egypt(B) for help,
who rely on horses,(C)
who trust in the multitude of their chariots(D)
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One(E) of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord.(F)
2 Yet he too is wise(G) and can bring disaster;(H)
he does not take back his words.(I)
He will rise up against that wicked nation,(J)
against those who help evildoers.
3 But the Egyptians(K) are mere mortals and not God;(L)
their horses(M) are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,(N)
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped(O) will fall;
all will perish together.(P)
4 This is what the Lord says to me:
“As a lion(Q) growls,
a great lion over its prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds(R)
is called together against it,
it is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor(S)—
so the Lord Almighty will come down(T)
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 Like birds hovering(U) overhead,
the Lord Almighty will shield(V) Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver(W) it,
he will ‘pass over’(X) it and will rescue it.”
6 Return,(Y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(Z) against. 7 For in that day(AA) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(AB) your sinful hands have made.(AC)
8 “Assyria(AD) will fall by no human sword;
a sword, not of mortals, will devour(AE) them.
They will flee before the sword
and their young men will be put to forced labor.(AF)
9 Their stronghold(AG) will fall because of terror;
at the sight of the battle standard(AH) their commanders will panic,(AI)”
declares the Lord,
whose fire(AJ) is in Zion,
whose furnace(AK) is in Jerusalem.
Cross references
- Isaiah 31:1 : S Isa 28:1
- Isaiah 31:1 : S Dt 17:16; S Isa 30:2, 5; S Jer 37:5
- Isaiah 31:1 : S Isa 30:16
- Isaiah 31:1 : S Isa 2:7
- Isaiah 31:1 : Job 6:10; S Isa 1:4; S 30:12
- Isaiah 31:1 : S Dt 20:1; S Pr 21:31; S Isa 9:13; Jer 46:9; Eze 29:16
- Isaiah 31:2 : S Ps 92:5; Ro 16:27
- Isaiah 31:2 : Isa 45:7; 47:11; Am 3:6
- Isaiah 31:2 : Nu 23:19; S Pr 19:21
- Isaiah 31:2 : S Isa 1:4; 29:15; 32:6
- Isaiah 31:3 : Isa 20:5; 36:9
- Isaiah 31:3 : S Ps 9:20; Eze 28:9; 2Th 2:4
- Isaiah 31:3 : S Isa 30:16
- Isaiah 31:3 : Ne 1:10; S Job 30:21; Isa 9:17, 21; Jer 51:25; Eze 20:34
- Isaiah 31:3 : Isa 10:3; 30:5-7
- Isaiah 31:3 : S Isa 20:6; Jer 17:5
- Isaiah 31:4 : Nu 24:9; S 1Sa 17:34; Hos 11:10; Am 3:8
- Isaiah 31:4 : Jer 3:15; 23:4; Eze 34:23; Na 3:18
- Isaiah 31:4 : Ps 74:23
- Isaiah 31:4 : Isa 42:13
- Isaiah 31:5 : S Ge 1:2; S Mt 23:37
- Isaiah 31:5 : S Ps 91:4; S Isa 5:2; S Zec 9:15
- Isaiah 31:5 : S Ps 34:7; Isa 37:35; 38:6
- Isaiah 31:5 : S Ex 12:23
- Isaiah 31:6 : S Job 22:23; S Isa 1:27
- Isaiah 31:6 : S Isa 1:5
- Isaiah 31:7 : Isa 29:18
- Isaiah 31:7 : S Isa 30:22
- Isaiah 31:7 : S Ps 135:15
- Isaiah 31:8 : S Isa 10:12
- Isaiah 31:8 : S Ex 12:12; Isa 10:12; 14:25; S 27:1; 33:1; 37:7; Jer 25:12; Hab 2:8
- Isaiah 31:8 : S Ge 49:15; S Dt 20:11
- Isaiah 31:9 : Dt 32:31, 37
- Isaiah 31:9 : S Isa 18:3; S Jer 4:6
- Isaiah 31:9 : Jer 51:9; Na 3:7
- Isaiah 31:9 : S Isa 10:17
- Isaiah 31:9 : Ps 21:9; Mal 4:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Woe to those who rely on Egypt (1-3)
Israel was small and weak. When the Assyrian Empire threatened to swallow her, she sought help. The Egyptian chariots and horses and well-trained army looked like the best place to get it. But Isaiah knew that Egypt could not save them; the Egyptians were men, not God; their horses were flesh, not spirit. We must seek God's help--not the help of people like ourselves. When the Lord stretches out his hand, both the helper and the helped will fall.
2. Return to the Lord (4-9)
People must repent of their sins and come to God. The Lord is like a great lion. A whole band of shepherds is helpless before him. He will come down and fight for his people when they call on him. The Lord is like birds hovering overhead. He always has air superiority. He watches over and protects his people who trust him. God himself would deal with the Assyrians.
Prayer: Lord, help me to repent and depend on you and not seek people's help.
One Word: Look to the Lord, not to men