Isaiah 19:5

The Nile has always been vital for the inhabitants of Egypt. The river provides food and trade. Boats carry passengers and goods up and down the river.

• Winter rains flow into the Nile from the high hills of central Africa. Summer rains flow into the Nile from the high hills of Ethiopia. All this water causes the Nile to flood large areas of Egypt regularly. The floods leave behind good soil on the plains for farmers to use.

• But if the waters fail for some reason, the people in Egypt are soon in very serious trouble.

Verse 6-7

As the level of the water drops, plants die. The wind carries away not only the dead plants but also the valuable soil, which is now dry dust.

Verse 8-10

Such a terrible trouble must affect the whole life of the people in Egypt.

Unwise leaders in Egypt

v11 The leaders of the government in Zoan are fools. The wisest of the king’s advisers are stupid. Yet they tell the king that they come from a family of wise princes. v12 King, you have such very wise advisers. So these very wise men should tell the king about the plan that the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) has made against Egypt. v13 The royal officials in Zoan and in Memphis are all fools. Egypt’s great men have led the people in Egypt in the wrong direction. v14 The *Lord has completely confused the officials. They are leading the nation away from the right direction. They are making their people walk like drunks. v15 There will be nothing that anybody in Egypt can do. Both important and unimportant people can do nothing. v16 On the day when the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) acts, the inhabitants of Egypt will be like weak women. They will tremble with fear. v17 The people from Judah will put terror into the *Egyptians. If someone only mentions Judah’s name, everybody in Egypt will be greatly afraid. They feel such great fear because of the things that the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) has decided to do.

Verse 11 The previous verses described God’s control over nature. Now he shows his control over people, over even the most important officials. They may think that they have political power. But God still carries out his purposes.