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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Isaiah 31:3

The Egyptians are men... — We hear again the key-note of Isaiah’s teaching. The true strength of a nation lay in its spiritual, not in its material, greatness: in seeking the Holy One of Israel by practising holiness. Without that condition the alliance with Egypt would be fatal both to those that sought for help and those who gave it.

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See also Isaiah 31:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Isaiah 31:3. _He that helpeth_ (the Egyptians) _shall fall and he that_ _is holpen_ (the Israelites) _shall fall down - together_....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    NOW THE EGYPTIANS ARE MEN - They are nothing but people; they have no power but such as other people possess. The idea here is, that the case in reference to which they sought aid was one in which “di...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 31 The Fifth Woe Against Them that Go Down to Egypt 1. _The Egyptian Alliance condemned again (Isaiah 31:1)_ 2. _Jehovah promises to deliver Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:4) _ All looks forward toward...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ISAIAH 31. THE FOLLY OF RELIANCE ON EGYPT. JERUSALEM WILL BE PROTECTED, AND ASSYRIA OVERTHROWN. vv. Isaiah 31:6 f. seems to be an interpolation. Isaiah 31:4 f_._ creates serious difficulties. Isaiah 3...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MEN, AND NOT GOD. Figure of speech _Pleonasm_. The statement put two ways for great emphasis (positive and negative). MEN. Hebrew. _'ddam._ App-14. GOD. Hebrew El. the mighty God. App-4. FLESH, AND...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _men, and not God … flesh, and not spirit_ In these antitheses Isaiah formulates his religious conception of history. The present crisis has not been brought about by the mere collision of earthly for...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    A demonstration of the folly of trusting Egypt rather than Jehovah....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. SWORD TEXT: Isaiah 31:1-9 1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they lo...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and t...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1-5. Judah should trust not in Egypt, but in Jehovah. 6-9. The wonderful deliverance from the Assyrian....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD DEFENDS *JERUSALEM ISAIAH CHAPTER S 31 TO 39 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 31 NUMBERS ARE NOT EVERYTHING V1 *Woe to people who are appealing to Egypt for help!...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ‘Those who may help’ refers to the *Egyptians. ‘Evil people’ here describes the people of God, because they are refusing to obey the *Lord. GOD WILL DEFEND *JERUSALEM V4 (The *Lord gave Isaiah this...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ מִצְרַ֤יִם אָדָם֙ וְֽ לֹא ־אֵ֔ל וְ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XIV THREE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD ABOUT 702 B.C. Isaiah 31:1 CHAPTER 31, which forms an appendage to Chapter s 29 and 30, can scarcely be reckoned among the more important prophecies of Isaiah. It...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    BOOK 3 ORATIONS ON THE EGYPTIAN INTRIGUES AND ORACLES ON FOREIGN NATIONS 705-702 B.C. Isaiah: 29 About 703 30 A little later 31 A little later 32:1-8 Later 32:9-20 Date uncertain -----------...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A NOBLER FUTURE FOR THE NATION Isaiah 31:1-9; Isaiah 32:1-8 Isaiah continues to denounce the contemplated alliance with Egypt. His compatriots put their trust in horses and chariots, and refused the...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The prophet again denounces the alliance with Egypt. He declares that the sin of it is a false trust consequent on the chosen people tuning their back on Jehovah. The folly of it is manifest in the fa...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that (d) helpeth shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down,...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Hand. If God neglect to support empires, they fall of themselves._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader! we shall find scriptures, such as the present, truly profitable, under the teaching of the Holy Ghost, if we make application of what is here said in history, concerning Israel's trusting in E...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._And surely the Egyptian is a man, and not God. _It may be thought that Isaiah here brings forward nothing but what is common and beyond all doubt; for who ever imagined that the Egyptians were not...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The folly of trusting in an arm of flesh is again pointed out, but only while dwelling on the true means of deliverance. Jehovah at Jerusalem would be in the midst of the nations as a lion among the s...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW THE EGYPTIANS [ARE] MEN, AND NOT GOD,.... Be it that they are mighty, they are not mighty, as God is; and indeed they are but frail, feeble, mortal, and mutable men, and therefore not to be truste...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now the Egyptians [are] men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Wo to them that go down to Egypt_, &c. As the Jews did, contrary to God's command, Deuteronomy 17:16. _And stay on horses_ For Egypt had many and choice horses. _But they look not unto the Lord_ Thei...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    EGYPT CANNOT PROTECT ISRAEL AGAINST THE LORD'S WRATH...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Now, the Egyptians are men, and not God, that is, on the one hand were finite, powerless creatures, on the other the almighty God; AND THEIR HORSES FLESH AND NOT SPIRIT, not endowed with the power of...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 God will oppose the help sought from workers of iniquity. Sinners may be convicted of folly by plain and self-evident truths, which they cannot deny, but will not believe. There is no escaping th...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ARE MEN, AND NOT GOD; and therefore utterly unable to defend you, either without or against my will. THEIR HORSES FLESH; weak and frail, as that word signifies, PSALMS 78:39 HEBREWS 5:7, and elsewhere...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Isaiah 31:3 Egyptians H4714 men H120 God H410 horses H5483 flesh H1320 spirit H7307 LORD H3068 out H5186 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THEY MUST TRUST IN YAHWEH AND NOT IN THE HORSES OF EGYPT (ISAIAH 31:1). The Assyrians had powerful chariotry and horsemen, and in order to combat them many felt that their only hope was in Egypt, famo...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Judah again warned against the Egyptian alliance. Jehovah's defense of Jerusalem. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: It is gross absurdity to forsake the Rock of Ages for broken reeds. If men wi...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Isaiah 31:1. _Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help._ This was a sin in open defiance of the law. Deuteronomy 28:68. It was a great revolt of unbelief, because it distrusted the Lord, and all his...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Men, and not God. .. flesh, and not spirit_ SPIRITUAL EXISTENCES THE CHIEF FORCES OF THE WORLD It is here evidently implied that a spirit is mightier than a horse. The ancients attached the idea o...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 31:3 Isaiah argues for the superiority of a spiritual ally over a human one (see 2 Chronicles 32:8;...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE ONLY COUNSELLOR Isaiah 31:1. _Woe to the rebellious children, &c._ These words were spoken by the prophet at a time when the Jewish nation was in great and imminent danger. They were addrest to t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ISAIAH 31:1 A FURTHER WARNING AGAINST SEEKING THE ALLIANCE OF EGYPT. This prophecy seems to be quite independent of the last (Isaiah 30:

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to Isaiah 31:1-9. Now as a backdrop to these scriptures in Isaiah 31:1-9 is the impending invasion of Assyria. Assyria is the world-conquering power at the moment. Assyria...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 12:22; Acts 12:23; Deuteronomy 32:30;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Flesh — Weak and frail....

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