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Egypt’s Horses Will Stumble

31 Oy, those going down to Egypt for help.
They are relying on horses,
trusting in chariots since they are many,
    and in horsemen since they are very mighty,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
    nor seek Adonai!

Yet He is also wise.
He brings disaster, and does not take back His words.
He rises against the house of evildoers,
against help for workers of iniquity.
Now Egyptians are men and not God,
and their horses are flesh, not spirit.
When Adonai stretches out His hand,
    both he who helps will stumble
    and he who is helped will fall,
    and both will perish together.

A Lion Protects Zion

For thus says Adonai to me:
“As a lion or a young lion
    growls over its prey,
though a company of shepherds
    is called out against him
—their voice does not disturb him,
    nor does their noise upset him—
so Adonai-Tzva’ot will come down
    to fight on Mount Zion, on its hill.
Like hovering birds,
    so Adonai-Tzva’ot will protect Jerusalem.
By protecting, He will deliver.
By passing over, He will save.”

Return to the One from whom rebellion is so deep, Bnei-Yisrael.

For in that day everyone will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which you made for yourselves with your hands of sin.

“Then Assyria will fall, not by a sword of man,
so a sword not of man will devour him
and he will flee from the sword.
His young men will be put to forced labor.
His rock will pass away because of fear.
His princes will be afraid of the banner”
—it is a declaration of Adonai
His fire is in Zion,
and His furnace is in Jerusalem.

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

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)
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.
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)

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.
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.”

Return,(Y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(Z) against. For in that day(AA) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold(AB) your sinful hands have made.(AC)

“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)
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.