John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 19:2

"And I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor; city against city, [and] kingdom against kingdom." — Isaiah 19:2 (ASV)

l. The burden of Egypt. The Prophet here prophesies against Egypt, because it was a kind of refuge for the Jews whenever they saw any danger approaching them. For when they had forsaken God, to whom they should have turned, they thought that they had no help left for them but in the Egyptians.

It was therefore necessary for that kingdom to be overthrown, so that its wealth or its forces would no longer deceive the Jews. As long as Egypt was prosperous, the Jews thought that, because it was exceedingly populous and highly fortified, they were far removed from danger. Consequently, they despised God, or at least paid scarcely any regard to His promises.

This led to evil consequences in two respects: first, because when they should have relied on God alone, they were puffed up with that vain confidence in Egypt; and second, because whenever the Lord punished them, they defended themselves against His chastisements by the power of the Egyptians, as if by human resources they could make void His judgments, when they should have turned to God altogether.

On this subject Isaiah speaks more fully in a later portion of this book (Isaiah 30:2).

Behold, the Lord rideth on a swift cloud. This mode of expression is also found in other passages of Scripture, but in a general form (Psalms 104:3). The Prophet applies it to this prediction because the Egyptians thought that they were so well fortified on all sides that there was no way by which God could approach them.

He therefore ridicules their foolish confidence and exhibits the exalted power of God, when He rideth on a swift cloud, by which He will easily make a descent upon them, and neither walls nor bulwarks will hinder His progress.

Again, because in addition to earthly aid the Jews were also bewitched by a false religion, on this ground the Prophet also ridicules their madness, because God will dash to the ground all the assistance they expected to obtain from idols.

I pass by the foolish notion that many have entertained regarding the idols Christ overthrew in Egypt when He was carried there in infancy, for it does not deserve a refutation (Matthew 2:14). This passage has been perverted to prove it, and to prove many conjectures of the same kind.

But the Prophet’s meaning is totally different, for he speaks of the defeat of the Egyptians by the Assyrians and shows that it should be ascribed to God, and not, as irreligious men commonly do, to fortune. He shows it to be a judgment of God, by Whose hand all things are governed.

And the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence. He declares that the idols shall fall; that is, that they shall be of no avail to the Egyptians, though they rely on their assistance and think they are under their protection. No nation was ever so addicted to superstitions: they worshipped cats, oxen, and crocodiles, and even onions and plants of every sort, and there was nothing to which they did not ascribe some kind of divinity. He means that the power of all those false gods, whom the Egyptians had taken for their protectors, will be overthrown.

Having declared that the Egyptians rely in vain on their superstitions, he also casts down the pride they cherished regarding their earthly resources.

And the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of her. By the word heart he means courage. This courage sometimes fails even the bravest men, so that they do not attempt any action, even when their strength and forces are abundant. In this manner, he declares that they will be at war with God, who will melt their hearts within them before they are called to contend with their enemies.

Not only does he threaten that they will be terrified, but he also adds this will happen in the midst of the whole kingdom, where they had an exceedingly safe and peaceful dwelling because they were far removed from every attack.

It was the duty of all believers to consider this when war was waged against the Egyptians. We also should behold the same thing exemplified in all revolutions of kingdoms, which proceed solely from the hand of God.

If the heart melts, if strength fails in men who are usually brave and who had formerly displayed great courage, this should be ascribed to the vengeance of God.

And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians. Here he describes more particularly the calamity which the Lord had determined to bring on Egypt. By the expression, I will set, he means the internal struggles in which those who should be mutual defenders cut down one another; and no evil can be more destructive than this to a state or a people.

It was also important to convince the Jews that God, in whose hands are the hearts of men (Proverbs 21:1), could by His unseen influence inflame the Jews to mutual animosities, so that they might slay each other, even if they were victorious over foreign enemies.

Hence we learn that nations never rise in a seditious manner unless the Lord set them against each other, as when one brings forward gladiators to the place of combat.

He inflames their minds for battle and prompts them to slay each other by mutual wounds. Therefore, as we should reckon it an evidence of God’s favor when friendship is cherished among citizens, so we should ascribe it to His vengeance when they rage against and slay and injure one another.

And they shall fight every one against his brother. To heighten the picture, he adds what was still more monstrous: that those related to them by blood would take up arms to destroy each other. For if men are worse than beasts when, forgetting their common nature, they engage in battle, how much more shocking is it to nature that brothers or allies should fight with each other! But the more monstrous it is, the more we should acknowledge the judgment of God and His terrible vengeance.

City against city, and kingdom against kingdom. Isaiah appears to advance by degrees, for he mentions:

1. a brother;
2. a neighbor;
3. cities; and
4. kingdoms.

By kingdoms he means provinces, into which Egypt was divided, which the Greeks called νομοί (nomoi), the term by which the Greek translators have rendered it in this passage.