Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 19:1-25

"The burden of Egypt. Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud, and cometh unto Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. 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. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts. And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and become dry. And the rivers shall become foul; the streams of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither away. The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more. And the fishers shall lament, and all they that cast angle into the Nile shall mourn, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. Moreover they that work in combed flax, and they that weave white cloth, shall be confounded. And the pillars [of Egypt] shall be broken in pieces; all they that work for hire [shall be] grieved in soul. The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? Where then are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now; and let them know what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes. Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do. In that day shall the Egyptians be like unto women; and they shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts, which he shaketh over them. And the land of Judah shall become a terror unto Egypt; every one to whom mention is made thereof shall be afraid, because of the purpose of Jehovah of hosts, which he purposeth against it. In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour, and a defender, and he will deliver them. And Jehovah shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and oblation, and shall vow a vow unto Jehovah, and shall perform it. And Jehovah will smite Egypt, smiting and healing; and they shall return unto Jehovah, and he will be entreated of them, and will heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth; for that Jehovah of hosts hath blessed them, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance." — Isaiah 19:1-25 (ASV)

1. The burden of Egypt. In this part, the author threatens the destruction of the Egyptians, describing its manner and order. This is divided into three parts.

   In the first, the preparation for the punishment is described.

   In the second, the destruction itself: and I will deliver Egypt (Isaiah 19:4).

   In the third, the attainment of an advantage, where it says, in that day there shall be five cities (Isaiah 19:18).

   The preparation for the punishment is described in four ways.

   First, regarding the disposition of the enemy: he will ascend... upon a cloud, from which comes a storm. The cloud is light because of his agility and promptness: clouds and darkness are round about him (Psalms 97:2).

2. Second, regarding the stupor of the gods that govern them: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved, because they were shattered by the Assyrians, or because they could not give an answer, or because they did not appear on that day: your idols shall be broken in pieces (Ezekiel 6:4). This also applies to the men who govern them, the heart of Egypt—that is, the king and princes, from whom all the vigor of Egypt came, as written above: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is sad (Isaiah 1:5).

3. Third, regarding the dissension of those who resist. Concerning outsiders, it says, and I will set the Egyptians to fight against the Egyptians. Concerning relatives, they shall fight brother against brother. Concerning acquaintances and friends, and friend against friend. Concerning different peoples, city against city. He describes the diversity of wills: the spirit, that is, the will, shall be broken, that is, divided, in its midst, that is, among the inhabitants of the land: every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate (Matthew 12:25).

4. Fourth, regarding the error of taking counsel from men: and I will cast down their counsel, for he catches the wise in their craftiness, and disappoints the counsel of the wicked (Job 5:13). This also applies to taking counsel from demons: and they shall consult in vain, as written above: and when they shall say to you: seek of pythons, and of diviners, who mutter in their enchantments (Isaiah 8:19).

5. Note on the words, the Lord will ascend upon a cloud (Isaiah 19:1), that the cloud is of many kinds.

   1. First, the cloud of the flesh he assumed: where were you when I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands? (Job 38:9).
   2. Second, is the cloud of the virgin’s womb: behold a little cloud arose out of the sea (1 Kings 18:44).
   3. Third, is the cloud of the devout mind: his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds (Psalms 68:34).
   4. Fourth, is the cloud of the seat of judgment: clouds and darkness are round about him: justice and judgment are the establishment of his throne (Psalms 97:2).

6. Likewise, note that:

   1. From the first cloud proceeds sacramental rain or the rain of sanctification: from the side of the Lord immediately there came out blood and water (John 19:34).
   2. From the second cloud proceeds the bread of consolation: a cloud overshadowed their camps and where water was before, dry land appeared ; and below this: seeing your miracles and wonders: for they fed on their food like horses .
   3. From the third cloud proceeds the lightning of preaching: corn desires clouds, and the clouds spread their light (Job 37:11).
   4. From the fourth cloud proceeds the storm of damnation: behold he shall come up as a cloud (Numbers 5Rather, Jeremiah 4:13.); his power is in the clouds (Psalms 68:34).

7. Likewise, note on the words, a light cloud (Isaiah 19:1), that:

   1. The first cloud is called light because of its eminence of dignity: lo, one like the Son of man came inIn. Vg.: cum. DR: “with.” the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13).
   2. The second cloud is called light because of its purity of virginity: behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man (Revelation 14:14).
   3. The third cloud is called light because of its swiftness of obedience, as written below: who are these, that fly as clouds? (Isaiah 60:8).
   4. The fourth cloud is called light because of its ease of execution: by his greatness he has fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken .

8. And I will deliver Egypt. Here he describes the destruction itself.

   First, regarding the slavery of the people.

   Second, regarding the desolation of the land: and the water of the sea shall be dried up (Isaiah 19:5).

   Third, regarding the stupidity of their wise men: the princes of Tanis have become fools (Isaiah 19:11).

   This will be into the hand of cruel masters: the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, and the Romans. You shall serve your enemy (Deuteronomy 28:48).

   He indicates the destruction of the land by the drought of its waters, in which Egypt is well-endowed and rich. This happens because the wrath of God goes before them, so that their waters are dried up and their animals die. Alternatively, he speaks hyperbolically, as if to say that the tribulation will be so great it will seem even to dry up the waters.

9. Therefore, he describes three things.

   1. First, the manner of the drought: the water of the sea shall be dried up—that is, it will be diminished—and the river, the Nile. And the rivers, other rivers: I will make the channels of the rivers dry (Ezekiel 30:12).
   2. Second, he describes the sign of the drought: the reed and the bulrush, which are raised in the water, as written below: the greenery of the reed and the bulrush shall rise up (Isaiah 35:7).

   3. Third, he describes the ruin from the drought: it shall be laid bare.

      1. First, the ruin of agriculture, from its fountain, that is, from its beginning, or all the way to the end: he has turned rivers into a wilderness: and the sources of waters into dry ground (Psalms 107:33).
      2. Second, the ruin of fishers: the fishers also shall mourn: I will cast you forth into the desert, and all the fish of your river (Ezekiel 29:5).
      3. Third, the ruin of various craftsmen: they shall be confounded that wrought in flax, which is raised in wet places. Flaccid... pools, that is, parched fish ponds.

10. The princes of Tanis have become fools. Here the author describes the stupidity of their men, first regarding the error in their counsels, and second, regarding the fear in their wars, where it says, in that day Egypt shall be like women (Isaiah 19:16).

    Concerning the first point, he mocks the foolishness of their wise men in three ways. First, in their deliberation: the princes of Tanis, where study flourished, have become fools, for every man has become foolish by his knowledge (Jeremiah 51:17). Second, in the declaration of their counsel: wise counselors.

    Third, he mocks their self-praise: how will you say to Pharaoh? That is, how will you be able to speak when you know that you have counseled badly? For each of you is accustomed to speak for your own praise so that your counsel will be believed. You say, I am the son of the wise—as if to say, “I possess wisdom by inheritance”—or the disciple of kings, who were philosophers in ancient times: there are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than your fathers (Job 15:10).

11. Second, he mocks the confidence of the king. First, he asks the question, beginning with where now..., as it says below: there is none that can save you (Isaiah 47:15). Second, he gives the answer: the fools have withered away; that is, they have failed, as stated above.

12. Third, he mocks the laziness of the deceived people: they have deceived. Here he does three things.

    1. First, he describes the deception of the wise: they have deceived the angle, that is, the kingdom, in which many are joined together like walls in a corner. As it says below: your wisdom, and, your knowledge, has deceived you (Isaiah 47:10).
    2. Second, he describes God’s permission: the Lord has mingled the spirit of giddiness, that is, the spirit of error, like one who suffers dizziness. As it is said: the Lord has given a lying spirit in the mouth of all your prophets (1 Kings 22:23).
    3. Third, he describes the error of the people themselves: and they have caused Egypt to err. This applies to the head, namely, neither the beginning, nor the tail, the end; nor the one that bends down, meaning the old man, nor the one that holds back, meaning the youth, who lacks restraint, or the lustful: but evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13).

13. In that day. Here he threatens them with fear of the strong.

    First, he describes the fear itself, saying they will be like women, feeble and weak: their strength has failed, and they have become as women (Jeremiah 51:30).

    Second, he gives the reason for the fear: and the land of Judah shall be a terror to Egypt. This refers to the memory of the evils they did to them, turning them from the worship of God, for which they will know that the wrath of God has befallen them: now I remember the evils that I did in Jerusalem .

14. In that day. Here the result, or the consolation, is described: namely, their conversion.

    First, he gives a threefold sign of their conversion.

    The first is an oath: swearing, as written below: he shall swear by God, amen: because the former distresses are forgotten (Isaiah 65:16). They will speak the language of Canaan, which is close to the language of the Jews, so that even in language they will agree with the people of God. One city will be called the city of the sun, Heliopolis. This was because some Syrians, who kept their own language, were transplanted into these cities by Nebuchadnezzar.

15. The second sign is a sacred building: an altar of the Lord and a monument, for they had worshiped many gods, as it says in Acts 17.

    Some say this was fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees, when many Jews were fleeing into Egypt. Onias, wishing to fulfill this prophecy, built an altar against the commandment of the law . This act is denounced in Daniel 11:14: and the children of prevaricators of your people shall lift up themselves to fulfill the vision, and they shall fall. From this, it is clear that the prophecy can only be understood as the building of altars for Christian worship.

16. The third sign is that they call on the help of God: they shall cry to the Lord, and he will send them a Savior, Jesus. As the psalm says, he shall cry to me, and I will hear him (Psalms 91:15).

17. Second, he describes the manner of their conversion.

    1. First, regarding the acceptance of faith: and the Lord shall be known: all shall know me from the least of them even to the greatest, says the Lord (Jeremiah 31:34).
    2. Second, regarding the offering of sacrifices and vows: and they shall worship: in every place there is offered to my name a clean oblation (Malachi 1:11).
    3. Third, regarding the remission of sins: and the Lord shall strike, first, through many punishments, and shall heal them from sin: he wounds, and cures: he strikes, and his hands shall heal (Job 5:18).

18. Third, he describes the threefold effect of their conversion.

    The first effect is peace: in that day there shall be a way, which could not exist before because of the various kingdoms. When the Lord was born, these were joined under the Romans. They shall serve one another in trade, or this is because Syrian soldiers were in the Roman legions that guarded Egypt, as written above: nation shall not lift up sword against nation (Isaiah 2:4).

    The second effect is the truth of faith: in that day shall Israel be the third to the Egyptian and the Assyrian, at the same time and equally serving the Romans, and in unity of faith: there shall be one fold and one shepherd (John 10:16); there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek (Romans 10:12).

    The third effect is divine blessing: it, namely, Israel, shall be a blessing, for, through the apostles, the whole world received the blessing of God. Israel is my inheritance, for it was there that he was born and fulfilled the mysteries of our salvation: he has blessed the house of Israel (Psalms 115:12).