Isaiah 19:2
in Isaiah 19“So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
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This verse in Isaiah 19
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I will set - (סכסכתי sı̂ksaketı̂y). This word (from סכך sākak) means properly “to cover,” to spread over, to hide, conceal, to protect. Another signification of the verb is, to weave, to intermingle. It may mean here, ‘I will arm the Egyptians against each other’ (Gesenius); or, as in our version, ‘I will mingle, confound, or throw them into discord and strife.’ The Septuagint renders it, Ἐπεγερθήσονται Epegerthēsontai - ‘They shall be excited,’ or, ‘raised up.’ Symmachus, Συμβαλῶ Sumbalō.
This site's exposition
the LORD rides on a swift cloud
on Isaiah 19:1-3
The burden against Egypt opens as "The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him", the language the Exodus used of the plagues against the gods. Civil collapse follows, "Egyptian against Egyptian", and a people will "resort to idols". Barnes traces the internal wars to the dynastic strife of the period.
This site's exposition
I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian
The Septuagint turns kingdom against kingdom into province against province, the old divisions of Egypt. Wesley records that the one kingdom of Egypt was later divided into twelve kingdoms, and Egyptian fought Egyptian. Henry counts the fight as their sin and their sentence.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Version 2.) And I will make the Egyptians fight against the Egyptians, and one man will fight against his brother, and one man against his friend, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. When the Lord enters Egypt and destroys the most powerful nation with his presence, the first victory will be for the Egyptians to turn against each other and fight in rebellion against themselves: which happened during the times of the Assyrians and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, with some sitting while others resisted. But what he predicts about the Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah is a witness, saying: The elegant and beautiful heifer Egypt, the stimulator from the North will come to her. And again: The daughter of Egypt is confused and handed over to the hand of the people of the North (Jeremiah 46:20, 24). Ezekiel also, by the authority of the same prophecy, agrees: And I will make the multitude of Egypt cease in the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. And again: I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will put my sword in his hand, and I will break the arms of Pharaoh. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations (Ezek. XXX, 10, 24, et seq.). But if we refer to the times of the Savior, let us take that example from the Gospel: Think not that I am come to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword. For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law, and the enemies of a man shall be they of his own household (Matt. X, 34, et seq.). […]
And the Egyptians rose up against the Egyptians, according to that which the Lord speaks in the Gospel: Think not that I am come to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword. For I am come to divide a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (Matt. X, 34 seqq.). At that time also this was fulfilled: The enemies of a man are they of his own household (Micah VII, 6). And a man will fight against his brother, and a man against his friend.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Daughters of Tyre, daughters of the nations, from species to genus. Through Tyre, neighbor to the land of prophecy, the psalmist signifies all the people who would come to believe in Christ. Rightly, therefore, does he continue: "The wealthy of the earth will all seek …
Third, as to the dissension of those who resist, as to external contact: and I will set, as to strangers: the Egyptians to fight against the Egyptians; as to kindred, they shall fight brother against brother; as to acquaintances and friends: and friend against friend; …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That at length God's holy religion should be brought into Egypt, and set up there, in part by the Jews that should flee thither for refuge, but more fully by the preachers of the gospel of Christ, through whose ministry churches should be planted in Egypt in the says of the Messiah (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians. As these divisions and animosities are their sin, God is not the author of them, they come from men's lusts; but God, as a Judge, permits them for their punishment, and by their destroying differences corrects them for their sinful agreements.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
I will set - Egypt was now one kingdom, but not many years after this time it was divided into twelve kingdoms, between whom there were many and cruel wars.
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
NEWTON refers it to the civil wars between Apries and Amasis at the time of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion; also between Tachos, Nectanebus, and the Mendesians, just before Ochus subdued Egypt. kingdom against kingdom--The Septuagint has "nome against nome"; Egypt was divided into forty-two nomes or districts.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
is riding on a light cloud quickly to send easily and quickly the decree of His word to punish Egypt.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The Burden Of The Cup Of Cursing To Make The Egyptians To Drink. Behold, the Lord is revealed in the cloud of His glory, to take vengeance of the Egyptians; and the idols of the Egyptians shall be broken before His face, and the heart of the Egyptians shall be melted within them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְסִכְסַכְתִּ֤י | vesikhsakhti | and I will provoke | H5526 → | |
| מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם | bemitzrayim | against Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ | venilchamu | and they will fight | H3898 → | 177 times |
| אִישׁ־ | ʾish- | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| בְּאָחִ֖יו | beachiv | against brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
| וְאִ֣ישׁ | veish | and each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ | bereehu | against neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| עִ֣יר | ʾir | city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| בְּעִ֔יר | beir | against city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מַמְלָכָ֖ה | mamlakhah | kingdom | H4467 → | 117 times |
| בְּמַמְלָכָֽה׃ | bemamlakhah | against kingdom | H4467 → | 117 times |
וְסִכְסַכְתִּ֤יand I will provoke
vesikhsakhtiH5526 →
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
בְּמִצְרַ֔יִםagainst Egypt
bemitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּand they will fight
venilchamuH3898 →177 times
אִישׁ־each
ʾish-H376 →1663 times
בְּאָחִ֖יוagainst brother his
beachivH251 →630 times
וְאִ֣ישׁand each
veishH376 →1663 times
בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּagainst neighbor his
bereehuH7453 →188 times
עִ֣ירcity
ʾirH5892 →1090 times
בְּעִ֔ירagainst city
beirH5892 →1090 times
מַמְלָכָ֖הkingdom
mamlakhahH4467 →117 times
בְּמַמְלָכָֽה׃against kingdom
bemamlakhahH4467 →117 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
it leads to
- Micah 7:6
For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
- Jeremiah 12:6
Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.
- Psalms 41:9
Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- Micah 7:6
Through
Matthew 12:25Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:15
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
- Galatians 5:15
Through
Matthew 10:21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
it leads to
- Luke 21:16–17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
- Micah 7:5–6
Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- Mark 13:12–13
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- Luke 21:16–17
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Isidore of Seville, THREE BOOKS OF THOUGHTS 1:19.7-16; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.