Isaiah 19:20
in Isaiah 19It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender to rescue them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
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This verse in Isaiah 19
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And it shall be for a sign - The altar, and the pillar. This shows that the altar was not to be for sacrifice, but was a “memorial,” or designed to designate a place of worship. They shall cry to the Lord because of the oppressors - That is, oppressed and borne down under the exactions of their rulers, they shall seek deliverance from the true God - one instance among many of the effect of affliction and oppression in leading people to embrace the true religion.
This site's exposition
an altar to the LORD
on Isaiah 19:19-22
There will be "an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt" as a sign. He will send "a savior and defender to rescue them", and Egypt will "acknowledge the LORD". Henry sets "He will strike them but heal them" beside the plagues of the Exodus.
This site's exposition
He will send them a savior and defender
The pattern is the one Judges repeats for Israel: oppressors, a cry to the LORD, and a deliverer sent, as at Judges 3:9. Egypt now cries out where Israel cried out in Egypt at Exodus 3:7. Wesley names the savior as Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(Verses 19-21.) In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar near its border to the Lord. And it will be for a sign and for a testimony to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. For they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressor, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion who will deliver them. And the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings, and they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. From this place to the end of Egypt, both the Jews and we understand it as a vision or prophecy of Christ's coming; but they have different expectations for the future, while we consider it as already fulfilled. However, consider the day for the time being: although Josephus claims that these things happened during the time of Onias, who fled to Egypt and built a temple, an altar, and attempted to fulfill the prophecy of Christ in vain. But it is called one altar, just as there is one faith, one baptism, and one Church. And the title, next to its boundary, undoubtedly signifies the Gospel and the writings of the Apostles. For just as the land of Judea is understood above, according to the tropological understanding, as fearsome, or solemn, or the old Testament: so the title in the boundaries of Egypt is shown to be the history of the Gospels. Finally, it joins: And it shall be a sign and a testimony, namely of the Lord's passion. Then those who have believed, while the Egyptians are coming together against the Egyptians, and a man is fighting against his own brother, and city is fighting against city: when the time of persecution comes, they will implore the mercy of the Lord, and immediately the Savior will come, that is, Jesus, for this is what it means in our language. […]
(Verse 20.) And the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day; and they will worship him with sacrifices and offerings, and they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. And the Lord will strike Egypt with a plague, and he will heal it; and they will return to the Lord, and he will be appeased by them, and he will heal them. After the Egyptians have come to know the Lord, they will worship him with spiritual sacrifices and offerings; and they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them; and they will say with David: 'Sacrifice to God a contrite spirit' (Psalm 50:19); and: 'The lifting up of my hands is an evening sacrifice' (Psalm 140:2); when they believe in the Nazarene and themselves become Nazarenes, not drinking wine and strong drink (John 19); and the vinegar that was given to the Lord, and whatever is made from the Sodomite grape. And when they have fulfilled their vows with Abel, and God looks upon them, Cain, the older brother, that is, the people of Circumcision, will envy and shed Christian blood, which will cry out to the Lord (Gen. IV); and therefore he will go forth from the face of God, saying of the Savior: Crucify him, crucify him (Luke XXIII, 11); and: We have no king but Caesar (John XIX, 15). He offers and fulfills his vow to the Lord, who is holy in body and spirit. Zacchaeus also offered a vow and promised to give half of his possessions to the poor (Luke 19). The question arises, if the Savior and defender was sent to Egypt to deliver them from distress, how can it now be said, 'The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague?' But let us consider what follows: 'And he will heal it.' For whom the Lord loves, he chastises (Hebrews 12). […]
A commentator
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus LactantiusTHE DIVINE INSTITUTES 4:13 · Written before 325.
proposed
He was called "Christ" from the anointing. Then, that the same one was a human being Jeremiah shows, saying, "And he is man, and who has known him?" And Isaiah, "And the Lord shall send them a man, who shall save them, and judging them he will heal them."
A commentator
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus LactantiusEPITOME OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTES 44 · Written before 325.
proposed
That he was both God and man was declared before by the prophets. That he was God, Isaiah thus declares, "They shall fall down before you, they shall make supplication to you, since God is in you, and we knew it not, even the God of Israel. They shall be ashamed and confounded, all of them who oppose themselves to you, and shall go unto confusion." … Likewise that he was man … Isaiah also thus speaks, "and the Lord shall send them a man who shall save them, and with judgment shall he heal them."
(Verse 19-21) On that day there will be an altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar near its boundary to the Lord. And it will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. For they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressor, and he will send them a Savior and a defender to deliver them, and the Lord will be known by Egypt.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
The third sign is that they call on the help of God, they shall cry to the Lord; a Savior, Jesus: he shall cry to me, and I will hear him (Ps 90[91]:15).
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
A witness - To testify that they own the Lord for their God. Cry - Being sorely distressed, they shall turn unto the true God. A great one - A great or mighty saviour, even Christ.
And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt,....
Rabshakeh upbraided Hezekiah with this, ch. xxxvi. While they kept up an alliance with Egypt, and it was a powerful ally, they stood not in awe of the judgments of God; for against them they depended upon Egypt to protect them. Nor did they depend upon the power of God when at anytime they were in distress; but Egypt was their confidence.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3515: “The Fruits of Grace” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
THIS is a very remarkable prophecy. Attempts have been made to explain it, as if it were already fulfilled. I believe all such attempts to be utter failures. This promise stands on record to be, fulfilled at some future day In those bright days for which some of us are looking, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, so the waters cover the sea, then shall this word to Egypt be verified; yea, and God shall be glorified both by Egypt and Assyria, as well as in the land of Israel.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Pentecost (Ac 2:4) was the counterpart of Babel: the separation of nations is not to hinder the unity of faith; the full realization of this is yet future (Zec 14:9; The next clause, "swear to the Lord of Hosts," agrees with this view; that is, bind themselves to Him by solemn covenant (Isa 45:23;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3515: “The Fruits of Grace” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THIS is a very remarkable prophecy. Attempts have been made to explain it, as if it were already fulfilled. I believe all such attempts to be utter failures. This promise stands on record to be, fulfilled at some future day In those bright days for which some of us are looking, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, so the waters cover the sea, then shall this word to Egypt be verified; yea, and God shall be glorified both by Egypt and Assyria, as well as in the land of Israel. This ought to be an encouragement to carry on missionary operations with great vigour. Here is a distinct promise for Assyria and for Egypt. Let not the missionary be afraid, even if for thousands of years to come there should be little apparent success to the preaching of the gospel. If the Lord should tarry another six thousand years, ay, sixty thousand years—and he may—we are still to go on working, and still to go on labouring, looking for his coming, and expecting it, but not relaxing our efforts because he pleases to delay it, for the Lord has sworn that all flesh shall know his glory, and you may depend upon it, there is no spot of earth that shall be left to be Satan's dominion. It shall be conquered for Christ, and in truth he shall "see of the travail of his soul, and he shall be satisfied." It is most encouraging to find Egypt mentioned. You find it in one of the Psalms, "Princes shall come out of Egypt, and they shall come out of Ethiopia." Now this I believe to be the litera1 meaning of the passage. You must understand that the prophecy was given to the people of Israel, and it was given to them, as it were, to children that were using types and figures. It speaks in their language. Hence it speaks of altars, and pillars, and oblations, all of which are to be understood now in the spiritual sense.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֨ה | vehayah | and it will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְא֥וֹת | leot | <into> a sign | H226 → | 80 times |
| וּלְעֵ֛ד | uleed | and <into> a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֥ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֖וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרָ֑יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִצְעֲק֤וּ | yitzaku | they will cry out | H6817 → | 55 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֣י | mipenei | <from> because of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| לֹֽחֲצִ֔ים | lochatzim | oppressors | H3905 → | |
| וְיִשְׁלַ֥ח | veyishlach | and he may send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| לָהֶ֛ם | lahem | to them | ||
| מוֹשִׁ֥יעַ | moshia' | a deliverer | H3467 → | 206 times |
| וָרָ֖ב | varav | and [one who] contends | H7378 → | 67 times |
| וְהִצִּילָֽם׃ | vehitzilam | and he will rescue them | H5337 → | 212 times |
וְהָיָ֨הand it will become
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
לְא֥וֹת<into> a sign
leotH226 →80 times
וּלְעֵ֛דand <into> a witness
uleedH5707 →70 times
לַֽיהוָ֥הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֖וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרָ֑יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יִצְעֲק֤וּthey will cry out
yitzakuH6817 →55 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִפְּנֵ֣י<from> because of
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
לֹֽחֲצִ֔יםoppressors
lochatzimH3905 →
וְיִשְׁלַ֥חand he may send
veyishlachH7971 →845 times
לָהֶ֛םto them
lahem
מוֹשִׁ֥יעַa deliverer
moshia'H3467 →206 times
וָרָ֖בand [one who] contends
varavH7378 →67 times
וְהִצִּילָֽם׃and he will rescue them
vehitzilamH5337 →212 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
Psalms 50:15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
it leads to
- Psalms 107:28
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.
- Psalms 91:15
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- Psalms 34:3–4
Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.
- Psalms 107:19
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
- Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They…
- Psalms 107:28
Through
Luke 2:11Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
it leads to
- Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
- Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
- Isaiah 9:6
Through
Titus 2:13as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:8
From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who…
- 2 Timothy 4:8
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3515: “The Fruits of Grace” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; 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; Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, THE DIVINE INSTITUTES 4:13; Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, EPITOME OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTES 44; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.
