Isaiah 31:1
in Isaiah 31Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah!
KJV
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
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This verse in Isaiah 31
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Wo - (see the note at Isa 30:1). To them that go down to Egypt - (see the note at Isa 30:2). And stay on horses - (see the note at Isa 30:16). And trust in chariots - (see the note at Isa 21:7). That they were often used in war, is apparent from the following places Jos 11:4; Jdg 1:19; 1Sa 13:5; 2Sa 8:4. Because they are many - Because they hope to secure the aid of many. See the references above.
This site's exposition
go down to Egypt for help
on Isaiah 31:1-3
The woe names its cause: they "rely on horses", yet "They do not look to the Holy One of Israel". The LORD "too is wise and brings disaster". Its center is one line, "the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit", so helper and helped fall.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Let our course take us to regions above, because it is better to ascend. Finally, as was read today, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt." Surely it is not wrong to go to Egypt, but to change to the ways of the Egyptians, to change to the violence of their treachery and to the ugliness of their wantonness—this is wrong. He that changes in this way descends, and one who descends falls. Let us keep away, then, from the Egyptian who is a man, but [let us] not [keep away] from God. Even the king of Egypt himself fell under the dominion of his own vices and in comparison with him Moses was accounted a god, ruling over kingdoms and subjecting powers to himself. So we read that it was said to Moses: "I shall make you a god to Pharaoh."
(Chapter 31, verses 1 onwards) Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the wicked nation, against those who help evildoers.
The Medieval Church1 voice
693. Woe to them that go down. In this part, he threatens both at the same time, namely, the Egyptians and the Jews, and concerning this, he does two things: first, he sets out the threatening; second, the consolation, where it says, for thus says …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Slighting the God of Israel: They look not to the Holy One of Israel, as if he were not worth taking notice of in this distress. They advise not with him, seek not his favour, nor are in any care to make him their friend. The gross absurdity and folly of this sin.
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help,.... Or, "O ye that go down", &c.; what poor foolish creatures are you! And in the end what miserable and wretched ones will ye be!
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In hilly Palestine horses were not so easily had or available. The Jews were therefore the more eager to get Egyptian chariots as allies against the Assyrian cavalry. In Assyrian sculptures chariots are represented drawn by three horses, and with three men in them (see Isa 36:9;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Wo to them that go down to Egypt - This is a reproof to the Israelites for forming an alliance with the Egyptians, and not trusting in the Lord. And stay on horses “Who trust in horses” - For ועל veal, and upon, first twenty MSS. of Kennicott’s, thirty of De Rossi’s, one of my own, and the Septuagint, Arabic, and Vulgate, read על al, upon, without the conjunction, which disturbs the sense.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Woe Concerning Hoshea and the ten tribes who went down to Egypt for aid, who sent emissaries to So, king of Egypt (II Kings 17).
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
and His words He did not retract What He said, “And the Lord shall take you back to Egypt in ships” (Deut.:68). This is payment in kind, for I said to you, “You shall no longer see it (ibid.),” and you went there of your own free will.
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
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ה֣וֹי | ho | woe to! | H1945 → | 51 times |
| הַיֹּרְדִ֤ים | haiyoredim | those [who] go down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| לְעֶזְרָ֔ה | leezrah | for help | H5833 → | 26 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| סוּסִ֖ים | susim | horses | H5483 → | 140 times |
| יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּ | yishaenu | they depend | H8172 → | 22 times |
| וַיִּבְטְח֨וּ | vaiyivtechu | and they have relied | H982 → | 120 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֶ֜כֶב | rekhev | chariotry | H7393 → | 119 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָ֗ב | rav | [it is] many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְעַ֤ל | veal | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ | parashim | horsemen | H6571 → | 57 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עָצְמ֣וּ | ʾatzemu | they are numerous | H6105 → | 20 times |
| מְאֹ֔ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וְלֹ֤א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁעוּ֙ | shau | they look | H8159 → | 15 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| קְד֣וֹשׁ | kedoosh | [the] holy [one] of | H6918 → | 116 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| דָרָֽשׁוּ׃ | darashu | they seek | H1875 → | 164 times |
ה֣וֹיwoe to!
hoH1945 →51 times
הַיֹּרְדִ֤יםthose [who] go down
haiyoredimH3381 →381 times
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
לְעֶזְרָ֔הfor help
leezrahH5833 →26 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
סוּסִ֖יםhorses
susimH5483 →140 times
יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּthey depend
yishaenuH8172 →22 times
וַיִּבְטְח֨וּand they have relied
vaiyivtechuH982 →120 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֶ֜כֶבchariotry
rekhevH7393 →119 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
רָ֗ב[it is] many
ravH7227 →454 times
וְעַ֤לand on
vealH5921 →5755 times
פָּֽרָשִׁים֙horsemen
parashimH6571 →57 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עָצְמ֣וּthey are numerous
ʾatzemuH6105 →20 times
מְאֹ֔דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
וְלֹ֤אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁעוּ֙they look
shauH8159 →15 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
קְד֣וֹשׁ[the] holy [one] of
kedooshH6918 →116 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
דָרָֽשׁוּ׃they seek
darashuH1875 →164 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 20:7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 32:8
With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 17:5
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
- Proverbs 21:31
A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
- Psalms 33:16–17
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
- 2 Chronicles 32:8
Through
Jeremiah 17:5This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
it leads to
- Psalms 118:8–9
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
- Psalms 146:3–4
Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.
- Isaiah 2:22
Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
- Psalms 118:8–9
Through
Jeremiah 2:13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
it leads to
- John 4:14
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 4:14
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 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 28.8; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.