Isaiah 19 · Verse 4

Isaiah 19:4

And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 19:4, King James Version

Isaiah 19:4 in other translations

BSBI will deliver the Egyptians into the hands of harsh masters, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
WEBI will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, GOD of Armies.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd I have delivered the Egyptians Into the hand of a hard lord, And a strong king doth rule over them, An affirmation of the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts.
DARBYAnd the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
BBEAnd I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord; and a hard king will be their ruler, says the Lord, the Lord of armies.
WebsterAnd the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

What does Isaiah 19:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. cruel lord--"Sargon," in Hebrew it is lords; but plural is often used to express greatness, where, one alone is meant (Ge 39:2). The parallel word "king" (singular) proves it. Newton makes the general reference to be to Nebuchadnezzar, and a particular reference to Cambyses, son of Cyrus (who killed the Egyptian god, Apis), and Ochus, Persian conquerors of Egypt, noted for their "fierce cruelty." Gesenius refers it to Psammetichus, who had brought into Egypt Greek and other foreign mercenaries to subdue the other eleven princes of the dodecarchy.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 A cruel lord "Cruel lords" - Nebuchadnezzar in the first place, and afterwards the whole succession of Persian kings, who in general were hard masters, and grievously oppressed the country. Note, that for קשה kasheh, lord, a MS. reads קשים kashim, lords, agreeable to which is the rendering of the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 19:1-17

Judgments upon Egypt. (Is. 19:1-17) Its deliverance, and the conversion of the people. (Is. 19:18-25) Verses 1-17 God shall come into Egypt with his judgments. He will raise up the causes of their destruction from among themselves. When ungodly men escape danger, they are apt to think themselves secure; but evil pursues sinners, and will speedily overtake them, except they repent. The Egyptians will be given over…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 19:1-17 →

Isaiah 19:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְסִכַּרְתִּי֙ve.si.kar.Tiand I will hand overH5534
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מִצְרַ֔יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
בְּיַ֖דbe.Yadin [the] hand ofH3027
אֲדֹנִ֣ים'a.do.Nima master<s>H113
קָשֶׁ֑הka.ShehcruelH7186
וּמֶ֤לֶךְu.Me.lekhand a kingH4428
עַז֙'azstrongH5794
יִמְשָׁל\־yim.shol-he will ruleH4910
בָּ֔םBamover them
נְאֻ֥םne.'Um[the] utterance ofH5002
הָאָד֖וֹןha.'a.Donthe lordH113
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָאֽוֹת\׃tze.va.'otof hostsH6635

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 19:4

  • Isaiah 20:4

    So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

  • Ezekiel 29:19

    Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

  • Jeremiah 46:26

    And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the Lord.

  • Psalms 31:8

    And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

  • 1 Samuel 23:7

    And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

  • Isaiah 19:2

    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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
give over. or, shut up.
1Sa 23:7; Ps 31:8
a cruel lord.Rather, "cruel lords," agreeable to the LXX., Syriac, Vulgate, and the original {adonim kasheh.} Nebuchadnezzar, who first conquered and ravaged Egypt, B.C. 573, and the following year; and then, not only his successors, but Cambyses, (who invaded Egypt, B.C. 526,) the son of Cyrus, and the whole succession of Persian kings till the time of Alexander, who were in general hard masters, and grievously oppressed the country.
2; 20:4; Jer 46:26; Eze 29:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 19:3

    And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

  • Isaiah 19:4

    And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 19:5

    And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

Read all of Isaiah 19

Isaiah 19:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y entregaré á Egipto en manos de señor duro; y rey violento se enseñoreará de ellos, dice el Señor Jehová de los ejércitos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je livrerai l’Égypte en la main d’un seigneur dur, et un roi cruel dominera sur eux, dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel des armées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich will die Ägypter überliefern in die Hand eines harten Herrn; und ein grausamer König wird über sie herrschen, spricht der Herr, Jehova der Heerscharen. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et tradam Ægyptum in manu dominorum crudelium, et rex fortis dominabitur eorum, ait Dominus Deus exercituum.