The Skeptics Annotated Bible (538 page)

15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

16
In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

(19.16)
“In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it.”
Egypt will become weakened and frightened “like unto women” when God shakes his hand over it.

(19.17-21) More stupid Egypt prophecies.

17 And
the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt
, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.

(19.17)
“The land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt.”
Judah never invaded Egypt and was never a military threat to Egypt.

18
In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD
of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

(19.18)
“In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD.”
There shall be five cities in Egypt that speak the Canaanite language. But that language was never spoken in Egypt, and it is extinct now.

(19.19-21) These verses predict that the Egyptians will worship the Lord (Yahweh) with sacrifices and offerings. But Judaism has never been an important religion in Egypt.

19
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt
, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.

(19.19)
“In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt.”

20 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.

21 And
the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it
.

(19.21)
“The LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.”

22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.

(19.23-24) These verses predict that there will be an alliance between Egypt, Israel, and Assyria. But there has never been any such alliance, and it’s unlikely that it ever will since Assyria no longer exists.

23
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 serve with the Assyrians.

(19.23)
“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 serve with the Assyrians.”

24
In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land
:

(19.24)
“In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land.”

25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

20
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;

(20.2-5) God tells Isaiah to take off all his clothes and to wander about naked for three years as a “sign and a wonder.” In this way he will be just like the Egyptian captives who will walk about naked “with their buttocks uncovered.”

2 At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, a

(20.2)
“At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah … saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.”

nd put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

3 And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

(20.3)
“And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder.”

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.

(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.”

5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

6 And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?

21
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

(21.3) “Therefore are my loins filled with pain … I was dismayed at the seeing of it.”

4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.