Trust the Holy One of Israel

¹Woe to those who run down to Egypt for help,

trusting in the might of their multitude

of cavalry, chariots, and riders.

Their confident trust is not in the Holy One of Israel,

nor do they consult with Yahweh .

²Yet he is wiser than all of them!

He can call down calamity upon evildoers

and never needs to retract his words.

He will stand up against the wicked and those who protect them.

³The Egyptians are not gods; they’re only human![#31:3 Or “mighty ones.”; #31:3 “Human” is the Hebrew word adam .]

Their horses are not supernatural; they’re only flesh!

When Yahweh demonstrates his power,

the helper will stumble and the helped will fall—

both will perish together!

The Lord Will Fight for His People

⁴This is what Yahweh said to me:

“When a lion, the great beast, growls over his prey,

and when the shepherds band together against him,

the lion is neither terrified by their shouts

nor disturbed by all the noise they make.

So will Yahweh , the Commander of Angel Armies,

come down to fight for you on Mount Zion and on Zion’s hill!

⁵Just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young,

so will Yahweh , Commander of Angel Armies, shield Jerusalem.

He will protect her, deliver her, spare her, and rescue her!”

Repent and Return

⁶“People of Israel! Repent and turn back to God,

whom you have deeply betrayed.

⁷For a time is coming

when all people will throw away

their sinful idols of silver and gold

and forsake all that their own hands have made.

⁸Assyria will fall by the sword but not the sword of man.

It will not be man’s sword that will slaughter them, but God’s !

They will run from battle,

and their young men will be made slaves.

⁹Fear will cause them to surrender their high fortress,[#31:9 Or “rock cliff” (Hb. sela ).]

and they will panic at the sight of princes,

and desert their battle flag,”

says the Lord God, whose fire burns in Zion

and whose furnace burns in Jerusalem!