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Isaiah 19:15

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 19:15 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.
Isaiah 19:15 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 19

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12Where then are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now; and let them know what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt.
13The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes.
14Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
15Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do.
16In that day shall the Egyptians be like unto women; and they shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts, which he shaketh over them.
17And the land of Judah shall become a terror unto Egypt; every one to whom mention is made thereof shall be afraid, because of the purpose of Jehovah of hosts, which he purposeth against it.
18In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.
← Isaiah 19:14Isaiah 19:16 →
← Full Chapter 19 Isaiah Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Neither shall there be [any] work for Egypt, &c.] No trade or business to carry on; their rivers being dried up, there was no flax to work with, and fine linen was a principal commodity of Egypt; nor any fish to catch, or rushes to make paper of, as before observed: or it would not be in the power of their hands to deliver themselves from the Assyrians that should come against them; and that they should be deprived of wisdom and counsel, and be at their wits’ end, not knowing what to do, or what step to take: which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do: high or low, strong or weak, all ranks and orders of men shall have nothing to do; all shall be weak and dispirited, and void of counsel.…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“work for Egypt--nothing which Egypt can do to extricate itself from the difficulty. head or tail--high or low (Isa 19:11-15, and Isa 19:8-10). branch or rush--the lofty palm branch or the humble reed (Isa 9:14-15; Isa 10:33-34).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Neither shall there be any work - The sense is, that there shall be such discord that no man, whether a prince, a politician, or a priest, shall be able to give any advice, or form any plan for the national safety and security, which shall be successful. Which the head or tail - High or low; strong or weak: those in office and those out of office; all shall be dispirited and confounded. Rosenmuller understands by the head here, the “political” orders of the nation, and by the tail the “sacerdotal” ranks. But the meaning more probably is, the highest and the lowest ranks - all the politicians, and priests, and princes, on the one hand, as the prophet had just stated Isaiah 19:11-15; and all…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Head, &c. - All people, both high and low, shall be at their wits end. Isaiah 19:16”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“19:15 There is nothing Egypt can do: No leader, idol, or conventional wisdom can stand against God’s judgment. • The head and the tail represented all of Egypt’s leaders from the greatest to the least important (see 9:14-15).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Isa 9:14, Isa 9:15; Psa 128:2; Pro 14:23; Hab 3:17; Hag 1:11; Th1 4:11, Th1 4:12 Isaiah 19:16”
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Related study paths

Read Isaiah 19 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification