Isaiah 31:3

But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The prophet addresses Judah, warning them against relying on Egyptian military aid while God prepares to judge their covenant-breaking alliances.

The words — אָדָם (’a.Dam) translates literally as “humankind,” contrasting with אֵל (’El), “God,” while בָּשָׂר (ba.Sar), “flesh,” is explicitly denied the enduring power of ר֑וּחַ (Ru.ach), “spirit.”

The thread — The contrast between human frailty and divine action appears in Psalms 9:20, which commands nations to recognize they are only men, and in Ezekiel 20:33, where God rules with a strong hand and outstretched arm.

Why it lands — The text declares that when God acts, human allies and their resources will collapse alongside those who trust them, demanding a reader to abandon reliance on mortal power and submit to divine sovereignty.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּמִצְרַ֤יִםu./mitz.Ra.yimand/ Egypt אָדָם֙'a.Dam[is] humankind וְֽלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not אֵ֔ל'ElGod וְסוּסֵיהֶ֥םve./su.sei./Hemand/ horses/ their בָּשָׂ֖רba.Sar[are] flesh וְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not ר֑וּחַRu.achspirit וַֽיהוָ֞הva./Yah.wehand/ Yahweh יַטֶּ֣הya.Tehhe will stretch out יָד֗וֹya.D/ohand/ his וְכָשַׁ֤לve./kha.Shaland/ he will stumble עוֹזֵר֙o.Zer[one who] helps וְנָפַ֣לve./na.Faland/ he will fall עָזֻ֔ר'a.Zur[one who] is helped וְיַחְדָּ֖וve./yach.Davand/ together כֻּלָּ֥םku.La/mall of/ them יִכְלָיֽוּן׃ סyikh.la.Yu/nthey will come to an end/ !

King James Version

Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

Cross-references

Isaiah 9:17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
Ezekiel 20:33 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.
Psalms 9:20 Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah
Psalms 33:17 A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.
Isaiah 30:7 Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still.
Jeremiah 15:6 You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.
Ezekiel 28:9 Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.
Deuteronomy 32:30 How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
Psalms 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.
Isaiah 30:5 everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them. They bring neither help nor benefit, but only shame and disgrace.”