1 W o those going down to Egypt for help, And on horses lean, And trust on chariots, because many, And on horsemen, because very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And Jehovah have not sought.

It is bad for those who go down to Egypt for help, and trust in the many horses and war-wagons, and in the much strength of their horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel or ask the Lord for help.

2 A nd He also wise, and bringeth in evil, And His words He hath not turned aside, And He hath risen against a house of evil doers, And against the help of workers of iniquity.

Yet He is wise and brings trouble, and does not take back His words. He will go against the house of wrong-doers, and against the helpers of those who sin.

3 A nd the Egyptians, and not God, And their horses flesh, and not spirit, And Jehovah stretcheth out His hand, And stumbled hath the helper, And fallen hath the helped one, And together all of them are consumed.

The Egyptians are men, and not God. Their horses are flesh and not spirit. The Lord puts out His hand, and the helper and the one who is helped will fall. All of them will be destroyed together.

4 F or thus said Jehovah unto me: `As growl doth the lion and the young lion over his prey, Called against whom is a multitude of shepherds, From their voice he is not affrighted, And from their noise he is not humbled; So come down doth Jehovah of Hosts To war on mount Zion, and on her height.

For the Lord has said to me, “As the lion or the young lion makes noise over the food he has killed, and when a group of shepherds go against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, or troubled by their noise. In the same way, the Lord of All will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.”

5 A s birds flying, so doth Jehovah of Hosts Cover over Jerusalem, covering and delivering, Passing over, and causing to escape.'

Like flying birds, the Lord of All will keep Jerusalem safe. He will keep it safe and bring it out of trouble. He will pass over and save it.

6 T urn back to Him from whom sons of Israel Have deepened apostacy.

O sons of Israel, return to Him against Whom you have sinned much.

7 F or in that day despise doth each His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, That your hands made to you -- a sin.

For in that day every man will throw away his silver and gold objects of worship, which his sinful hands have made.

8 A nd fallen hath Asshur by sword, not of the high, Yea, a sword -- not of the low, doth consume him, And he hath fled for himself from the face of a sword, And his young men become tributary.

And the Assyrian will fall by a sword that is not of man, a sword that man has had no part of will destroy him. He will run from the sword, and his young men will be made to work hard.

9 A nd his rock from fear he passeth on, And affrighted by the ensign have been his princes -- an affirmation of Jehovah, Who hath a light in Zion, And who hath a furnace in Jerusalem!

“His safe place will pass away because of fear. And his rulers will be afraid of the flags lifted up,” says the Lord, Whose fire is in Zion and Whose place of burning is in Jerusalem.