The Meaning of Isaiah 19:11 Explained

Isaiah 19:11

KJV: Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellers of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

YLT: Only, fools are the princes of Zoan, The counsel of the wise ones of the counsellors of Pharaoh hath become brutish. How say ye unto Pharaoh, 'A son of the wise am I, a son of kings of antiquity?'

Darby: They are but fools, the princes of Zoan, the wise counsellors of Pharaoh: their counsel is become senseless. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

ASV: The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Surely the princes  of Zoan  [are] fools,  the counsel  of the wise  counsellors  of Pharaoh  is become brutish:  how say  ye unto Pharaoh,  I [am] the son  of the wise,  the son  of ancient  kings? 

What does Isaiah 19:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 19

1  The confusion of Egypt
11  The foolishness of their princes
18  The calling of Egypt into the church
23  The covenant of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel

What do the individual words in Isaiah 19:11 mean?

Surely [are] fools the princes of Zoan wise counselors of Pharaoh counsel give foolish how do you say to Pharaoh the son of the wise I [am] of kings ancient
אַךְ־ אֱוִלִים֙ שָׂ֣רֵי צֹ֔עַן חַכְמֵי֙ יֹעֲצֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה עֵצָ֖ה נִבְעָרָ֑ה אֵ֚יךְ תֹּאמְר֣וּ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֔ה בֶּן־ חֲכָמִ֥ים אֲנִ֖י מַלְכֵי־ ؟ קֶֽדֶם

אַךְ־  Surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
אֱוִלִים֙  [are]  fools 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱוִלִי  
Sense: foolish.
שָׂ֣רֵי  the  princes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
צֹ֔עַן  of  Zoan 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹעַן  
Sense: an ancient city of lower Egypt called Tanis by the Greeks; located on the eastern bank of the Tanitic branch of the Nile; the capital of the Shepherd dynasty, built 7 years after Hebron and existing before Abraham and the dwelling place of the Pharaoh at the time of the exodus.
חַכְמֵי֙  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
יֹעֲצֵ֣י  counselors 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
פַרְעֹ֔ה  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
עֵצָ֖ה  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
נִבְעָרָ֑ה  give  foolish 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.
אֵ֚יךְ  how 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
תֹּאמְר֣וּ  do  you  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
פַּרְעֹ֔ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
בֶּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חֲכָמִ֥ים  of  the  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
אֲנִ֖י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
מַלְכֵי־  of  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
؟ קֶֽדֶם  ancient 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.