The Meaning of Isaiah 19:23 Explained

Isaiah 19:23

KJV: In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

YLT: In that day is a highway out of Egypt to Asshur, And come in have the Assyrians to Egypt, And the Egyptians into Asshur, And the Egyptians have served with the Assyrians.

Darby: In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria; and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and Egypt shall serve with Assyria.

ASV: In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In that day  shall there be a highway  out of Egypt  to Assyria,  and the Assyrian  shall come  into Egypt,  and the Egyptian  into Assyria,  and the Egyptians  shall serve  with the Assyrians. 

What does Isaiah 19:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Human reconciliation between the major powers of the world will also characterize that day. Note the spread of peace from a few cities ( Isaiah 19:18), to a whole country ( Isaiah 19:19), and now to the whole world ( Isaiah 19:23). In Isaiah"s day, Israel found herself caught between Egypt and Assyria, but in the future both of these enemies would join in worshipping Israel"s God. A highway between these superpowers existed in the prophet"s day, but marching armies often used it.

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 19:23 mean?

In day that there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria and will come Assyria into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria and will serve Egypt with Assyria -
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא תִּהְיֶ֨ה מְסִלָּ֤ה מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ אַשּׁ֔וּרָה וּבָֽא־ אַשּׁ֥וּר בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִצְרַ֣יִם בְּאַשּׁ֑וּר וְעָבְד֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם אֶת־ אַשּֽׁוּר ס

בַּיּ֣וֹם  In  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
תִּהְיֶ֨ה  there  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מְסִלָּ֤ה  a  highway 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְסִלָּה  
Sense: highway, raised way, public road.
מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙  from  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
אַשּׁ֔וּרָה  to  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
וּבָֽא־  and  will  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַשּׁ֥וּר  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם  into  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וּמִצְרַ֣יִם  and  Egypt 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
בְּאַשּׁ֑וּר  into  Assyria 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
וְעָבְד֥וּ  and  will  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
מִצְרַ֖יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
אַשּֽׁוּר  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation