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31
Israel Should Depend on God’s Power
1 Look at the people going down to Egypt for help. They think the horses they get will save them. They hope the many chariots and powerful soldiers will protect them. But the people don’t trust the Holy One of Israel. They didn’t ask the LORD for help. 2 But he is the wise one who is bringing the disaster. And they will not be able to stop what he commanded. The Lord will attack those who are evil and all who try to help them.
3 The Egyptians are only human, not God. The horses from Egypt are only animals, not spirit. The LORD will stretch out his arm, and the helper will be defeated. And those who wanted help will fall. They will all be destroyed together.
4 The LORD told me: “When a lion or its cub catches an animal to eat, the lion stands over the dead animal and roars, and nothing can frighten it away. If men come and yell at the lion, the lion will not be afraid. They might make a lot of noise, but the lion will not run away.”
In the same way, the LORD All-Powerful will come down to Mount Zion. He will fight on that hill. 5 Just as birds fly over their nest to protect it, so the LORD All-Powerful will defend* defend Literally, “fight on” or “fight against.” Jerusalem. He will save her. He will “pass over” and save Jerusalem.
6 People of Israel, you should come back to the God you turned away from. 7 That is because when those things happen, people will reject the gold and silver idols you made when you sinned against me.
8 It is true that Assyria will be defeated with a sword, but it will not be a human sword that defeats him. Assyria will be destroyed, but that destruction will not come from a man’s sword. Assyria will run away from God’s sword, but the young men will be caught and made slaves. 9 Their place of safety will be destroyed. Their leaders will be defeated, and they will abandon their flag.
The LORD, whose fireplace is on Zion and whose oven† fireplace … oven That is, the altar in the Temple. is in Jerusalem, is the one who said this.

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*31:5 defend Literally, “fight on” or “fight against.”

†31:9 fireplace … oven That is, the altar in the Temple.

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