In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophecy doesn't just describe Egypt as feeling weak like women; it portrays them as becoming utterly helpless and timid. This isn't just about fear, but a complete loss of their usual strength and decisiveness because they realize they're facing God's direct judgment, not just human enemies.
In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes in the middle of a powerful prophecy about God's judgment on Egypt, detailing their impending downfall and humiliation. It follows visions of chaos and division within Egypt and precedes the prediction of their eventual repentance and inclusion with other nations in God's worship. The passage uses vivid imagery to portray Egypt's once-mighty status crumbling under God's direct, threatening power.
What does it mean for God to 'shake His hand' over a nation? It's not a gentle gesture, but a terrifying display of power and impending judgment.
Isaiah uses the imagery of a 'shaking hand' to communicate God's direct action against Egypt. This isn't a distant threat, but a powerful, impending judgment.
Why does Isaiah compare the mighty Egyptians to 'women'? This isn't about gender roles, but about a profound state of helpless terror.
The comparison of Egypt to 'women' in this context speaks to a complete breakdown of strength, courage, and military might. It's a picture of utter vulnerability.
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Understand the original words
ba-yom ha-hu · Hebrew Noun phrase
A recurring eschatological phrase referring to a future time when God intervenes in human history, often associated with judgment or the establishment of His kingdom.
YHWH Tseba'ot · Hebrew Noun phrase
A common biblical title for God, emphasizing His sovereignty, majesty, and absolute authority over all created powers, both earthly and heavenly.
This prophecy reflects a period of intense geopolitical upheaval for Egypt, facing multiple invasions and subjugation by powerful empires like Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. The 'shaking hand of the Lord' signifies divine judgment upon Egypt for its pride and perhaps its past actions, like its role during the Exodus, making it tremble not just before human armies but before God's sovereign power.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Neo-Assyrian Empire, marking a significant shift in regional power and a looming threat to Judah and Egypt.
701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is miraculously spared, the surrounding cities are devastated, a stark warning to Egypt.
c. 671 BC— this verse
Assyrian Conquest of Egypt
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under Esarhaddon and later Ashurbanipal, invades and occupies Egypt, bringing it under foreign rule and shattering its perceived invincibility.
605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Neo-Babylonian Empire, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, decisively defeats the Egyptian army, ending Egypt's influence in the Levant and marking the rise of Babylon.
525 BC
Persian Conquest of Egypt
The Achaemenid Persian Empire, under Cambyses II, conquers Egypt, adding it to their vast empire and further diminishing its independence.
This passage recalls the fear the Egyptians experienced during the plagues, mirroring the profound terror prophesied in Isaiah 19:16 when God's hand is against them.
Jeremiah 51:30Both Isaiah and Jeremiah use the imagery of people becoming like women to describe extreme fear and helplessness in the face of overwhelming divine judgment.
Nahum 3:13This passage also depicts a defeated and terrified populace, using the comparison to women to illustrate their weakness and inability to stand against their conquerors, much like the Egyptians in Isaiah's prophecy.
Isaiah 10:32This verse further illustrates God's 'shaking hand' as a powerful instrument of judgment against nations, reinforcing the imagery used in Isaiah 19:16 against Egypt.
Isaiah 30:32This verse directly links the 'shaking' of God's hand with the 'striking' of His judgment, providing a strong conceptual parallel to the terrifying threat hanging over Egypt in Isaiah 19:16.
barnesIsaiah 19:16: "In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it."
In that day shall Egypt be like unto women - Timid; fearful; alarmed. The Hebrews often, by this comparison, express great fear and consternation Jeremiah 51:30 ; Nahum 3:13 . Because of the shaking of the hand - The shaking of the hand is an indication of threatening or punishment (note, Isaiah 10:32; Isaiah 11:15).
pooleIsaiah 19:16: "In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it."
Like unto women; feeble and fearful, as it follows. Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts; because they shall perceive that they do not fight with men only, but with the Lord of hosts, who now lifts up his hand against them, as he did against their forefathers, Exodus 14 , the very remembrance whereof is…
The prophecy doesn't just describe Egypt as feeling weak like women; it portrays them as becoming utterly helpless and timid. This isn't just about fear, but a complete loss of their usual strength and decisiveness because they realize they're facing God's direct judgment, not just human enemies.
This verse comes in the middle of a powerful prophecy about God's judgment on Egypt, detailing their impending downfall and humiliation. It follows visions of chaos and division within Egypt and precedes the prediction of their eventual repentance and inclusion with other nations in God's worship. The passage uses vivid imagery to portray Egypt's once-mighty status crumbling under God's direct, threatening power.
This verse comes in the middle of a powerful prophecy about God's judgment on Egypt, detailing their impending downfall and humiliation. It follows visions of chaos and division within Egypt and precedes the prediction of their eventual repentance and inclusion with other nations in God's worship. The passage uses vivid imagery to portray Egypt's once-mighty status crumbling under God's direct, threatening power.
"In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them." — The prophecy doesn't just describe Egypt as feeling weak like women; it portrays them as becoming utterly helpless and timid. This isn't just about fear, but a complete loss of their usual strength…
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Last reviewed October 2026