Isaiah 19:22
And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say God will strike and heal Egypt, but that He will do it "with a smiting and a healing." This phrasing emphasizes that the affliction is not a separate act from the healing; rather, the smiting itself is the very means through which God brings about their restoration and eventual return to Him.
The prophecy has shifted from detailing Egypt's internal strife and vulnerability to a surprising promise of healing and reconciliation. After foretelling severe judgment and turmoil, the text now focuses on how this divine discipline will ultimately lead Egypt to repentance and a restored relationship with the LORD, highlighting the tender, restorative nature of God's actions, even amidst judgment.
Why would God 'strike' a nation only to 'heal' it? It sounds contradictory, but this is a core principle of God's redemptive work.
This verse reveals a profound truth about God's interaction with His people, and even with nations that are far from Him. The 'striking' isn't for destruction's sake, but as a means to bring about healing.
What does it truly mean to 'return to the LORD'? It's more than just a feeling; it's a profound shift that changes everything.
The verse doesn't just say God will heal Egypt; it explains why and how. The key is their response: 'they will return to the LORD.'
Understand the original words
nagaph · Hebrew Verb
Divine discipline or judgment intended to humble, correct, or bring an individual or nation to repentance. It is often followed by divine restoration.
rapha' · Hebrew Verb
The act of restoration, physical or spiritual recovery, and restoration to wholeness, brought about by God's power and mercy.
shuv · Hebrew Verb
A turning back or changing of direction, signifying repentance from sin and a restoration of relationship with God.
tachanun · Hebrew Noun
A petition for grace, compassion, or favor from God when one is in a state of need or distress.
This prophecy unfolds over a vast historical sweep, moving from Isaiah's time through the periods of Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian domination, into the Hellenistic era, and finally to the spread of Christianity. The 'striking and healing' signifies not just political subjugation and recovery, but a deeper spiritual transformation that transcends specific historical empires.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah's Prophecy Against Egypt
Isaiah delivers prophecies concerning Egypt, detailing future judgments and eventual restoration, including a prediction of striking and healing.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, a significant geopolitical event that would have heightened concerns in neighboring Egypt about Assyrian power.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Judah
Babylon, having overthrown Assyria, begins deporting citizens from Judah, signaling the rise of another major empire that would impact the region including Egypt.
525 BC
Persian Conquest of Egypt
Cambyses II of Persia conquers Egypt, ending its period of independence and bringing it under the rule of the vast Persian Empire. This conquest is a significant fulfillment of prophecies of foreign domination.
This verse echoes the 'strike and heal' theme, emphasizing that God's judgment is intended for restoration, not destruction, just as He afflicts His people in order to bring them back to Himself.
Jeremiah 12:15-16Similar to Isaiah's prophecy for Egypt, God declares that after bringing nations into judgment, He will have compassion and bring them back to their lands and to Himself, showing a pattern of discipline followed by restoration.
Luke 15:11-32The Parable of the Prodigal Son beautifully illustrates the 'return and be healed' aspect, showing a father's loving welcome and restoration for a wayward child who repents and comes back home.
Romans 8:28This passage assures believers that God works all things, including afflictions, for their good, aligning with Isaiah's message that the 'striking' of Egypt is part of a divine plan for their ultimate healing and return to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 7:10This verse directly connects godly sorrow, which often arises from God's chastening ('smite'), with repentance that leads to salvation ('heal'), mirroring the process described for Egypt.
barnesIsaiah 19:22: "And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them."
And the Lord shall smite Egypt - That is, in the manner described in the previous part of this prophecy Isaiah 19:2-10 . And heal it - Or restore it to more than its former splendor and prosperity, as described in the previous verses Isaiah 19:18-20. He shall send it a saviour; he shall open new sources of prosperity; and he…
cambridgeIsaiah 19:22: "And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them."
22 . he shall smite and heal it ] lit. “with a smiting and a healing,” i.e. He will smite only in order to heal ( Hosea 6:1 ). be intreated ] hear their supplications ( Niph. tolerativum ).
The verse doesn't just say God will strike and heal Egypt, but that He will do it "with a smiting and a healing." This phrasing emphasizes that the affliction is not a separate act from the healing; rather, the smiting itself is the very means through which God brings about their restoration and eventual return to Him.
The prophecy has shifted from detailing Egypt's internal strife and vulnerability to a surprising promise of healing and reconciliation. After foretelling severe judgment and turmoil, the text now focuses on how this divine discipline will ultimately lead Egypt to repentance and a restored relationship with the LORD, highlighting the tender, restorative nature of God's actions, even amidst judgment.
The prophecy has shifted from detailing Egypt's internal strife and vulnerability to a surprising promise of healing and reconciliation. After foretelling severe judgment and turmoil, the text now focuses on how this divine discipline will ultimately lead Egypt to repentance and a restored relationship with the LORD, highlighting the tender, restorative nature of God's actions, even amidst judgment.
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c. 300s BC onwards
Hellenistic Period and Alexandrian Influence
Following Alexander the Great's conquest, Egypt comes under Greek rule, leading to the founding of Alexandria and a significant interaction between Egyptian, Jewish, and Greek cultures.
1st Century AD onwards
Spread of Christianity in Egypt
The Gospel begins to spread throughout Egypt, eventually leading to the establishment of a significant Christian community, fulfilling the prophecy of Egyptians coming to know the Lord.
"And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them." — The verse doesn't just say God will strike and heal Egypt, but that He will do it "with a smiting and a healing." This phrasing emphasizes that the affliction is not a separate act from the healing;…
