They Must Trust In Yahweh and Not In The Horses of Egypt (Isaiah 31:1-3).
The Assyrians had powerful chariotry and horsemen, and in order to combat them many felt that their only hope was in Egypt, famous for its horses. But Yahweh here points out that the Egyptians are but men, and their horses are but flesh. Where they should be looking is to the One Who can act by His voice and by His Spirit.
Analysis.
a Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and are depending on horses; and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horses because they are very strong (Isaiah 31:1 a).
b But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Yahweh (Isaiah 31:1 b).
c Yet He also is strong, and will bring evil, and will not call back His words (Isaiah 31:2 a).
c But will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of those who work iniquity (Isaiah 31:2 b).
b Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:3 a).
a And when Yahweh stretches out his hand, both he who helps will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all fail together (Isaiah 31:3 b).
In ‘a' he declares woe on those who seek help elsewhere than in Yahweh, and who depend on Egypt's strong horses and in the parallel those who help will stumble when Yahweh stretches out His hand. In ‘b' they fail to look to the Holy One of Israel or seek Yahweh, and in the parallel are reminded that the Egyptians are not God but men, and that their horses are ordinary horses, not ‘spirit'. Thus how foolish to look to them rather than to the Spirit of God. and His heavenly power. In ‘c' Yahweh also is strong, (stronger than the Egyptian horses, see Isaiah 31:1), and He can and will bring evil (what is looked on by the enemy as evil) and in the parallel will arise against the house of evildoers and against the assistance given by those who work iniquity.
‘Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
And are depending on horses;
And trust in chariots because they are many,
And in horses because they are very strong.
But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
Nor do they seek Yahweh.
Yet he also is strong, and will bring misfortune,
And will not call back his words,
But will arise against the house of the evil-doers,
And against the help of those who work iniquity.'
A further woe is declared on Judah. The men of Judah had clearly been impressed by the Egyptian horse weaponry, both their many chariots and their fine cavalry. This had given them renewed confidence in an Egyptian victory, something which they seemingly drew to Isaiah's attention. They had become horse-dependent (continuous tense) rather than Yahweh dependent. They had stopped looking to Him.
But Isaiah points out that Yahweh too is strong, far mightier than the Egyptian horses. And that they should beware, for when He purposes misfortune He will not call back His words. Indeed He is the Holy One of Israel, therefore He must go against the house of evildoers (Egypt), and those (the Egyptians) who are the help of those who work iniquity (the people of Judah and especially the Egyptian party in Judah). Note again the stress on the fact that Yahweh so acts because those against whom He acted were sinful and wicked. His dislike of Egypt and the Egyptian party in Judah was not arbitrary. It lay in their sinfulness.
‘Now the Egyptians are men and not God,
And their horses flesh and not spirit.
And when Yahweh stretches out his hand,
Both he who helps will stumble,
And he who is helped will fall,
And they will all fail together.'
Indeed Isaiah reminds them that, in contrast to Yahweh, Who is God and of the spiritual realm, the Egyptians are but men and their horses but flesh. Thus when God chooses to act to demonstrate their human frailty He will simply stretch out His hand and both helper (the Egyptians) and the helped (Judah) will stumble and fall. Both will fail together. For it is God Who is against them. This might suggest that there was a contingent of men from Judah assisting Egypt when they were defeated by the Assyrians at Eltekeh, as there almost certainly would be. Pharaoh would not expect to march through Judah towards Eltekeh without gathering support along the way.
The whole tenor of the passage is of the folly of trusting in men when they could trust in God and the certain promises that He has given them, the folly of trusting in human strength rather than in divine aid.