In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border.
Parallel Translations
-
In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border.
-
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
-
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to Isaiah 19:19 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 28:18 Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on its top.
- Joshua 22:10 When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.
- Exodus 24:4 Moses wrote all Yahweh’s words, then rose up early in the morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Joshua 22:26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;
- Genesis 12:7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
- Isaiah 66:23 It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh.
- Zechariah 6:15 Those who are far off shall come and build in Yahweh’s temple; and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey Yahweh your God’s voice.” ’ ”
- Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain There shall be evident signs and tokens, that God’s…
There shall be evident signs and tokens, that God’s religion is there: which manner of speech is taken of the Patriarchs and ancient times, when God hath not as yet appointed the place, and full manner how he would be worshipped.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Isa 19:19 In that day shall there be an…
Isa 19:19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
Ver. 19. In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord.] A spiritual altar for spiritual sacrifices. {as Isa 19:20 Heb 13:10} Onias, the Jewish priest, who hereupon went and built an altar at Heliopolis in Egypt, and sacrificed to God there, was as much mistaken as the Anabaptists of Germany were in their Munster, which they termed New Jerusalem, and acted accordingly, sending forth apostles, casting out orthodox ministers, &c.
Read full note →
And a pillar in the border thereof.] That is, saith one, the gospels and writings of the apostles, that pillar and ground of truth, or a public confession of the Christian, faith. {Rom 10:9} An allusion to Jos 22:10; Jos 22:25. See Zec 14:9; Zec 14:20-21.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain An altar for God’s worship; not a Levitical, but…
An altar for God’s worship; not a Levitical, but a spiritual and evangelical altar, as appears from hence, because that was confined to one place, Deu 12:13,14. The altar is put for the worship of God, as it is in many places both of the Old and New Testament. And nothing is more common in the prophets than to speak of gospel worship in the phrases of the law.
A pillar; a monument of the true religion. Here also he alludes to the ancient custom of erecting pillars to God; of which See Poole "Gen 12:7", See Poole "Gen 28:18", See Poole "Jos 22:10", See Poole "Jos 24:26", See Poole "Jos 24:27".
Read full note →
At the border thereof; as before, in the midst of it. The meaning is, There shall be evidences of their piety in all places.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain In that day there shall be an altar to…
In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt,.... Josephus (c), and other Jewish writers (d), suppose this to be fulfilled when Onias, the son of Simeon the just, fled into Egypt, and obtained leave of Ptolemy king of Egypt, and Queen Cleopatra, to build a temple and an altar there, like those at Jerusalem, in order to draw the Jews thither, which was about six hundred years after this prophecy; and who did build both a temple and an altar in the nome of Heliopolis, about twenty three miles from the city of Memphis, and which continued three hundred and forty three years; but not a material altar is here meant, but a figurative and spiritual one, and no other than Christ, who is the altar that sanctifies every gift, and upon which the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise being offered up are acceptable to God. The phrase denotes a public profession of Christ, and a setting up of his worship; it is used in allusion to the patriarchs, who, wherever they came, set up an altar to the Lord, and worshipped him:
and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord; in like manner as the patriarchs used to do, Gen 28:18 it signifies not only that in the middle of the land, but upon the borders of it, the Christian religion should be embraced and professed; so that no sooner did a man step into it, but he should find that this was the religion professed there: it signifies that here would be placed ministers of the Gospel, who are as pillars to hold forth and support the doctrines of it; and a church state, which is the pillar and ground of it; and persons converted, that should be pillars in the house of God, that should never go out; see Pro 9:1.
Read full note →
(c) Antiqu. l. 13. c. 3. sect. 1. 3. & de Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 10. sect. 2, 3, 4. (d) T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 109. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain An altar - The altar is put for the…
An altar - The altar is put for the worship of God, as it is in many places both of the Old and New Testament. And nothing is more common in the prophets than to speak of gospel-worship in the phrases of the law. Pillar - A monument of the true religion. Here also he alludes to the ancient custom of erecting pillars to God. The border - As before, in the midst of it. The meaning is, There shall be evidences of their piety in all places.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 19. An altar to the Lord] צבאות tsebaoth,…
Verse 19. An altar to the Lord] צבאות tsebaoth, "of hosts," or Yehovah tsebaoth, is added by eight MSS. of good repute, and the Syriac Version.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Isa 19:19. In that day shall there be an…
Isa 19:19. In that day shall there be an altar — For God’s worship; not a Levitical, but a spiritual and evangelical altar, as appears from hence, that the Levitical altar was confined to one place, Deu 12:13-14. The altar is here put for the worship of God, as it is in many places, both of the Old and New Testaments. And nothing is more common in the prophets than to speak of gospel worship in those phrases of the law which were suitable to their own age. And, accordingly, when they speak of the Gentiles coming into the church, they represent them as serving the true God by such acts of devotion as were most in use in their own time, and therefore could be best understood by those to whom they directed their discourses. And a pillar — A monument of the true religion; (he alludes to the ancient custom of erecting pillars to God;) at the border thereof — Of the land, as before in the midst of it. The meaning is, There shall be evidences of their piety in all places. This passage evidently implies that the temple-service, which was confined to Jerusalem, should be abolished, as it was by the introduction of Christianity, and that the God of Israel should be worshipped with the most solemn rites, even in the most abhorred and unsanctified places, such as the Jews esteemed Egypt to be. Such is the meaning of this prophecy, as it refers to the Christian dispensation, and such will be its more remote and ultimate accomplishment. But, in its primary sense, it seems to relate to the conversion of the Egyptians to the Jewish religion; which was brought about by the following progressive changes. “Alexander the Great transplanted many of the Jews to Alexandria, and allowed them extraordinary immunities, equal to those of the Macedonians themselves. Ptolemy Soter carried more of them into Egypt, who enjoyed such advantages that many of them were allured to settle there. Ptolemy Philadelphus redeemed and released the captive Jews; and in his and his father’s reign, the Jewish Scriptures were translated into Greek. Ptolemy Euergetes, having subdued Syria, did not sacrifice to the gods of Egypt in acknowledgment of his victory, but, coming to Jerusalem, made his oblations to God after the manner of the Jews. Ptolemy Philometer and his queen, Cleopatra, committed the whole management of the kingdom to two Jews, Onias and Dositheus, who were the chief ministers and generals. This Onias obtained a license to build a temple for the Jews in Egypt, alleging for that purpose this very prophecy; and the king and queen, in their rescript, make honourable mention of the law and of Isaiah, and express a dread of offending God. The place chosen for this temple was in the prefecture of Heliopolis, or the city of the sun, likewise mentioned in prophecy. It was built after the model of the temple of Jerusalem, but not so sumptuous. Onias himself was made high-priest; other priests and Levites were appointed for the ministration, and divine service was daily performed there in the same manner as at Jerusalem, and continued as long: for Vespasian, having destroyed the temple at Jerusalem, ordered this to be demolished also.” See Newton, Proph., vol. 1. p. 375.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain In that day shall there be an altar -…
In that day shall there be an altar - An “altar” is properly a place on which sacrifices are offered. According to the Mosaic law, but one great altar was to be erected for sacrifices. But the word ‘altar’ is often used in another sense to denote a place of “memorial;” or a place of worship in general (Jos 22:22-26. It is clear that Isaiah did not intend that this should be taken “literally,” or that there should be a rival temple and altar erected in Egypt, but his description is evidently taken in part from the account of the religion of the patriarchs who erected altars and pillars and monuments to mark the places of the worship of the true God. The parallelism here, where ‘pillars’ are mentioned, shows in what sense the word ‘altar’ is used. It means that the worship of the true God would be established in Egypt, and that certain “places” should be set apart to his service. “altars” were among the first places reared as connected with the worship of God (see Gen 8:20; Gen 12:7; Gen 35:1; Exo 17:15).
To the Lord - To Yahweh - the true God.
Read full note →
And a pillar - That is, a memorial to God. Thus Jacob set up the stone on which he had lain ‘for a pillar,’ and poured oil on it Gen 28:18. Again Gen 35:14, he set up a pillar to mark the place where God met him and talked with him (compare Gen 31:13; Lev 26:1; Deu 16:22). The word ‘pillar,’ when thus used, denotes a stone, or column of wood, erected as a monument or memorial; and especially a memorial of some manifestation of God or of his favor. Before temples were known, such pillars would naturally be erected; and the description here means simply that Yahweh would be worshipped in Egypt.
At the border thereof - Not in one place merely, but in all parts of Egypt. It is not improbable that the “name” of Yahweh, or some rude designation of the nature of his worship, would be inscribed on such pillars. It is known that the Egyptians were accustomed to rear pillars, monuments, obelisks, etc., to commemorate great events, and that the names and deeds of illustrious persons were engraven on them; and the prophet here says, that such monuments should be reared to Yahweh. In regard to the fulfillment of this prophecy, there can be no question. After the time of Alexander the Great, large numbers of Jews were settled in Egypt. They were favored by the Ptolemies, and they became so numerous that it was deemed necessary that their Scriptures should be translated into Greek for their use, and accordingly the translation called the Septuagint was made. See Introduction, Section 8, 1, (1).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Altar. If the Jews were forbidden to have any…
Altar. If the Jews were forbidden to have any other than the one at Jerusalem, how can the prophet announce this as a blessing? Onias being excluded from the high priesthood, retired into Egypt, and obtained leave to build the temple Onion, in the Nome, though not in the city of Helipolis, above Bubaste, on the Nile, alleging that Isaias had foretold this event, and that one was already built at Leontopolis. (Josephus, Antiquities xii. 15., and xiii. 6.) --- But we must allow with the fathers and Jews in the days of St. Jerome, that this prediction regarded the Messias, when altars might be lawfully erected in every nation. See Misna, tr. Moneuth, xiii. 10. --- Monument. The cross is set up wherever Christ is adored. (Calmet) --- The Egyptians shall embrace Christianity, and St. Anthony of Thebes, &c., shall live a holy (Worthington) and austere life. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain altar--not for sacrifice, but as the "pillar" for memorial…
altar--not for sacrifice, but as the "pillar" for memorial and worship (Jos 22:22-26). Isaiah does not contemplate a temple in Egypt: for the only legal temple was at Jerusalem; but, like the patriarchs, they shall have altars in various places.
pillar--such as Jacob reared (Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14); it was a common practice in Egypt to raise obelisks commemorating divine and great events.
Read full note →
at the border--of Egypt and Judah, to proclaim to both countries the common faith. This passage shows how the Holy Spirit raised Isaiah above a narrow-minded nationality to a charity anticipatory of gospel catholicity.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 19. Altar — The word “altar” literally supposes the…
19. Altar — The word “altar” literally supposes the offering of sacrifices. Here, however, its meaning may have the confined sense of memorial, a memorial of the conversion of the Egyptians to the true religion.
Pillar — A monument of the same fact. In the prophet’s conception God (possibly) decrees to this end a conversion of the symbol of the obelisks so common in Egypt. Another illustration of this general meaning may be offered here. In this district or nome of Heliopolis, but in the city of Leontopolis, Onias IV, (see Josephus, Ant., xiii, chap. Isa_3:1-3,) disappointed in obtaining the highpriesthood at Jerusalem, B.C. 149, on fleeing to Ptolemy in Egypt, received permission to build a temple for Jewish worship resembling that at Jerusalem, but smaller and less splendid. Onias is said to have pleaded this very nineteenth verse as propriety and authority for his doing so. This temple and its worship lasted over two hundred years. The “altar” and “pillar” may have had exemplification here also. A sort of fulfilment of this verse may also be found in the fact of so many synagogues being erected in Egypt from Alexander’s time on, and in the fact, too, of the Hebrew Scriptures receiving a Greek version — the Septuagint — by command of Ptolemy.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 19. It was to this verse, according to Josephus…
19. It was to this verse, according to Josephus (and not to Isa_19:18), that Onias appealed in support of the legitimacy of his project. The statement is perfectly intelligible; it had never occurred to any one to think of Leontopolis in connexion with Isa_19:18; on the other hand, the promise of Isa_19:19 was warrant enough.
an altar to the Lord] evidently intended for sacrificial offerings, not a mere memorial (see Isa_19:21). The writer thus transcends the limits of the Mosaic legislation, which recognised but one altar of Jehovah. Some explain the prediction in a symbolical sense, of the spiritual worship of Jehovah maintained by the Jews and their proselytes. But this is hardly justifiable.
Read full note →
a pillar at the border thereof] The word maçççbâ usually denotes the sacred stones which stood by the idolatrous shrines of Canaan and whose destruction is enjoined in the Law (Deu_16:22; Exo_23:24, &c.). From its use here it has been inferred that the prophecy dates from a time anterior to the promulgation of the Deuteronomic Code in the reign of Josiah. But it is doubtful if even in the age of Isaiah the maçççbâ in this sense could have had positive value as an adjunct of Jehovah’s worship. The word is probably used in the general sense of a memorial pillar, and may have been suggested by the huge monoliths which were so characteristic of Egyptian civilisation. This one stands on the frontier of Egypt, as a sign to every one entering the country that Jehovah is known there.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (19) In that day shall there be an altar…
(19) In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord . . .—The words naturally tended to bring about their own fulfilment, as related in the preceding note. From the prophet’s own stand-point, however, the altar was probably thought of, not as the centre of a rival worship, but, like that erected by the trans-Jordanic tribes in the time of Joshua, as an altar of “witness” (Jos_22:27), and the words that follow supply a distinct confirmation of this view. Substantially the prophet saw in the distant future a time in which the connection between Judah and Egypt should be one influencing the latter for good, and not the former for evil. The admission of Egyptian and Ethiopian proselytes, already referred to, was as the first fruits of such an influence. It may not be without interest to note some of its later workings. (1) In the time of Manasseh, who gave to his son Amon a name singularly Egyptian in its sound, a body of Jewish settlers were invited by Psammetichus to station themselves on the frontiers of Upper Egypt (“Pseudo-Aristeas,” in Hudson’s Josephus). (2) Under Ptolemy I. large numbers of Jewish emigrants fixed themselves at Alexandria, with full toleration of their faith and worship. (3) Under Ptolemy Philadelphus the intercourse between the Palestinians and Egyptians led to the translation of the Old Testament Scriptures known as the LXX., and this was followed by the growth of a Hellenistic or a Græco-Jewish literature, of which we have the remains in the Apocrypha and in Philo. (4) There was the erection of the Leontopolis Temple, already spoken of, and this was followed by that of numerous synagogues, perhaps also of monasteries for communities of Jewish ascetics of the Essene type, such as that which Philo describes under the name of the Thera-pœutœ (Euseb. H.E. ii. 17).
A pillar at the border thereof . . .—The pillar was the familiar obelisk of the Egyptians, commonly associated with the worship of the sun. The point of Isaiah’s prediction was that the symbol should be rescued from its idolatrous uses, and stand on the border-land of Egypt and of Judah, as a witness that Jehovah, the Lord of hosts, was worshipped in both countries.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain There shall be an altar to the Lord. An…
There shall be an altar to the Lord. An altar to the Lord was undoubtedly erected by Onias in the temple which he obtained leave to build from Ptolemy Philometor. Josephus says that he persuaded Ptolemy by showing him this passage of Isaiah ("Ant. Jud:," 13:3; "Bell. Jud:," 7:10). And a pillar at the border thereof. It is not clear that any "pillar" was ever actually erected. The erection of pillars for religious purposes was forbidden by the Law. (Deu_16:22) But this would be a pillar of witness, (Gen_31:52) and would mark that the land was Jehovah"s. Dr. Kay suggests that "the Jewish synagogue first, and afterwards the Christian Church at Alexandria, standing like a lofty obelisk, with the name of Jehovah inscribed upon it, at the entrance of Egypt," sufficiently fulfilled the prophecy.
The cry of distress after the true God.
Read full note →
The erection of the altar and the pillar would be a sign of desire after God. "In Isaiah"s time it must have seemed incredible that the firmly organized idolatrous system of Egypt should ever be broken up. Yet such a result was brought about by a series of movements Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Greek which commenced almost immediately after the date of the above prediction. In the district of Heliopolis, on the site of a ruined temple at Leontopolis (twenty miles north-east of Memphis), the high priest Onias IV built his temple, under a special license from Ptolemy Philometor (about B.C. 150)." The chapter deals with the corrective judgments which were to come upon Egypt, and gives this prophecy as the assurance that they will in measure prove efficient; and Egypt in her distress will cry after the true God; and the presence of Jews in her midst would give direction to her cry. We only suggest the following topics for illustration:
I THE MISSION OF ALL NATIONAL DISTRESS IS CONVINCEMENT OF THE CLAIMS OF GOD.
II THE PRESSURE OF NATIONAL DISTRESS IS A PERSUASION TO CALL UPON GOD. III THE ARRANGEMENTS OF GOD"S PROVIDENCE ALWAYS HELP MEN"S DESIRE TO SEEK GOD. Illustrated in the fact that Jews were settled in Egypt, and witnessing for Jehovah, when the people"s hearts were turning towards him. From this we may proceed to show how our establishing missions in various parts of heathendom proves to be providential help afforded to peoples who have begun to cry after God. Our "altar" and our "pillar" are thus for "a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 a stone pillar at the border to Yahweh
a stone pillar at the border to Yahweh
The phrase "the border" refers to the border of Egypt. AT: "a stone pillar to Yahweh at the border of Egypt" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Read full note →
It will be as a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt
The abstract nouns "sign" and "witness" can be expressed with the verbs "show" and prove." AT: "The altar will show and prove that Yahweh of hosts is in the land of Egypt" (See: Abstract Nouns)
to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt
Yahweh being in the land of Egypt represents the people of Egypt worshiping him. AT: "that the people in the land of Egypt worship Yahweh of hosts" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
When they cry
"When the Egyptians cry"
because of oppressors
"because people are treating them harshly" or "because others are causing them to suffer"
he will send them a savior and a defender
"Yahweh will send someone to save and defend the Egyptians"
he will deliver them
Who Yahweh will deliver them from can be made explicit. AT: "Yahweh will deliver the Egyptians from their oppressors" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
altar
Yahweh
column
sign
testimony
Yahweh of hosts
oppress
Savior
deliver
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 19:19-25 The new Egypt would receive a place in…
19:19-25 The new Egypt would receive a place in God’s purposes together with Assyria and Israel.
19:19 This altar or monument refers either to the temple that was built by Jews at Elephantine in Egypt (500 BC), to some other Jewish place of worship, or perhaps to a memorial the Egyptians constructed in devotion to the Lord.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.