“Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; and I will confound their strategy, so that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead and to mediums and spiritists. Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, and a mighty king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Verse 3: Look at the two verbs in the initial part of the verse. The Egyptian spirit is to be emptied and demoralized. The translation of “confound” does not tell the whole story. The idea communicated is intentional, intensive, and repeated action of swallowing their strategy. One could get the idea that the Egyptians will have many ideas and solutions to try to stop the civil war.  These ideas (political, economic, religious, etc.) will be repeatedly shot down by God. The Egyptian solutions to the civil war will not succeed because God directly acts. Eventually frustration sets in and the country turns to the occult, seeking the dead and intermediaries with the dead.

Verse 4: Egyptian leaders have not a good record of human rights whether it is their citizens or not. Observe the treatment of the Jewish people in Exodus, slave labor. Pharaoh eventually tried to run the Jews down and kill them but drowned in the Red Sea.

Hosni Mubarak’s record of civil rights was less than impressive. He was an oppressive leader toward his people. Political prisoners report horrors of torture and killings they witnessed.  The people had enough and he is no longer in power. To quote the 80’s rock band Cinderella, “You don’t know what you got, till it is gone.” There is a ruler who is coming and will be appointed, according to the Bible, by God. This guy will not be nice. Recent history of the Middle East tells us a more radical and fundamental leader is likely. Every time “free” elections are held, a terrorist group leader is elected overwhelmingly. What we do not know is 1) when will this leader be appointed or 2) if this current day event is the scenario in which he comes to power.

God will intentionally give (piel stem verb form in Hebrew) the Egyptian people this leader. In the verse, there are two adjectives that describe this leader. You can bet this leader will impose and use force on the population.

Qasheh: (translated cruel)This word can be defined as hard, cruel, severe, obstinate, difficult, fierce, intense, vehement, stubborn, stiff-necked, rigorous (of battle).

`Az: (translated mighty) This word can be defined as strong, mighty, fierce.

These first four verses of Isaiah 19 make one point over and over and over. God is controlling the action. It is observed in the language and grammar. This is a direct quote from God.

“Declares the Lord GOD of hosts.”