The Meaning of Isaiah 19:20 Explained

Isaiah 19:20

KJV: And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.

YLT: And it hath been for a sign and for a testimony, To Jehovah of Hosts in the land of Egypt, For they cry unto Jehovah from the face of oppressors, And He sendeth to them a saviour, Even a great one, and hath delivered them.

Darby: and it shall be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of the oppressors, and he will send them a saviour and defender, who shall deliver them.

ASV: And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour, and a defender, and he will deliver them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall be for a sign  and for a witness  unto the LORD  of hosts  in the land  of Egypt:  for they shall cry  unto the LORD  because  of the oppressors,  and he shall send  them a saviour,  and a great one,  and he shall deliver  them. 

What does Isaiah 19:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 19

1  The confusion of Egypt
11  The foolishness of their princes
18  The calling of Egypt into the church
23  The covenant of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel

What do the individual words in Isaiah 19:20 mean?

And it will be for a sign for a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt for they will cry to Yahweh because of the oppressors and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty one and He will deliver them
וְהָיָ֨ה לְא֥וֹת וּלְעֵ֛ד לַֽיהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־ יִצְעֲק֤וּ אֶל־ יְהוָה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י לֹֽחֲצִ֔ים וְיִשְׁלַ֥ח לָהֶ֛ם מוֹשִׁ֥יעַ וָרָ֖ב וְהִצִּילָֽם

וְהָיָ֨ה  And  it  will  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְא֥וֹת  for  a  sign 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
וּלְעֵ֛ד  for  a  witness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
לַֽיהוָ֥ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
יִצְעֲק֤וּ  they  will  cry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: צָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, cry for help.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִפְּנֵ֣י  because 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לֹֽחֲצִ֔ים  of  the  oppressors 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָחַץ  
Sense: to squeeze, press, oppress.
וְיִשְׁלַ֥ח  and  He  will  send 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
מוֹשִׁ֥יעַ  a  Savior 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
וָרָ֖ב  and  a  Mighty  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְהִצִּילָֽם  and  He  will  deliver  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.