Isaiah 19:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The land of Judah was once delivered, as God safeguarded it, making it, as previously noted, invulnerable to the surrounding pagan nations. However, despite having such a Defender, it was ultimately captured and overpowered by the Romans; the entire city was consumed by flames, leaving the homes and villages deserted. What led to their captivity? Clearly, it was the decree of the Lord, which had been declared against her, for she, along with others, was surrendered to the might of the Romans. Thus, the land of Judah is destined to fear the Egyptians. The false prophets, through their proclamations, sought to instill in them a hope that they would be stronger than their assailants and would rise against them and prevail. The fact that the very land of Judah was betrayed to the Romans, despite once being defended by God, instilled great fear in them. Consequently, they anticipated that they too would have to yield to those who wished to ravage their land, after seeing the land of Judah subjected, not because He who delivered it had become weak, but because He had subjected it to His own decree and brought it under His authority. However, some interpret the passage differently. After the Almighty had fully observed the Egyptians, drawing them out of darkness into light, and finally allowing them to know Him who is, by nature and truth, God and Creator of all things (for they believed in Christ, through whom they recognized the Father), it is said that due to their profound humility and reverence, the land of the Jews would become a source of anxiety for the Egyptians. When he mentions 'fear,' he refers to that which arises from piety. Everyone holds Jerusalem in reverence because it is where Christ was born, crucified for the salvation of the world, buried, and then resurrected, ultimately ascending to the Father. The Jewish land was once abhorred by the Egyptians due to their differing religions; some revered created things and the works of their hands, while others worshiped the most holy God, adhering to His commandments and pursuing a righteous life. Thus, that land, which was once an object of enmity, became a source of fear and a testament to piety for them, as it is in that very land, as previously noted, that Christ was born, who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Thus, if we choose to comprehend that the memory of Judah will evoke joy for Egypt, we may translate it as joy; however, I believe it is closer to truth to translate it as terror instead of joy, indicating a sense of fear or dread—especially when Nebuchadnezzar approaches. In such circumstances, even the strongest will appear as weak as women, and the very mention of Judah will instill fear in Egypt, as it strives to assist Judah while simultaneously experiencing its own profound calamities.

In our contemporary context, it is clear that compared to Christians, all Gentiles resemble women with uncertain thoughts, and anything they proclaim seems foolish. They are understandably alarmed by the dramatic conversion of the populace, realizing the hand of the Lord at work. Furthermore, every Gentile, recalling the identity of Christians, is daunted by the impotence of idolatry.