Isaiah 19:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To the people of Judah, He once declared, Through sorrow and hardship, I will chastise Jerusalem. Accordingly, He chastises those whom He selects and cherishes. The prophet indicates that a similar fate awaits the Egyptians. For the Lord will afflict them with a great plague, yet He will restore them through a state of purity. Although they were likely under the authority of Roman rulers, and their soldiers had claimed dominion over the earth by right of conquest; once the divine message reached them, they were liberated from the detrimental consequences of their misbeliefs and turned toward the heavenly truth. Abandoning their former convictions, they ultimately achieved clarity of mind. They shall return to the Lord, and He will listen to them; in other words, those who previously scorned God due to their sins will finally learn to worship Him, not the abhorrent idols of their past, but rather the One who heals the brokenhearted. God will be quick to respond to their cries and will show compassion and mercy. Thus, the recognition of the true and living God, the Creator of all and Lord of all, serves as the foundation of all goodness for every person.

On that day, the Egyptians will come to know the Lord, honoring Him with offerings and making vows that they will fulfill. They will acknowledge Him with spiritual sacrifices, echoing David’s words, “Sacrifice unto God a broken spirit” (Psalms 50:19), and offering evening sacrifices (Psalms 140:2). As believers in the Nazarene embrace their identity, they will refrain from consuming wine and any products derived from the grapes of Sodom. After fulfilling their commitments alongside Abel, they will face hatred from their elder brother Cain, representing the circumcised, who will persecute them, spilling the blood of Christians that cries out to the Lord (Gen. 4). They will distance themselves from God, shouting, “Crucify him, crucify him” (Luke 23:22) and proclaiming, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

The one who is sanctified in body and spirit makes vows to the Lord and fulfills them, as exemplified by Zacchaeus, who pledged half of his wealth to the poor (Luke 19). One might wonder why it is stated that the Lord will strike Egypt when a savior has been sent to deliver them. It is crucial to note that alongside this action, He will also bring healing. For as it is written, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Heb. 12:6). In Psalm sixty-eight, the Saviour speaks to the Father, acknowledging His affliction and the weight of suffering upon Him (Psalm 68:27). If God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him for our sake, so too will He allow martyrs to endure suffering, yet He promises healing in the resurrection, using their trials to fortify the faith of believers.

The Lord reminds Job of His spoken word regarding righteousness, affirming that He sends trials yet restores those afflicted, guiding them with His staff to ensure that His mercy remains. Thus, those who have transgressed, leading others astray, may not face immediate chastisement as noted: “I will not come upon your daughters when they commit sexual immorality” (Hosea 4:14). The Lord strikes Egypt not with fire or sword, but with His rod, for is there any son who does not receive guidance from his father? This discipline is so that they may ultimately be healed and turn to the Lord, who will show them mercy anew, for our need for God’s mercy is ceaseless and His compassion knows no bounds.