Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 19:22
And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal [it]: and they shall return [even] to the LORD, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.
22. he shall smite and heal it ] lit. “with a smiting and a healing,” i.e. He will smite only in order to heal (Hos 6:1). be intreated ] hear their supplications ( Niph. tolerativum).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the Lord shall smite Egypt – That is, in the manner described in the previous part of this prophecy Isa 19:2-10.
And heal it – Or restore it to more than its former splendor and prosperity, as described in the previous verses Isa 19:18-20. He shall send it a saviour; he shall open new sources of prosperity; and he shall cause the true religion to flourish there. These advantages would be more than a compensation for all the calamities that he would bring upon it.
And they shall return … – These calamities shall be the means of their conversion to Yahweh.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He shall smite and heal it; God will afflict them by oppressors, Isa 19:20, and otherwise; and by those afflictions he will convert and save them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. returnfor heathen sin andidolatry are an apostasy from primitive truth.
healas described (Isa19:18-20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord shall smite Egypt,…. By one afflictive providence or another, which shall awaken them to a sense of sin and duty; or smite their consciences with convictions of sin, through the ministry of the word by his spirits:
he shall smite and heal [it]; or “smiting and healing” f; as he smites he shall heal, by an application of pardoning grace and mercy, by sprinkling the blood of Christ on their wounded consciences, and by pouring in the oil and wine of divine love into the wounds made by sin:
and they shall return, [even] to the Lord: by faith and repentance; or to his worship, as the Targum; by an obedience to his will, and shall cleave unto him:
and he shall be entreated of them, and he shall heal them; when wounded with a sense of sin, and pricked to the heart, they shall cry unto him, and entreat his pardoning grace and mercy, which, being applied to them, heals; for healing diseases and forgiving iniquities are one and the same thing; see Ps 103:3.
f “percutiendo et sanando”, Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22. Therefore Jehovah will smite Egypt. From what has been already said the Prophet draws the conclusion, that the chastisement which he has mentioned will be advantageous to the Egyptians, because it will be a preparation for their conversion; (49) as if he had said, that it will be for the good of Egypt that the Lord will punish her. Those who translate the words, “he will strike with a wound that may be healed,” misinterpret this passage, and greatly weaken the Prophet’s meaning; for it means that the wounds will be advantageous to them, and that by means of these wounds the Lord will bring them back. Hence we ought to conclude, that we must not refuse to be chastised by God, for it is done for our benefit. (Pro 3:11; Heb 12:5.) Exemption from punishment would cherish a disposition to sin with less control. As men are exceedingly prone to give way to their own inclinations, whenever God spares them for a little, it is necessary on this account that the Lord should prevent this danger, which he does by chastisements and stripes, which excite and arouse us to repentance. A remarkable instance of this is here exhibited in Egypt, which abounded in superstitions and wickedness, and went beyond all nations in idolatry, and yet experienced the mercy of God.
For they shall be turned to Jehovah. We must attend to the manner of its accomplishment, which is, their conversion to God. It is the explanation of the former clause; as if he had said, “God will heal the Egyptians, because they shall be converted.” The copulative ו ( vau) signifies for. Hence we infer that conversion may be said to be a resurrection from eternal death. We are utterly ruined so long as we are turned away from God; but when we are converted, we return to his favor, and are delivered from death; not that we deserve the favor of God by our repentance, but because in this manner God raises us up, as it were, from death to life. To repentance is added a promise, from which we conclude, that when we sincerely repent, (50) we do not in vain implore forgiveness. Now, when the Prophet says that the Lord will be gracious and reconciled to the Egyptians, he at the same time shews, that as soon as they have been converted, they will obtain forgiveness. It will therefore be a true conversion when it is followed by a calling on God. But without faith (Rom 10:14) it is impossible to call on God; for even the ungodly may acknowledge sin; but no man will have recourse to the mercy of God, or obtain reconciliation, till he be moved by a true feeling of repentance, which is likewise accompanied by faith.
And will heal them. He does not repeat what he had said, that God strikes in order to heal; but he promises healing in another sense, that is, that God will cease to inflict punishments. The former healing, which he mentioned a little before, was internal; but the latter relates to stripes and wounds. In short, he means that it will be a speedy remedy for all their distresses. After having been reconciled to God, there is nothing in us that calls for punishment; for whence comes punishment but on account of guilt? and when guilt is pardoned, exemption from punishment will quickly follow. (51) And if we be chastised, it is an evidence that we are not yet sufficiently prepared for repentance.
In a word, let us remember this order, which the Prophet points out to us; first, that stripes prepare men for repentance; secondly, that they are healed, because they are delivered from eternal destruction; thirdly, that when they have been brought to the knowledge of their guilt, they obtain pardon; fourthly, that God is gracious and reconciled to them; fifthly, that chastisements cease after they have obtained pardon from God. There is no man who ought not to acknowledge in himself what Isaiah here declares concerning the Egyptians, in whom the Lord holds out an example to the whole world.
(49) Bogus footnote
(50) Bogus footnote
(51) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CHASTISEMENT
Isa. 19:22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt, &c.
I. The benevolent design of God in chastisement. God smites in order to heal. Scripture teaches throughout that Gods dealings with men are
1. Not capricious.
2. Not indiscriminate.
3. Not unjust. He does not impose burdens that cannot be borne, nor exact obedience which man cannot render, nor select favourites for preference or victims for vengeance, without any regard to the relations existing between man and Himself. Contrary to all this, Gods smiting is that
(1) of a Rescuer, who inflicts blows upon our chains that He may set us free;
(2) of a Physician, who in mercy probes the wound that He may heal it;
(3) of a Father, who uses the rod for the salutary purposes of correction and reformation (H. E. I., 5674).
II. The conduct befitting in men when under chastisement. And they shall return, &c. This return includes
1. Submission (H. E. I., 143).
2. Entreaty for help. (See also Isa. 19:20.) This involves humble confession of sin, and hearty reliance upon God (H. E. I., 145147).
3. Sincerity of purpose, as manifested in the fulfilment of vows. (See also Isa. 19:21.)William Manning.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(22) And the Lord shall smite Egypt . . .The tone of the preceding verses seems at first at variance with the stern prophecies of disaster with which the chapter opened. The prophet, however, is no eater of his words. What he has learnt is to look beyond the chastisement, and to see that it is as true of Egypt as of Israel, that whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. The sword of Jehovah smote but to heal, and the healing could not come without the smiting. Through it they would be led to pray, and prayer was the condition of all spiritual recovery.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Smite Egypt Egypt’s allegiance to Jehovah will still be very mixed, calling for smitings to amend and correct the people.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Yahweh will smite Egypt, smiting and healing, and they will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated of them, and he will heal them.’
This summarises all that has gone before in the chapter. Yahweh will smite Egypt, but in the end it is that He might heal. This is at the root of all God’s activity in the world. In microcosm it is the picture of world history. He has smitten that He might heal.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Still prosecuting the same blessed theme, here is another gospel mercy. The Lord will convince, and convert; the Lord will wound, and heal. The Holy Ghost will make his word as a fire and as a hammer, to melt and break the stout heart of the sinner, by the Spirit of judgment, and the Spirit of burning! And he that brings under the rod, will bring into the covenant, and show himself to be both the Spirit of truth, and the Holy Ghost the comforter! Jer 23:29 ; Isa 4:4 ; Eze 20:37 ; Joh 14:16-17 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 19:22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal [it]: and they shall return [even] to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.
Ver. 22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt. ] That he may bring it into the bond of the covenant. Eze 20:37 Heb 12:9 Hos 6:1
He shall smite and heal it.
And shall heal them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he shall smite: Isa 19:1-15, Deu 32:39, Job 5:18, Hos 5:15, Hos 6:2, Heb 12:11
they shall: Isa 6:10, Isa 55:7, Hos 14:1, Amo 4:6-12, Act 26:17-20, Act 28:26, Act 28:27
Reciprocal: Exo 3:20 – smite Exo 8:4 – General Ezr 8:23 – and he was entreated Isa 10:21 – return Isa 17:7 – General Eze 29:13 – At the