Poems about the Southern Powers: For three chapters we turn to the far south. Cush covers an area corresponding to the very south of modern Egypt and the northern part of Sudan. A Cushite dynasty ruled Egypt itself at the end of the eighth century, so this poem about Cush is as much a poem about Egypt (cf. 20:1–6).

19:1–15 It is not surprising that Egypt should feature in these prophecies. It was Israel’s old oppressor and would in due course be Judah’s biggest temptation. It seemed a resource for protection when Assyria invaded, and it was well-known as a repository of ancient wisdom. It might seem wise to treat Egypt as a resource.

But wisdom is justified by her children, implies Isaiah, and real power lies somewhere else. Judah was familiar with the picture of Yahweh riding on the storm c…