“On that day,
A fountain
Shall be opened
For the house of David,
For the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
To cleanse them
From sin,
From impurity.”
On that special day, there was the wish to have an open fountain for the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, so that they would be able to cleanse their sins and impurities. This is a rare mention of a cleansing fountain that would become a mainstay of Christianity.
“On that day,
Israel will be the third
With Egypt and Assyria.
Israel will be
A blessing
In the midst of the earth
That Yahweh of hosts has blessed,
Saying.
‘Blessed be Egypt
My people.
Blessed be Assyria
The work of my hands.
Blessed be Israel
My heritage.’”
This oracle of Yahweh, via Isaiah, is one of the few examples of ecumenical universalism. On that special day to come, Israel with be 3rd behind Egypt and Assyria, as a blessing or mediator for the whole earth. Yahweh would bless all three, not just Israel. He wanted Egypt, his own people, and Assyria, with the work of his hands, also blessed. However, Israel was blessed as his heritage. Thus we have a blessing for everybody, not just the Israelites.
“On that day,
There will be a highway
From Egypt to Assyria.
The Assyrians
Will come into Egypt.
The Egyptians
Will come into Assyria.
The Egyptians will worship
With the Assyrians.”
Here is some kind of utopian vision where Egypt and Assyria having a highway built in between them. Not only that, they would also worship together. This is one of the few ecumenical biblical moments. The Egyptians have just converted to Yahweh. Apparently, the Assyrians were going to do the same. This is the special day of the Lord in the future that never comes.
“On that day,
There will be an altar to Yahweh
In the center of the land of Egypt.
There will be a pillar to Yahweh
At its border.
It will be a sign.
It will be a witness
To Yahweh of hosts
In the land of Egypt.
When they cry to Yahweh
Because of oppressors,
He will send them a savior.
He will defend them.
He will deliver them.
Yahweh will make himself known
To the Egyptians.
The Egyptians will know Yahweh.
On that day,
They will worship with sacrifice.
They will worship with burnt offering.
They will make vows to Yahweh.
They will perform them.
Yahweh will strike Egypt,
Striking and healing.
They will return to Yahweh.
He will listen to their supplications.
He will heal them.”
On that special day, the Egyptians will convert to Yahweh. They will build an altar to Yahweh in the center of Egypt, much like another Jerusalem. There will even be a pillar to Yahweh at the borders of Egypt. This would indicate and witness that Egypt was under the protection of Yahweh. If they had any oppressors, all that they had to do was to cry out to Yahweh for help. Then he would send a savior to them in order to defend and deliver them. They were also going to be the people of Yahweh as the Egyptians would worship with sacrifices and burnt offerings to Yahweh. They would make vows and perform them for Yahweh. Yahweh would listen to them and heal them. He even would forgive them like the Israelites. Thus we have a new people of Yahweh in Egypt. How different this is from the idea of a few remnant Israelites in Jerusalem.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 