For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
This is what the Lord God says: Long ago my people went down to Egypt to live there temporarily, and later the Assyrians mistreated them for no good reason.
God is reminding His people of how they've been oppressed by foreign nations in the past, setting up a contrast to show His faithfulness in delivering them.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet is speaking to the people of Judah during a time of threat from powerful empires, reminding them of God's past dealings with Israel. He references the Israelites' initial descent into Egypt as refugees during a famine, as described in the story of Joseph, where they intended to stay temporarily but ended up in slavery. Later, the Assyrians invaded and oppressed Israel without justification, highlighting a pattern of unmerited suffering that God would ultimately address through His redemption.
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