Destruction, City of

The City of Destruction appears in Isaiah 19:18 in a remarkable prophecy of Egypt's future conversion: "In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction." Some Hebrew manuscripts read ir ha-heres (City of the Sun, i.e., Heliopolis/On), which the Septuagint preserves as the City of the Sun. The reading "City of Destruction" (ir ha-heres with different pointing) has been interpreted as either a deliberate wordplay on the pagan city's name or as a reference to a city that once worshipped the sun-god being turned to the worship of the LORD. The entire oracle (Isaiah 19:18–25) envisions Egypt, Assyria, and Israel worshipping together — one of the most universalistic passages in the prophets.