The Burden of Egypt - brother against brother, neighbour against neighbour

Isaiah 19

1 The burden of Egypt: "Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.


2 I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

EGYPT: Citizens take up arms amid insecurity

CAIRO, 25 November 2011 (IRIN) - It took Ahmed Fawzi, a College of Islamic Studies graduate, only a few hours after seeing a man robbed and killed by a group of criminals to buy a gun.

"I just did not want to be killed like this innocent man," Fawzi, 26, told IRIN. "My father died years ago and I am responsible for defending my family in the absence of all types of security."

Egyptians are discovering the need to defend themselves, in the wake of the uncertainty and insecurity following the overthrow in February of the 31-year regime of Hosni Mubarak.

More on Egypt's burden at IRIN