Isaiah 30:1-7

New International Version

Woe to the Obstinate Nation

30 “Woe^(A) to the obstinate children,”^(B)
    declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
    forming an alliance,^(C) but not by my Spirit,
    heaping sin upon sin;
²who go down to Egypt^(D)
    without consulting^(E) me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,^(F)
    to Egypt’s shade for refuge.^(G)
³But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame,
    Egypt’s shade^(H) will bring you disgrace.^(I)
⁴Though they have officials in Zoan^(J)
    and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
⁵everyone will be put to shame
    because of a people^(K) useless^(L) to them,
who bring neither help^(M) nor advantage,
    but only shame and disgrace.^(N)”

⁶A prophecy^(O) concerning the animals of the Negev:^(P)

Through a land of hardship and distress,^(Q)
    of lions^(R) and lionesses,
    of adders and darting snakes,^(S)
the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’^(T) backs,
    their treasures^(U) on the humps of camels,
to that unprofitable nation,
⁷    to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.^(V)
Therefore I call her
    Rahab^(W) the Do-Nothing.

Read full chapter

Isaiah 36:6-9

New International Version

⁶Look, I know you are depending^(A) on Egypt,^(B) that splintered reed^(C) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. ⁷But if you say to me, “We are depending^(D) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,^(E) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?^(F)

⁸“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses^(G)—if you can put riders on them! ⁹How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt^(H) for chariots^(I) and horsemen^[a]?^(J)