Isaiah 30
Common English Bible
Help from Egypt is futile
30 Doom to you, rebellious children, says the Lord,
who make a plan, which is not mine;
who weave a plot,[a] but not by my spirit,
piling up sin on sin;
2 setting out to go down to Egypt without consulting me,
taking refuge in Pharaoh’s refuge and hiding in Egypt’s shadow.
3 Pharaoh’s refuge will become your shame,
hiding in Egypt’s shadow your disgrace.
4 Though their officials are in Zoan,
and their messengers reach Hanes,
5 all will become shamed because of a people who can’t assist them.
They are no help; they are no profit;
rather, shame and disgrace.
6 An oracle about the beasts in the arid southern plain.
Through a land of distress and danger,
lioness and roaring[b] lion, viper and flying serpent,
they will carry their wealth on donkeys’ shoulders
and their treasures on camels’ humps to a people who won’t profit,
7 for Egypt’s help is utterly worthless.
Therefore, I call her Rahab Who Sits Still.[c]
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet,
inscribe it on a scroll,
so in the future it will endure as a witness.
9 These are rebellious people, lying children,
children unwilling to hear the Lord’s teaching,
10 who say to the seers, “Don’t foresee,”
and to the visionaries, “Don’t report truthful visions;
tell us flattering things;
envision deceptions;
11 get out of the way;
step off the path;
let’s have no more ‘holy one of Israel.’”
12 Therefore, the holy one of Israel says:
Because you reject this word
and trust in oppression and cunning and rely on them,
13 your sin will be like a crack in a high wall; it bulges, about to fall:
suddenly, in an instant, it breaks!
14 Its breaking is like the breaking of a storage jar
that is totally shattered.
No piece from among its fragments will be large enough to take fire from a hearth,
or to dip water from a cistern.
15 Therefore, the Lord God,
the holy one of Israel, says:
In return and rest you will be saved;
quietness and trust will be your strength—
but you refused.
16 You said,
“No! We’ll flee on horses”—
therefore, you will indeed flee—
“and we’ll ride off; on swift steeds we will ride”—
therefore, your pursuers will be swift.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one,
and at the threat of five you will flee,
until you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
like a flag on a hill.
18 Nonetheless, the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you,
and will rise up to show you compassion.
The Lord is a God of justice;
happy are all who wait for him.
This is the way
19 People in Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. God will certainly be merciful to you. Hearing the sound of your outcry, God will answer you. 20 Though the Lord gives you the bread of distress and the water of oppression, your teacher will no longer hide, but you will see your teacher. 21 If you stray to the right or the left, you will hear a word that comes from behind you: “This is the way; walk in it.” 22 You will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-covered priestly vest,[d] and you will scatter them like menstrual rags. “Get out,” you will say to them.
23 God will provide rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food the ground produces will be rich and abundant. On that day, your cattle will graze in large pastures. 24 The oxen and donkeys that are working the ground will eat tasty feed spread for them with shovel and fork.
25 On every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, streams will run with water on the day of the great massacre, when the towers fall. 26 The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the Lord bandages the people’s brokenness and heals the wounds inflicted by his blows.
Assyria punished
27 Look there! The Lord is coming from far away;
his anger blazing, his smoke-cloud thick.
His lips are full of fury;
his tongue is like a devouring fire.
28 His breath is like a raging river that reaches up to the neck,
to shake the nations with a sieve of destruction,
and to put a misleading rein on the people’s jaws.
29 There will be singing for you
as on the night that people celebrate a festival.
The heart will be joyful as it is when one goes with a flute
to the Lord’s mountain,
to the rock of Israel.
30 The Lord will unleash his majestic voice
and display his crushing arm
in furious anger, with a flame of consuming fire,
in stormy rain and hail.
31 The Lord’s voice will terrify Assyria;
with a rod he will smite it.
32 And every crack that is made in the foundation wall,
which the Lord will bring down upon him,
will be accompanied by timbrels and lyres.
The Lord will raise his arm and fight against Assyria in battle. 33 His place for burning[e] was arranged long ago;
it is indeed made ready for a king.
God has made its wood pile wide and deep,
fire and wood in abundance.
The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, ignites it.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 30:1 Heb uncertain
- Isaiah 30:6 Or from them
- Isaiah 30:7 Or Rahab the silent
- Isaiah 30:22 Correction; Heb ephod
- Isaiah 30:33 Heb Topheth
Isaiah 30
Tree of Life Version
No Help In Egypt
30 “Oy, the rebellious children”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“Who carry out a plan, but not Mine,
and make an alliance, but not of My Ruach,
so they may add sin to sin,
2 who go down to Egypt,
but did not consult Me,
to take refuge in Pharaoh’s stronghold,
to seek shelter in Egypt’s shadow.
3 Therefore Pharaoh’s stronghold will become your shame,
and the shelter in Egypt’s shadow will become your disgrace.
4 For though their princes are at Zoan
and their ambassadors reach Hanes,
5 they will all be ashamed of a people
who cannot profit them.
They are neither help nor profit,
but shame and disgrace.”
6 The burden concerning the beasts of the Negev[a]:
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
in which are lioness and lion,
viper and flying serpent,
they are carrying their riches on the backs of young donkeys,
their treasures on camel humps,
to a people who cannot profit them.
7 Egypt’s help is futile and pointless.
Therefore I have called her
“Rahab who just sits.”
Witness Against False Prophets
8 Now go, write it on a tablet for them
and inscribe it in a scroll,
so that it may be as a witness
for the last day, forever.
9 For this is a rebellious people, lying children,
children unwilling to obey the Torah of Adonai.
10 They say to the seers,
“Do not see,”
and to the prophets,
“Do not prophesy to us what is right.
Speak to us smooth words.
Prophesy illusions.
11 Get out of the way!
Turn away from the path!
Let’s hear no more about
the Holy One of Israel.”
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:
“Because you despise this word,
and trust in oppression
and rely on perversity,
13 therefore this sin will be to you
like a crack bulging in a high wall, about to fall—
its collapse comes suddenly,
in an instant!
14 Its collapse is like smashing a clay jar,
so ruthlessly shattered
that a shard will not be found among the pieces
to take fire from the hearth
or scoop water from the cistern.”
Longing to Be Gracious
15 For thus says Adonai Elohim, the Holy One of Israel:
“By repentance and rest you are saved,
in quietness and trust is your strength—
but you were not willing.”
16 But you said, “No, we will flee on horses!”
Therefore you will flee.
And, “We will ride on swift horses!”
Therefore your pursuers will be swift.
17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one,
at the threat of five you will flee,
until you are left
like a flag on the top of a mountain,
and like a banner on a hill.
18 Therefore Adonai is longing to be gracious to you.
Thus He will be exalted, so He may have mercy on you.
For Adonai is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for Him.
19 For the people of Zion who are dwelling in Jerusalem will weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears you, He will answer. 20 Though Adonai gives you the bread of adversity and the water of oppression, your teachers will no longer be hidden, but your eyes will see your teachers. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you saying:
“This is the way, walk in it.
When you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.”
22 You will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your metal images covered with gold. You will throw them away like a menstrual cloth. You will say, “Be gone!”
23 Then He will give you rain for your seed, which you will sow in the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed in wide-open pasture. 24 The oxen and the young donkeys that till the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and pitchfork.
25 There will be, on every high mountain and on every lofty hill,
streams running with water—
on a day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall.
26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter—
like the light of seven days—
in the day Adonai binds up the brokenness of His people,
and heals the wounds He inflicted.
27 Look, Adonai’s Name comes from afar,
burning with His anger, in thick rising smoke,
His lips full of indignation,
His tongue like a consuming fire,
28 His Ruach like an overflowing torrent
rising up to the neck,
to sift the nations with the sieve of the worthless,
to put in the jaws of the peoples
a bridle that leads away.
29 You will have songs
as in the night when you keep a holy festival,
and gladness of heart
like one walking with the flute
to go to the mountain of Adonai,
to the Rock of Israel.
Punishing Rod
30 Adonai will make His glorious voice heard,
and reveal His arm descending
with fierce fury in a consuming fire,
in cloudburst, rainstorm and hailstones.
31 For at the voice of Adonai, Assyria will be terrified—
when He strikes with the rod.
32 Every stroke of His punishing rod
that Adonai brings down on him
—with tambourines and harps,
and battles brandishing His arm—
He will fight against them.
33 For Topheth[b] has long been ready,
prepared for the king,
its fire pit made deep and wide,
a pyre of fire with plenty of wood.
The breath of Adonai,
like a torrent of brimstone,
sets it aflame.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 30:6 Or the South.
- Isaiah 30:33 Lit. high place for burning.
Isaiah 30
New King James Version
Futile Confidence in Egypt
30 “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord,
(A)“Who take counsel, but not of Me,
And who [a]devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
(B)That they may add sin to sin;
2 (C)Who walk to go down to Egypt,
And (D)have not asked My advice,
To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh,
And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 (E)Therefore the strength of Pharaoh
Shall be your shame,
And trust in the shadow of Egypt
Shall be your humiliation.
4 For his princes were at (F)Zoan,
And his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 (G)They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them,
Or be help or benefit,
But a shame and also a reproach.”
6 (H)The [b]burden against the beasts of the South.
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
From which came the lioness and lion,
(I)The viper and fiery flying serpent,
They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys,
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people who shall not profit;
7 (J)For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose.
Therefore I have called her
[c]Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.
A Rebellious People
8 Now go, (K)write it before them on a tablet,
And note it on a scroll,
That it may be for time to come,
Forever and ever:
9 That (L)this is a rebellious people,
Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;
10 (M)Who say to the seers, “Do not see,”
And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things;
(N)Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
11 Get out of the way,
Turn aside from the path,
Cause the Holy One of Israel
To cease from before us.”
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:
“Because you (O)despise this word,
And trust in oppression and perversity,
And rely on them,
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you
(P)Like a breach ready to fall,
A bulge in a high wall,
Whose breaking (Q)comes suddenly, in an instant.
14 And (R)He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel,
Which is broken in pieces;
He shall not spare.
So there shall not be found among its fragments
[d]A shard to take fire from the hearth,
Or to take water from the cistern.”
15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
(S)“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
(T)But you would not,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”—
Therefore you shall flee!
And, “We will ride on swift horses”—
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!
17 (U)One thousand shall flee at the threat of one,
At the threat of five you shall flee,
Till you are left as a [e]pole on top of a mountain
And as a banner on a hill.
God Will Be Gracious
18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be (V)gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
(W)Blessed are all those who (X)wait for Him.
19 For the people (Y)shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem;
You shall (Z)weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry;
When He hears it, He will (AA)answer you.
20 And though the Lord gives you
(AB)The bread of adversity and the water of [f]affliction,
Yet (AC)your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers.
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you (AD)turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.
22 (AE)You will also defile the covering of your images of silver,
And the ornament of your molded images of gold.
You will throw them away as an unclean thing;
(AF)You will say to them, “Get away!”
23 (AG)Then He will give the rain for your seed
With which you sow the ground,
And bread of the increase of the earth;
It will be [g]fat and plentiful.
In that day your cattle will feed
In large pastures.
24 Likewise the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground
Will eat cured fodder,
Which has been winnowed with the shovel and fan.
25 There will be (AH)on every high mountain
And on every high hill
Rivers and streams of waters,
In the day of the (AI)great slaughter,
When the towers fall.
26 Moreover (AJ)the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days,
In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound.
Judgment on Assyria
27 Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar,
Burning with His anger,
And His burden is heavy;
His lips are full of indignation,
And His tongue like a devouring fire.
28 (AK)His breath is like an overflowing stream,
(AL)Which reaches up to the neck,
To sift the nations with the sieve of futility;
And there shall be (AM)a bridle in the jaws of the people,
Causing them to err.
29 You shall have a song
As in the night when a holy festival is kept,
And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute,
To come into (AN)the mountain of the Lord,
To [h]the Mighty One of Israel.
30 (AO)The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard,
And show the descent of His arm,
With the indignation of His anger
And the flame of a devouring fire,
With scattering, tempest, (AP)and hailstones.
31 For (AQ)through the voice of the Lord
Assyria will be [i]beaten down,
As He strikes with the (AR)rod.
32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,
Which the Lord lays on him,
It will be with tambourines and harps;
And in battles of (AS)brandishing He will fight with it.
33 (AT)For Tophet was established of old,
Yes, for the king it is prepared.
He has made it deep and large;
Its pyre is fire with much wood;
The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,
Kindles it.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 30:1 Lit. weave a web
- Isaiah 30:6 oracle, prophecy
- Isaiah 30:7 Lit. Rahab Sits Idle
- Isaiah 30:14 A piece of broken pottery
- Isaiah 30:17 A tree stripped of branches
- Isaiah 30:20 oppression
- Isaiah 30:23 rich
- Isaiah 30:29 Lit. the Rock
- Isaiah 30:31 Lit. shattered
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
