Do Not Go Down to Egypt

30 “Ah, (A)stubborn children,” declares the Lord,
(B)“who carry out a plan, but not mine,
and who make (C)an alliance,[a] but not of my Spirit,
    that they may add sin to sin;
(D)who set out to go down to Egypt,
    without asking for my direction,
to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh
    and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
(E)Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame,
    and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.
For though his officials are at (F)Zoan
    and (G)his envoys reach (H)Hanes,
everyone comes to shame
    through (I)a people that cannot profit them,
that brings neither help nor profit,
    but shame and disgrace.”

An (J)oracle on (K)the beasts of (L)the Negeb.

Through a land of trouble and anguish,
    from where come the lioness and the lion,
    the adder and the (M)flying fiery serpent,
they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,
    and their treasures on the humps of camels,
    to a people that cannot profit them.
Egypt's (N)help is worthless and empty;
    therefore I have called her
    (O)“Rahab who sits still.”

A Rebellious People

And now, go, (P)write it before them on a tablet
    and inscribe it in a book,
that it may be for the time to come
    as a witness forever.[b]
(Q)For they are a rebellious people,
    lying children,
children unwilling to hear
    the instruction of the Lord;
10 (R)who say to (S)the seers, “Do not see,”
    and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right;
speak to us (T)smooth things,
    prophesy illusions,
11 leave the way, turn aside from the path,
    let us 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 (U)oppression and perverseness
    and rely on them,
13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you
    (V)like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse,
    whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;
14 and its breaking is (W)like that of a potter's vessel
    that is smashed so ruthlessly
that among its fragments not a shard is found
    with which to take fire from the hearth,
    or to dip up water out of the cistern.”

15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In (X)returning[c] and (Y)rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling, 16 and you said,
“No! We will flee upon (Z)horses”;
    therefore you shall flee away;
and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”;
    therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
17 (AA)A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;
    at the threat of five you shall flee,
till you are left
    like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,
    like a signal on a hill.

The Lord Will Be Gracious

18 Therefore the Lord (AB)waits to be gracious to you,
    and therefore he (AC)exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
    (AD)blessed are all those who wait for him.

19 For a people shall dwell (AE)in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. 20 And though the Lord give you the (AF)bread of adversity and the (AG)water of affliction, (AH)yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. 21 (AI)And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is (AJ)the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. 22 Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. (AK)You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”

23 (AL)And he will give (AM)rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. (AN)In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures, 24 and (AO)the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. 25 And (AP)on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, (AQ)when the towers fall. 26 (AR)Moreover, 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 when (AS)the Lord binds up (AT)the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

27 Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar,
    burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke;[d]
his lips are full of fury,
    and his tongue is like a devouring fire;
28 (AU)his breath is (AV)like an overflowing stream
    that reaches up to the neck;
to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction,
    and to place on the jaws of the peoples (AW)a bridle that leads astray.

29 You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, (AX)as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to (AY)the mountain of the Lord, to (AZ)the Rock of Israel. 30 And the Lord (BA)will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger (BB)and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst (BC)and storm and hailstones. 31 The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the Lord, (BD)when he strikes with his rod. 32 And every stroke of the appointed staff that the Lord lays on them (BE)will be to the sound of tambourines and lyres. (BF)Battling with brandished arm, he will fight with them. 33 For (BG)a burning place[e] has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, (BH)its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; (BI)the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 30:1 Hebrew who weave a web
  2. Isaiah 30:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate, and Greek versions; Masoretic Text forever and ever
  3. Isaiah 30:15 Or repentance
  4. Isaiah 30:27 Hebrew in weight of uplifted clouds
  5. Isaiah 30:33 Or For Topheth

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;
who 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)
But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame,
    Egypt’s shade(H) will bring you disgrace.(I)
Though they have officials in Zoan(J)
    and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
everyone 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)

A 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,
    to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.(V)
Therefore I call her
    Rahab(W) the Do-Nothing.

Go now, write it on a tablet(X) for them,
    inscribe it on a scroll,(Y)
that for the days to come
    it may be an everlasting witness.(Z)
For these are rebellious(AA) people, deceitful(AB) children,
    children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.(AC)
10 They say to the seers,(AD)
    “See no more visions(AE)!”
and to the prophets,
    “Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,(AF)
    prophesy illusions.(AG)
11 Leave this way,(AH)
    get off this path,
and stop confronting(AI) us
    with the Holy One(AJ) of Israel!”

12 Therefore this is what the Holy One(AK) of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message,(AL)
    relied on oppression(AM)
    and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
    like a high wall,(AN) cracked and bulging,
    that collapses(AO) suddenly,(AP) in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,(AQ)
    shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
    for taking coals from a hearth
    or scooping water out of a cistern.”

15 This is what the Sovereign(AR) Lord, the Holy One(AS) of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest(AT) is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust(AU) is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.(AV)
16 You said, ‘No, we will flee(AW) on horses.’(AX)
    Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
    Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
17 A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five(AY)
    you will all flee(AZ) away,
till you are left(BA)
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner(BB) on a hill.”

18 Yet the Lord longs(BC) to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.(BD)
For the Lord is a God of justice.(BE)
    Blessed are all who wait for him!(BF)

19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.(BG) How gracious he will be when you cry for help!(BH) As soon as he hears, he will answer(BI) you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread(BJ) of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers(BK) will be hidden(BL) no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice(BM) behind you, saying, “This is the way;(BN) walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols(BO) overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold;(BP) you will throw them away like a menstrual(BQ) cloth and say to them, “Away with you!(BR)

23 He will also send you rain(BS) for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich(BT) and plentiful.(BU) In that day(BV) your cattle will graze in broad meadows.(BW) 24 The oxen(BX) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder(BY) and mash, spread out with fork(BZ) and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter,(CA) when the towers(CB) fall, streams of water will flow(CC) on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun,(CD) and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals(CE) the wounds he inflicted.

27 See, the Name(CF) of the Lord comes from afar,
    with burning anger(CG) and dense clouds of smoke;
his lips are full of wrath,(CH)
    and his tongue is a consuming fire.(CI)
28 His breath(CJ) is like a rushing torrent,(CK)
    rising up to the neck.(CL)
He shakes the nations in the sieve(CM) of destruction;
    he places in the jaws of the peoples
    a bit(CN) that leads them astray.
29 And you will sing
    as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;(CO)
your hearts will rejoice(CP)
    as when people playing pipes(CQ) go up
to the mountain(CR) of the Lord,
    to the Rock(CS) of Israel.
30 The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice(CT)
    and will make them see his arm(CU) coming down
with raging anger(CV) and consuming fire,(CW)
    with cloudburst, thunderstorm(CX) and hail.(CY)
31 The voice of the Lord will shatter Assyria;(CZ)
    with his rod he will strike(DA) them down.
32 Every stroke the Lord lays on them
    with his punishing club(DB)
will be to the music of timbrels(DC) and harps,
    as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm.(DD)
33 Topheth(DE) has long been prepared;
    it has been made ready for the king.
Its fire pit has been made deep and wide,
    with an abundance of fire and wood;
the breath(DF) of the Lord,
    like a stream of burning sulfur,(DG)
    sets it ablaze.(DH)

戒民倚恃埃及必受祸害

30 耶和华说:“祸哉,这悖逆的儿女!他们同谋却不由于我,结盟却不由于我的灵,以致罪上加罪。 起身下埃及去,并没有求问我,要靠法老的力量加添自己的力量,并投在埃及的荫下。 所以法老的力量必做你们的羞辱,投在埃及的荫下要为你们的惭愧。 他们的首领已在琐安,他们的使臣到了哈内斯 他们必因那不利于他们的民蒙羞,那民并非帮助,也非利益,只做羞耻凌辱。”

论南方牲畜的默示。

“他们把财物驮在驴驹的脊背上,将宝物驮在骆驼的肉鞍上,经过艰难困苦之地,就是公狮、母狮、蝮蛇、火焰的飞龙之地,往那不利于他们的民那里去。 埃及的帮助是徒然无益的,所以我称他为‘坐而不动的拉哈伯’。

责民悖逆不听训言

“现今你去,在他们面前将这话刻在版上,写在书上,以便传留后世,直到永永远远。 因为他们是悖逆的百姓、说谎的儿女,不肯听从耶和华训诲的儿女。 10 他们对先见说:‘不要望见不吉利的事!’对先知说:‘不要向我们讲正直的话!要向我们说柔和的话,言虚幻的事。 11 你们要离弃正道,偏离直路,不要在我们面前再提说以色列的圣者!’ 12 所以以色列的圣者如此说:‘因为你们藐视这训诲的话,倚赖欺压和乖僻,以此为可靠的, 13 故此,这罪孽在你们身上好像将要破裂凸出来的高墙,顷刻之间忽然坍塌。 14 要被打碎,好像把窑匠的瓦器打碎,毫不顾惜,甚至碎块中找不到一片可用以从炉内取火,从池中舀水。’”

15 主耶和华以色列的圣者曾如此说:“你们得救在乎归回安息,你们得力在乎平静安稳。”你们竟自不肯! 16 你们却说:“不然,我们要骑马奔走。”所以你们必然奔走。又说:“我们要骑飞快的牲口。”所以追赶你们的也必飞快。 17 一人叱喝必令千人逃跑,五人叱喝你们都必逃跑,以致剩下的好像山顶的旗杆,冈上的大旗。

仰望耶和华者必蒙福祉

18 耶和华必然等候,要施恩给你们,必然兴起,好怜悯你们,因为耶和华是公平的神。凡等候他的,都是有福的! 19 百姓必在锡安,在耶路撒冷居住,你不再哭泣。主必因你哀求的声音施恩给你,他听见的时候,就必应允你。 20 主虽然以艰难给你当饼,以困苦给你当水,你的教师却不再隐藏,你眼必看见你的教师。 21 你或向左或向右,你必听见后边有声音说:“这是正路,要行在其间。” 22 你雕刻偶像所包的银子和铸造偶像所镀的金子,你要玷污,要抛弃,好像污秽之物,对偶像说:“去吧!”

23 你将种子撒在地里,主必降雨在其上,并使地所出的粮肥美丰盛。到那时,你的牲畜必在宽阔的草场吃草。 24 耕地的牛和驴驹必吃加盐的料,这料是用木锨和杈子扬净的。 25 在大行杀戮的日子,高台倒塌的时候,各高山冈陵必有川流河涌。 26 当耶和华缠裹他百姓的损处,医治他民鞭伤的日子,月光必像日光,日光必加七倍,像七日的光一样。

耶和华怒灭仇敌俾民欢喜

27 看哪,耶和华的名从远方来,怒气烧起,密烟上腾。他的嘴唇满有愤恨,他的舌头像吞灭的火, 28 他的气如涨溢的河水,直涨到颈项,要用毁灭的筛箩筛净列国,并且在众民的口中必有使人错行的嚼环。 29 你们必唱歌,像守圣节的夜间一样;并且心中喜乐,像人吹笛,上耶和华的山,到以色列的磐石那里。 30 耶和华必使人听他威严的声音,又显他降罚的膀臂和他怒中的愤恨,并吞灭的火焰与霹雷、暴风、冰雹。

惩罚亚述

31 亚述人必因耶和华的声音惊惶,耶和华必用杖击打他。 32 耶和华必将命定的杖加在他身上,每打一下,人必击鼓弹琴。打仗的时候,耶和华必抡起手来与他交战。 33 原来陀斐特又深又宽,早已为王预备好了,其中堆的是火与许多木柴,耶和华的气如一股硫磺火,使它着起来。