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;
(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!
(E)Therefore the strength of Pharaoh
Shall be your shame,
And trust in the shadow of Egypt
Shall be your humiliation.
For his princes were at (F)Zoan,
And his ambassadors came to Hanes.
(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.”

(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;
(J)For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose.
Therefore I have called her
[c]Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.

A Rebellious People

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:
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

  1. Isaiah 30:1 Lit. weave a web
  2. Isaiah 30:6 oracle, prophecy
  3. Isaiah 30:7 Lit. Rahab Sits Idle
  4. Isaiah 30:14 A piece of broken pottery
  5. Isaiah 30:17 A tree stripped of branches
  6. Isaiah 30:20 oppression
  7. Isaiah 30:23 rich
  8. Isaiah 30:29 Lit. the Rock
  9. Isaiah 30:31 Lit. shattered

30 ה֣וֹי בָּנִ֤ים סֽוֹרְרִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת עֵצָה֙ וְלֹ֣א מִנִּ֔י וְלִנְסֹ֥ךְ מַסֵּכָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א רוּחִ֑י לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת חַטָּ֖את עַל־חַטָּֽאת׃

הַהֹלְכִים֙ לָרֶ֣דֶת מִצְרַ֔יִם וּפִ֖י לֹ֣א שָׁאָ֑לוּ לָעוֹז֙ בְּמָע֣וֹז פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלַחְס֖וֹת בְּצֵ֥ל מִצְרָֽיִם׃

וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם מָע֥וֹז פַּרְעֹ֖ה לְבֹ֑שֶׁת וְהֶחָס֥וּת בְּצֵל־מִצְרַ֖יִם לִכְלִמָּֽה׃

כִּֽי־הָי֥וּ בְצֹ֖עַן שָׂרָ֑יו וּמַלְאָכָ֖יו חָנֵ֥ס יַגִּֽיעוּ׃

כֹּ֣ל ׳הִבְאִישׁ׳ ״הֹבִ֔ישׁ״ עַל־עַ֖ם לֹא־יוֹעִ֣ילוּ לָ֑מוֹ לֹ֤א לְעֵ֙זֶר֙ וְלֹ֣א לְהוֹעִ֔יל כִּ֥י לְבֹ֖שֶׁת וְגַם־לְחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס

מַשָּׂ֖א בַּהֲמ֣וֹת נֶ֑גֶב בְּאֶרֶץ֩ צָרָ֨ה וְצוּקָ֜ה לָבִ֧יא וָלַ֣יִשׁ מֵהֶ֗ם אֶפְעֶה֙ וְשָׂרָ֣ף מְעוֹפֵ֔ף יִשְׂאוּ֩ עַל־כֶּ֨תֶף עֲיָרִ֜ים חֵֽילֵהֶ֗ם וְעַל־דַּבֶּ֤שֶׁת גְּמַלִּים֙ אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔ם עַל־עַ֖ם לֹ֥א יוֹעִֽילוּ׃

וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙ קָרָ֣אתִי לָזֹ֔את רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת׃

עַתָּ֗ה בּ֣וֹא כָתְבָ֥הּ עַל־ל֛וּחַ אִתָּ֖ם וְעַל־סֵ֣פֶר חֻקָּ֑הּ וּתְהִי֙ לְי֣וֹם אַחֲר֔וֹן לָעַ֖ד עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

כִּ֣י עַ֤ם מְרִי֙ ה֔וּא בָּנִ֖ים כֶּחָשִׁ֑ים בָּנִ֕ים לֹֽא־אָב֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹעַ תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

10 אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמְר֤וּ לָֽרֹאִים֙ לֹ֣א תִרְא֔וּ וְלַ֣חֹזִ֔ים לֹ֥א תֶחֱזוּ־לָ֖נוּ נְכֹח֑וֹת דַּבְּרוּ־לָ֣נוּ חֲלָק֔וֹת חֲז֖וּ מַהֲתַלּֽוֹת׃

11 ס֚וּרוּ מִנֵּי־דֶ֔רֶךְ הַטּ֖וּ מִנֵּי־אֹ֑רַח הַשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס

12 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֥עַן מָֽאָסְכֶ֖ם בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַֽתִּבְטְחוּ֙ בְּעֹ֣שֶׁק וְנָל֔וֹז וַתִּֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ עָלָֽיו׃

13 לָכֵ֗ן יִֽהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ הֶעָוֺ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה כְּפֶ֣רֶץ נֹפֵ֔ל נִבְעֶ֖ה בְּחוֹמָ֣ה נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־פִּתְאֹ֥ם לְפֶ֖תַע יָב֥וֹא שִׁבְרָֽהּ׃

14 וּ֠שְׁבָרָהּ כְּשֵׁ֨בֶר נֵ֧בֶל יוֹצְרִ֛ים כָּת֖וּת לֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יִמָּצֵ֤א בִמְכִתָּתוֹ֙ חֶ֔רֶשׂ לַחְתּ֥וֹת אֵשׁ֙ מִיָּק֔וּד וְלַחְשֹׂ֥ף מַ֖יִם מִגֶּֽבֶא׃ פ

15 כִּ֣י כֹֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל בְּשׁוּבָ֤ה וָנַ֙חַת֙ תִּוָּ֣שֵׁע֔וּן בְּהַשְׁקֵט֙ וּבְבִטְחָ֔ה תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה גְּבֽוּרַתְכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֖א אֲבִיתֶֽם׃

16 וַתֹּ֨אמְר֥וּ לֹא־כִ֛י עַל־ס֥וּס נָנ֖וּס עַל־כֵּ֣ן תְּנוּס֑וּן וְעַל־קַ֣ל נִרְכָּ֔ב עַל־כֵּ֖ן יִקַּ֥לּוּ רֹדְפֵיכֶֽם׃

17 אֶ֣לֶף אֶחָ֗ד מִפְּנֵי֙ גַּעֲרַ֣ת אֶחָ֔ד מִפְּנֵ֛י גַּעֲרַ֥ת חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה תָּנֻ֑סוּ עַ֣ד אִם־נוֹתַרְתֶּ֗ם כַּתֹּ֙רֶן֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֔ר וְכַנֵּ֖ס עַל־הַגִּבְעָֽה׃

18 וְלָכֵ֞ן יְחַכֶּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לַֽחֲנַנְכֶ֔ם וְלָכֵ֥ן יָר֖וּם לְרַֽחֶמְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֱלֹהֵ֤י מִשְׁפָּט֙ יְהוָ֔ה אַשְׁרֵ֖י כָּל־ח֥וֹכֵי לֽוֹ׃ ס

19 כִּי־עַ֛ם בְּצִיּ֥וֹן יֵשֵׁ֖ב בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם בָּכ֣וֹ לֹֽא־תִבְכֶּ֗ה חָנ֤וֹן יָחְנְךָ֙ לְק֣וֹל זַעֲקֶ֔ךָ כְּשָׁמְעָת֖וֹ עָנָֽךְ׃

20 וְנָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֧ם אֲדֹנָ֛י לֶ֥חֶם צָ֖ר וּמַ֣יִם לָ֑חַץ וְלֹֽא־יִכָּנֵ֥ף עוֹד֙ מוֹרֶ֔יךָ וְהָי֥וּ עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֶת־מוֹרֶֽיךָ׃

21 וְאָזְנֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣עְנָה דָבָ֔ר מֵֽאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֤ה הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ לְכ֣וּ ב֔וֹ כִּ֥י תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ וְכִ֥י תַשְׂמְאִֽילוּ׃

22 וְטִמֵּאתֶ֗ם אֶת־צִפּוּי֙ פְּסִילֵ֣י כַסְפֶּ֔ךָ וְאֶת־אֲפֻדַּ֖ת מַסֵּכַ֣ת זְהָבֶ֑ךָ תִּזְרֵם֙ כְּמ֣וֹ דָוָ֔ה צֵ֖א תֹּ֥אמַר לֽוֹ׃

23 וְנָתַן֩ מְטַ֨ר זַרְעֲךָ֜ אֲשֶׁר־תִּזְרַ֣ע אֶת־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה וְלֶ֙חֶם֙ תְּבוּאַ֣ת הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה דָשֵׁ֖ן וְשָׁמֵ֑ן יִרְעֶ֥ה מִקְנֶ֛יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא כַּ֥ר נִרְחָֽב׃

24 וְהָאֲלָפִ֣ים וְהָעֲיָרִ֗ים עֹֽבְדֵי֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה בְּלִ֥יל חָמִ֖יץ יֹאכֵ֑לוּ אֲשֶׁר־זֹרֶ֥ה בָרַ֖חַת וּבַמִּזְרֶֽה׃

25 וְהָיָ֣ה׀ עַל־כָּל־הַ֣ר גָּבֹ֗הַ וְעַל֙ כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה נִשָּׂאָ֔ה פְּלָגִ֖ים יִבְלֵי־מָ֑יִם בְּיוֹם֙ הֶ֣רֶג רָ֔ב בִּנְפֹ֖ל מִגְדָּלִֽים׃

26 וְהָיָ֤ה אוֹר־הַלְּבָנָה֙ כְּא֣וֹר הַֽחַמָּ֔ה וְא֤וֹר הַֽחַמָּה֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה שִׁבְעָתַ֔יִם כְּא֖וֹר שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים בְּי֗וֹם חֲבֹ֤שׁ יְהוָה֙ אֶת־שֶׁ֣בֶר עַמּ֔וֹ וּמַ֥חַץ מַכָּת֖וֹ יִרְפָּֽא׃ ס

27 הִנֵּ֤ה שֵׁם־יְהוָה֙ בָּ֣א מִמֶּרְחָ֔ק בֹּעֵ֣ר אַפּ֔וֹ וְכֹ֖בֶד מַשָּׂאָ֑ה שְׂפָתָיו֙ מָ֣לְאוּ זַ֔עַם וּלְשׁוֹנ֖וֹ כְּאֵ֥שׁ אֹכָֽלֶת׃

28 וְרוּח֞וֹ כְּנַ֤חַל שׁוֹטֵף֙ עַד־צַוָּ֣אר יֶֽחֱצֶ֔ה לַהֲנָפָ֥ה גוֹיִ֖ם בְּנָ֣פַת שָׁ֑וְא וְרֶ֣סֶן מַתְעֶ֔ה עַ֖ל לְחָיֵ֥י עַמִּֽים׃

29 הַשִּׁיר֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כְּלֵ֖יל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ־חָ֑ג וְשִׂמְחַ֣ת לֵבָ֗ב כַּֽהוֹלֵךְ֙ בֶּֽחָלִ֔יל לָב֥וֹא בְהַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־צ֥וּר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

30 וְהִשְׁמִ֨יעַ יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ה֣וֹד קוֹל֗וֹ וְנַ֤חַת זְרוֹעוֹ֙ יַרְאֶ֔ה בְּזַ֣עַף אַ֔ף וְלַ֖הַב אֵ֣שׁ אוֹכֵלָ֑ה נֶ֥פֶץ וָזֶ֖רֶם וְאֶ֥בֶן בָּרָֽד׃

31 כִּֽי־מִקּ֥וֹל יְהוָ֖ה יֵחַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר בַּשֵּׁ֖בֶט יַכֶּֽה׃

32 וְהָיָ֗ה כֹּ֤ל מַֽעֲבַר֙ מַטֵּ֣ה מֽוּסָדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנִ֤יחַ יְהוָה֙ עָלָ֔יו בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבְכִנֹּר֑וֹת וּבְמִלְחֲמ֥וֹת תְּנוּפָ֖ה ׳נִלְחַם־בָּהּ׳ ״נִלְחַם־בָּֽם׃״

33 כִּֽי־עָר֤וּךְ מֵֽאֶתְמוּל֙ תָּפְתֶּ֔ה ׳גַּם־הוּא׳ ״גַּם־הִ֛יא״ לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הוּכָ֖ן הֶעְמִ֣יק הִרְחִ֑ב מְדֻרָתָ֗הּ אֵ֤שׁ וְעֵצִים֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה נִשְׁמַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ כְּנַ֣חַל גָּפְרִ֔ית בֹּעֲרָ֖ה בָּֽהּ׃ ס

30 Wo [to] apostate sons, The affirmation of Jehovah! To do counsel, and not from Me, And to spread out a covering, and not of My spirit, So as to add sin to sin.

Who are walking to go down to Egypt, And My mouth have not asked, To be strong in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt.

And the strength of Pharaoh Hath been to you for shame, And the trust in the shadow of Egypt confusion,

For in Zoan were his princes, And his messengers reach Hanes.

All he made ashamed of a people that profit not, Neither for help, not for profit, But for shame, and also for reproach!

The burden of the beasts of the south. Into a land of adversity and distress, Of young lion and of old lion, Whence [are] viper and flying saraph, They carry on the shoulder of asses their wealth, And on the hump of camels their treasures, Unto a people not profitable.

Yea, Egyptians [are] vanity, and in vain do help, Therefore I have cried concerning this: `Their strength [is] to sit still.'

No, go in, write it on a tablet with them, And on a book engrave it, And it is for a latter day, for a witness unto the age,

That a rebellious people [is] this, sons -- liars, Sons not willing to hear the law of Jehovah.

10 Who have said to seers, `Ye do not see,' And to prophets, `Ye do not prophesy to us Straightforward things, Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

11 Turn aside from the way, decline from the path, Cause to cease from before us the Holy One of Israel.'

12 Therefore, thus said the Holy One of Israel, Because of your kicking against this word, And ye trust in oppression, And perverseness, and rely on it,

13 Therefore is this iniquity to you as a breach falling, Swelled out in a wall set on high, Whose destruction suddenly, at an instant cometh.

14 And He hath broken it As the breaking of the potters' bottle, Beaten down -- He doth not spare, Nor is there found, in its beating down, A potsherd to take fire from the burning, And to draw out waters from a ditch.

15 For thus said the Lord Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel: `In returning and rest ye are saved, In keeping quiet and in confidence is your might, And ye have not been willing.

16 And ye say, No, for on a horse we flee? Therefore ye flee, And on the swift we ride! Therefore swift are your pursuers.

17 One thousand because of the rebuke of one, Because of the rebuke of five ye flee, Till ye have been surely left as a pole On the top of the mountain, And as an ensign on the height.

18 And therefore doth wait Jehovah to favour you, And therefore He is exalted to pity you, For a God of judgment [is] Jehovah, O the blessedness of all waiting for Him.

19 For the people in Zion dwell in Jerusalem, Weep thou not, weeping, Pitying, He pitieth thee at the voice of thy cry, When He heareth He answereth thee.

20 And the Lord hath given to you bread of adversity, And water of oppression. And thy directors remove no more, And thine eyes have seen thy directors,

21 And thine ear heareth a word behind thee, Saying, `This [is] the way, go ye in it,' When ye turn to the right, And when ye turn to the left.

22 And ye have defiled the covering of Thy graven images of silver, And the ephod of thy molten image of gold, Thou scatterest them as a sickening thing, `Go out,' thou sayest to it.

23 And He hath given rain [for] thy seed, With which thou dost sow the ground, And bread, the increase of the ground, And it hath been fat and plenteous, Enjoy do thy cattle in that day an enlarged pasture.

24 And the oxen and the young asses serving the ground, Fermented provender do eat, That one is winnowing with shovel and fan.

25 And there hath been on every high mount, And on every exalted hill, Rivulets -- streams of waters, In a day of much slaughter, in the falling of towers.

26 And the light of the moon hath been as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun is sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day of Jehovah's binding up the breach of His people, When the stroke of its wound He healeth.

27 Lo, the name of Jehovah is coming from far, Burning is His anger, and great the flame, His lips have been full of indignation, And His tongue [is] as a devouring fire.

28 And His breath [is] as an overflowing stream, Unto the neck it divideth, To sift nations with a sieve of vanity, And a bridle causing to err, [Is] on the jaws of the peoples.

29 Singing is to you as in a night sanctified for a festival, And joy of heart as he who is going with a pipe, To go in to the mountain of Jehovah, Unto the rock of Israel.

30 And caused to be heard hath Jehovah The honour of His voice, And the coming down of His arm He doth shew with the raging of anger, And the flame of a consuming fire, Scattering, and inundation, and hailstone.

31 For from the voice of Jehovah broken down [is] Asshur, With a rod He smiteth.

32 And every passage of the settled staff, That Jehovah causeth to rest on him, Hath been with tabrets, and with harps, And in battles of shaking he hath fought with it.

33 For, arranged from former time is Tophet, Even it for the king is prepared, He hath made deep, He hath made large, Its pile [is] fire and much wood, The breath of Jehovah, As a stream of brim stone, is burning in it!

Judah Warned against Egyptian Alliance

30 “Woe to the (A)rebellious children,” declares the Lord,
“Who (B)execute a plan, but not Mine,
And [a](C)make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,
In order to add sin to sin;
Who (D)proceed down to Egypt
Without (E)consulting [b]Me,
(F)To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh,
And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be (G)your shame,
And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.
For (H)their officials are at Zoan
And their ambassadors arrive at Hanes.
Everyone will be (I)ashamed because of a people who do not benefit them,
Who are (J)not a help or benefit, but a source of shame and also disgrace.”

The pronouncement concerning the (K)animals of the (L)Negev:

Through a land of (M)distress and anguish,
From [c]where come lioness and lion, viper and (N)flying serpent,
They (O)carry their riches on the [d]backs of young donkeys,
And their treasures on (P)camels’ humps,
To a people who will not benefit them;
Even Egypt, whose (Q)help is vain and empty.
Therefore, I have called [e]her
[f](R)Rahab who has been exterminated.”
Now go, (S)write it on a tablet in their presence
And inscribe it on a scroll,
That it may [g]serve in the time to come
[h]As a witness forever.
For this is a (T)rebellious people, (U)false sons,
Sons who [i]refuse to (V)listen
To the [j]instruction of the Lord;
10 Who say to the (W)seers, “You must not see visions”;
And to the prophets, “You must not (X)prophesy the truth to us.
(Y)Speak to us [k]pleasant words,
Prophesy illusions.
11 Get out of the way, (Z)turn aside from the path,
(AA)Stop speaking before us about the Holy One of Israel!”

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

(AB)Since you have rejected this word
And have put your trust in (AC)oppression and crookedness, and have relied on them,
13 Therefore this (AD)wrongdoing will be to you
Like a (AE)breach about to fall,
A bulge in a high wall,
Whose collapse comes (AF)suddenly in an instant,
14 Whose collapse is like the smashing of a (AG)potter’s jar,
[l]So ruthlessly shattered
That a shard will not be found among its pieces
To [m]take fire from a hearth
Or to scoop water from a cistern.”

15 For this is what the Lord [n]God, the Holy One of Israel, has said:

“In [o]repentance and (AH)rest you will be saved,
In (AI)quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on (AJ)horses!”
Therefore you shall flee!
“And we will ride on swift horses!”
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 (AK)One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;
You will flee at the threat of five,
Until you are left like a signal post on a mountain top,
And like a flag on a hill.

God Is Gracious and Just

18 Therefore the Lord [p](AL)longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He [q]waits on (AM)high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a (AN)God of justice;
How blessed are all those who [r](AO)long for Him.

19 [s]For, you people in Zion, (AP)inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will (AQ)weep no longer. He will certainly be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will (AR)answer you. 20 Although the Lord has given you (AS)bread of deprivation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer (AT)hide Himself, but your eyes will see your Teacher. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the (AU)way, walk in it,” whenever you (AV)turn to the right or to the left. 22 And you will desecrate your carved (AW)images plated with silver, and your cast metal (AX)images plated with gold. You will scatter them as a filthy thing, and say to [t]them, “(AY)Be gone!”

23 Then He will (AZ)give you rain for your seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be [u]rich and [v]plentiful; on that day (BA)your livestock will graze in a wide pasture. 24 Also the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat [w]seasoned feed, which [x]has been (BB)winnowed with shovel and pitchfork. 25 And on every lofty mountain and (BC)every high hill there will be [y]streams running with water on the day of the great (BD)slaughter, when the towers fall. 26 (BE)And the light of the full 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 (BF)the Lord binds up the (BG)fracture of His people and (BH)heals the wound [z]He has inflicted.

27 Behold, (BI)the name of the Lord comes from a [aa]remote place;
(BJ)His anger is burning and [ab]dense with [ac]smoke;
His lips are filled with (BK)indignation,
And His tongue is like a (BL)consuming fire;
28 His (BM)breath is like an overflowing river,
Which (BN)reaches to the neck,
To (BO)shake the nations back and forth in a [ad]sieve,
And to put in the jaws of the peoples (BP)the bridle which leads astray.
29 You will have [ae]songs as in the night when you keep the festival,
And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute,
To go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.
30 And the Lord will cause [af]His voice of authority to be heard,
And the [ag]descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger,
And in the flame of a consuming fire
In cloudburst, downpour, and hailstones.
31 For (BQ)at the voice of the Lord (BR)Assyria will be terrified,
When He strikes with the (BS)rod.
32 And every [ah]blow of the [ai](BT)rod of punishment,
Which the Lord will lay on him,
Will be with the music of (BU)tambourines and lyres;
And in battles, (BV)brandishing weapons, He will fight them.
33 For [aj](BW)Topheth has long been ready,
Indeed, it has been prepared for the king.
He has made it deep and large,
[ak]A pyre of fire with plenty of wood;
The (BX)breath of the Lord, like a torrent of (BY)brimstone, sets it afire.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 30:1 Lit pour out a drink offering
  2. Isaiah 30:2 Lit My mouth
  3. Isaiah 30:6 Lit them
  4. Isaiah 30:6 Lit shoulders
  5. Isaiah 30:7 Lit this one
  6. Isaiah 30:7 MT They are Rahab or arrogance, to remain; i.e., Egypt, as a sea monster; see note Job 26:12
  7. Isaiah 30:8 Lit be
  8. Isaiah 30:8 As in most ancient versions; MT Forever and ever
  9. Isaiah 30:9 Lit are not willing
  10. Isaiah 30:9 Or Law
  11. Isaiah 30:10 Lit smooth things
  12. Isaiah 30:14 Lit Crushed, it will not be spared
  13. Isaiah 30:14 Lit snatch up
  14. Isaiah 30:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  15. Isaiah 30:15 Lit returning
  16. Isaiah 30:18 Lit waits
  17. Isaiah 30:18 Lit is on high
  18. Isaiah 30:18 Lit wait
  19. Isaiah 30:19 MT For a people will inhabit Zion, Jerusalem
  20. Isaiah 30:22 Lit it “Go out”
  21. Isaiah 30:23 Lit fatness
  22. Isaiah 30:23 Lit fat
  23. Isaiah 30:24 Lit sorrel-seasoned
  24. Isaiah 30:24 Lit one winnows
  25. Isaiah 30:25 Lit canals, streams of water
  26. Isaiah 30:26 Lit of His blow
  27. Isaiah 30:27 Lit distance
  28. Isaiah 30:27 Lit heaviness
  29. Isaiah 30:27 Lit uplifting
  30. Isaiah 30:28 Lit sifting of the worthless
  31. Isaiah 30:29 Lit the song
  32. Isaiah 30:30 Lit the majesty of His voice
  33. Isaiah 30:30 Lit descent
  34. Isaiah 30:32 Lit passing
  35. Isaiah 30:32 Lit staff of foundation
  36. Isaiah 30:33 I.e., the place of human sacrifice to Molech
  37. Isaiah 30:33 Lit Its pile