Isaiah 30:15-18
New English Translation
15 For this is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:
“If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;[a]
if you calmly trusted in me, you would find strength,[b]
but you are unwilling.
16 You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’
so you will indeed flee.
You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’
so your pursuers will be fast.
17 One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;[c]
at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away,[d]
until the remaining few are as isolated[e]
as a flagpole on a mountaintop
or a signal flag on a hill.”
The Lord Will Not Abandon His People
18 For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy;
he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.[f]
Indeed, the Lord is a just God;
all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.[g]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 30:15 tn Heb “in returning and in quietness you will be delivered.” Many English versions render the last phrase “shall be saved” or something similar (e.g., NAB, NASB, NRSV).
- Isaiah 30:15 tn Heb “in quietness and in trust is your strength” (NASB and NRSV both similar).
- Isaiah 30:17 tn Heb “One thousand from before [or “because of”] one battle cry.” גְּעָרָה (geʿarah) is often defined as “threat,” but in war contexts it likely refers to a shout or battle cry. See Ps 76:6.
- Isaiah 30:17 tn Heb “from before [or “because of”] the battle cry of five you will flee.
- Isaiah 30:17 tn Heb “until you are left” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).
- Isaiah 30:18 tn Heb “Therefore the Lord waits to show you mercy, and therefore he is exalted to have compassion on you.” The logical connection between this verse and what precedes is problematic. The point seems to be that Judah’s impending doom does not bring God joy. Rather the prospect of their suffering stirs within him a willingness to show mercy and compassion, if they are willing to seek him on his terms.
- Isaiah 30:18 tn Heb “Blessed are all who wait for him.”
Isaiah 30:15-18
Lexham English Bible
15 For the Lord Yahweh, the holy one of Israel, said this:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
your strength shall be in quietness and in trust.”
But[a] you were not willing, 16 and you said,
“No! For we will flee on horses!”[b] Therefore you shall flee!
And, “We will ride on swift horses!”[c] Therefore your pursuers shall be swift!
17 One thousand because of[d] a threat of one,
because[e] of a threat of five you shall flee,
until you are left like a flagstaff on top[f] of a mountain,
and like a signal on a hill.
Yahweh Will Show Mercy
18 Therefore Yahweh waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he will rise up to show you mercy,
for Yahweh is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 30:15 Or “And”
- Isaiah 30:16 Hebrew “horse”
- Isaiah 30:16 Hebrew “horse”
- Isaiah 30:17 Literally “from the face of”
- Isaiah 30:17 Literally “from the face”
- Isaiah 30:17 Literally “head”
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