Isaiah 30:13-23

13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you 1like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;
14 and its breaking is 2like 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 3returning[a] and 4rest 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 5horses"; therefore you shall flee away; and, "We will ride upon swift steeds"; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
17 6A 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 7waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he 8exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; 9blessed are all those who wait for him.
19 For a people shall dwell 10in 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 11bread of adversity and the 12water of affliction, 13yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.
21 14And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is 15the 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. 16You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, "Be gone!"
23 17And he will give 18rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. 19In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures,

Isaiah 30:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 30

This chapter contains a complaint of the Jews for their sins and transgressions; a prophecy of their destruction for them; a promise of grace and mercy, and of happy times, to the saints; and a threatening of utter and dreadful ruin to the wicked. The Jews are complained of for their rebellion against God, their slighting his counsel and protection, their trust in Egypt, and application there for help; whither they went with their riches for safety, but in vain, it being contrary to the will and counsel of God, Isa 30:1-7 next follows a denunciation of ruin and destruction for these things, rebellion, and lying, and vain confidence, as well as for contempt of the word of God, which, that it might appear sure and certain, is ordered to be written in a book, Isa 30:8-12 and this ruin is signified by the sudden falling of a wall, and by the breaking of a potter's vessel into pieces, which can never be used more, Isa 30:13,14 and seeing they rejected the way of salvation proposed by the Lord, and took their own way, first destruction is threatened them, which should be very easily brought about, and become so general, that few should escape it, Isa 30:15-17 and then promises of grace and mercy are made to them that wait for the Lord, Isa 30:18 such as a dwelling place in Zion, hearing their prayers, granting them teachers to instruct them, and the riddance of idolatry from them, Isa 30:19-22 and also many outward blessings, as seasonable rain, good bread corn, fat pastures, good food for cattle, and fruitfulness of mountains and hills, Isa 30:23-25 likewise an amazing degree of spiritual light and glory, and healing of the Lord's people, Isa 30:26 and the chapter is concluded with a threatening Of God's wrath upon the Assyrian, expressed by various similes, as of an angry man, an overflowing torrent, a tempest of thunder, lightning, and hail, and the fire of Tophet, Isa 30:27-33.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Psalms 62:3
  • 2. Psalms 2:9
  • 3. Hosea 14:1
  • 4. [Exodus 14:14]
  • 5. Isaiah 31:1, 3; [Hosea 14:3]
  • 6. [Leviticus 26:8; Deuteronomy 32:30]
  • 7. [Habakkuk 2:3]
  • 8. Isaiah 5:16
  • 9. Psalms 2:12; Psalms 34:8; Proverbs 16:20; Jeremiah 17:7
  • 10. [Isaiah 14:32]
  • 11. 1 Kings 22:27; Psalms 127:2; [Ezekiel 4:10, 11]
  • 12. 1 Kings 22:27; Psalms 127:2; [Ezekiel 4:10, 11]
  • 13. [Isaiah 3:1, 2]
  • 14. [Jeremiah 31:33, 34]
  • 15. Isaiah 35:8; [Acts 9:2]
  • 16. Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 31:7; [Hosea 14:8]
  • 17. [Isaiah 32:20; Psalms 144:13, 14]
  • 18. [Jeremiah 5:24]
  • 19. [Psalms 65:13]

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.