Isaiah 30:4-14

4 For his officials are at Zoan, and his envoys reach to Hanes.
5 Everyone will start to stink because of a people [that] cannot profit them, not for help and not for profiting, but for shame and also for disgrace."

Oracle regarding the Negev

6 An oracle of the animals of the Negev: Through a land of trouble and distress, [of] lioness and lion, {among} them [are] snake and flying serpent; they carry their wealth on [the] {backs} of male donkeys and their treasures on [the] humps of camels, to a people [that] cannot profit [them].
7 For {Egyptians} help [with] vanity and emptiness, therefore I have called this one "Rahab, they [are] sitting."
8 Now go, write it on a tablet with them, and inscribe it on a scroll, {that} it may be {for the time to come}, forever, forever.
9 For it [is] a people of rebellion, deceitful children, children [who are] not willing to hear the instruction of Yahweh,
10 who say to those who do see, "You must not see!" and to the seers, "You must not see truth for us; speak smooth things to us, see illusions,
11 turn aside from [the] way, turn aside from [the] path, put an end to the holy one of Israel from our face."
12 Therefore the holy one of Israel says this: "Because you [are] rejecting this word and you trust in oppression and {cunning} and you rely on it,
13 therefore this iniquity shall come for you like a breach about to fall, bulging out on a high wall {that breaks} suddenly, [in] an instant.
14 And he breaks it like a vessel of {a potter} breaks, [that] is crushed; he has no compassion, and no potsherd is found among its fragments {to take fire} from [the] hearth, or {to skim} water from [the] cistern."

Isaiah 30:4-14 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.

Footnotes 9

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.