Isaiah 30:1-11

1 Woe! sons forsakers, saith the Lord, that ye shall make a counsel, and not of me; and weave a web, and not by my spirit, that ye should increase sin on sin. (Woe! ye rebels, saith the Lord, ye who take counsel, or advice, but not from me; and weave a web, but not by my spirit, so that ye increase sin upon sin.)

2 Which go, to go down into Egypt, and ye asked not my mouth; ye hoping help in the strength of Pharaoh, and ye having trust in the shadow of Egypt. (Who go, to go down to Egypt, but ye did not ask my advice; ye hoping for help from the strength of Pharaoh, and ye having trust in the shadow of Egypt.)

3 And the strength of Pharaoh shall be to you into confusion, and the trust of the shadow of Egypt into shame. (But the strength of Pharaoh shall only bring you confusion, and thy trust in the shadow of Egypt shall only bring you shame.)

4 For why thy princes were in Tanis, and thy messengers came till to Hanes. (For though his leaders, or his officers, be in Zoan, and his messengers have come to Hanes,)

5 All they were shamed on the people, that might not profit to them; they were not into help, and into any profit, but into shame and shame. (all shall be ashamed of these people who cannot profit them; yea, they shall not be of any help, or profit, but shall only bring shame and more shame.)

6 The burden of [the] work beasts of the south. In the land of tribulation and of anguish, a lioness, and a lion, of them a serpent, and a [flying] cockatrice; they were bearing their riches on the shoulders of work beasts, and their treasures on the botch of camels, to a people that might not profit to them. (The burden of the work beasts of the south. Into the land of tribulation and of anguish, of a lioness, and a lion, a serpent, and a flying cockatrice, they went carrying their riches on the shoulders of work beasts, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people who could not help them.)

7 For why Egypt shall help in vain, and idly. Therefore I cried on this thing (And so I cried out about this thing), It is pride only; cease thou.

8 Now therefore enter thou, and write to it on [a] box [table], and write thou it diligently in a book; and it shall be in the last day into witnessing, till into without end. (And so now enter thou, and write it on a tablet, and diligently write it in a book; and it shall be in the last day a testimony, yea, unto forever.)

9 For it is a people stirring (me) to wrathfulness, and sons liars, sons that will not hear the law of God. (For they be a people stirring me to anger, and people who lie, and people who will not listen to the Law of God.)

10 Which say to prophets, Do not ye prophesy; and to beholders, Do not ye behold to us those things that be rightful; speak ye things pleasing to us, see ye errors to us. (Who say to prophets, Do not ye prophesy; and to beholders, Do not ye behold for us those things that be right, or truthful; rather, speak ye pleasant, or pleasing, things to us, yea, see ye errors for us.)

11 Do ye away from me the way, bow ye away from me the path; the Holy of Israel cease from our face. (Who say, Get ye out of my way, turn ye away from me on the path; make the Holy One of Israel to go away from us.)

Isaiah 30:1-11 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.