Isaiah 30:1-18

Help from Egypt is futile

1 Doom to you, rebellious children, says the LORD, who make a plan, which is not mine; who weave a plot, but not by my spirit, piling up sin on sin;

2 setting out to go down to Egypt without consulting me, taking refuge in Pharaoh's refuge and hiding in Egypt's shadow.

3 Pharaoh's refuge will become your shame, hiding in Egypt's shadow your disgrace.

4 Though their officials are in Zoan, and their messengers reach Hanes,

5 all will become shamed because of a people who can't assist them. They are no help; they are no profit; rather, shame and disgrace.

6 An oracle about the beasts in the arid southern plain. Through a land of distress and danger, lioness and roaring lion, viper and flying serpent, they will carry their wealth on donkeys' shoulders and their treasures on camels' humps to a people who won't profit,

7 for Egypt's help is utterly worthless. Therefore, I call her Rahab Who Sits Still.

8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet, inscribe it on a scroll, so in the future it will endure as a witness.

9 These are rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the LORD's teaching,

10 who say to the seers, "Don't foresee," and to the visionaries, "Don't report truthful visions; tell us flattering things; envision deceptions;

11 get out of the way; step off the path; let's have no more ‘holy one of Israel.'"

12 Therefore, the holy one of Israel says: Because you reject this word and trust in oppression and cunning and rely on them,

13 your sin will be like a crack in a high wall; it bulges, about to fall: suddenly, in an instant, it breaks!

14 Its breaking is like the breaking of a storage jar that is totally shattered. No piece from among its fragments will be large enough to take fire from a hearth, or to dip water from a cistern.

15 Therefore, the LORD God, the holy one of Israel, says: In return and rest you will be saved; quietness and trust will be your strength— but you refused.

16 You said, "No! We'll flee on horses"— therefore, you will indeed flee— "and we'll ride off; on swift steeds we will ride"— therefore, your pursuers will be swift.

17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one, and at the threat of five you will flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a flag on a hill.

18 Nonetheless, the LORD is waiting to be merciful to you, and will rise up to show you compassion. The LORD is a God of justice; happy are all who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:1-18 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

• [a]. Heb uncertain
• [b]. Or from them
• [c]. Or Rahab the silent