Isaiah 30:27-33

27 Behold, 1the name of the LORD comes from a remote place; 2Burning is His anger and dense is His smoke; His lips are filled with 3indignation And His tongue is like a 4consuming fire;
28 His 5breath is like an overflowing torrent, Which 6reaches to the neck, To 7shake the nations back and forth in a sieve, And to put in the jaws of the peoples 8the bridle which leads to ruin.
29 You will have songs as in the night when you keep the festival, And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute, To go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
30 And the LORD will cause His voice of authority to be heard, And the descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger, And in the flame of a consuming fire In cloudburst, downpour and hailstones.
31 For 9at the voice of the LORD 10Assyria will be terrified, When He strikes with the 11rod.
32 And every blow of the 12rod of punishment, Which the LORD will lay on him, Will be with the music of 13tambourines and lyres; And in battles, 14brandishing weapons, He will fight them.
33 For 15Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The 16breath of the LORD, like a torrent of 17brimstone, sets it afire.

Isaiah 30:27-33 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 17

  • 1. Isaiah 59:19
  • 2. Isaiah 10:17
  • 3. Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 13:5; Isaiah 66:14
  • 4. Isaiah 66:15
  • 5. Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 30:33; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
  • 6. Isaiah 8:8
  • 7. Amos 9:9
  • 8. 2 Kings 19:28; Isaiah 37:29
  • 9. Isaiah 11:4
  • 10. Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 14:25; Isaiah 31:8
  • 11. Isaiah 10:26; Isaiah 11:4
  • 12. Isaiah 10:24
  • 13. 1 Samuel 18:6; Jeremiah 31:4
  • 14. Ezekiel 32:10
  • 15. 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 19:6
  • 16. Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 30:28
  • 17. Genesis 19:24; Isaiah 34:9

Footnotes 12

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.