Yeshayah 30:27-33

27 Hinei, the Shem of Hashem cometh from afar, burning is His anger, and heavy is His cloud; His safatayim (lips) are full of indignation, and His lashon is like a devouring eish;

28 And His Ruach, like an overflowing stream, shall reach half-way to the tzavar (neck), to sift the Goyim with the sieve of shav (vanity, futility); and there shall be a misleading bridle bit in the jaws of the people.

29 Ye shall have the shir (song), as in the night when the chag is set apart as kodesh; and simchat levav, as when one goeth with a chalil (flute) to come to the Har Hashem, to the Tzur Yisroel.

30 And Hashem shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall cause the lowering of His zero’a to be seen, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring eish, with smashing, and tempest, and even barad (stones of hail, hailstones).

31 For through the voice of Hashem shall the Assyrian be crushed, which struck with a shevet (rod).

32 And in every place where the matteh (rod) of punishment shall pass, which Hashem shall lay upon him [Ashur], it shall be with tambourines and kinnorot; and in milchamot (battles) of brandishing will He fight against them.

33 For Tophet [i.e., the place where humans are sacrificed to Molech in Gey Hinnom] is ordained of old; indeed, for Melech [Molech] it is prepared. He hath made it deep and wide; the fire pit thereof is eish and much wood; the nishmat Hashem (breath of Hashem), like a stream of gofrit (brimstone, burning sulfur), doth kindle it [see Isa 66:24].

Yeshayah 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.