Isaiah 30:8-18

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.)

12 Therefore the Holy of Israel saith these things, For that that ye reproved this word, and hoped on false challenge, and on noise, and trusted on it, (And so the Holy One of Israel saith these things, Because ye have rebuked this word, and hoped in oppression, and noise, and trusted in it,)

13 therefore this wickedness shall be to you as a breaking falling down, and sought in an high wall; for suddenly while it is not hoped, the breaking thereof shall come. (and so this wickedness shall be to you like a high wall that hath a crack running down it; and then suddenly, when it is not expected, its breaking shall come.)

14 And it shall be made less, as a vessel of a potter is broken with full strong breaking; and a sherd shall not be found of the gobbets, either remnants, thereof, in which sherd a little fire shall be borne of (the) burning, either a little of water shall be drawn of the ditch. (And it shall be made less, like the vessel of a potter is broken with great breaking; and a shard shall not be found of its pieces, or of its remnants, by which shard a little of the fire can be carried out of the burning, or a little of the water can be drawn out of the ditch.)

15 For why the Lord God, the Holy of Israel, saith these things, If ye turn again, and rest, ye shall be safe; in stillness and in hope shall be your strength. And ye would not. (For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, saith these things, If ye return, and rest, ye shall be safe; in stillness and in hope shall be your strength. But ye would not listen to me/But ye would not do it.)

16 And ye said, Nay, but we shall flee to horses; therefore ye shall flee. And we shall ascend on swift horses; therefore they shall be swifter, that shall pursue you. (And ye said, Nay, but we shall flee on horses; and so ye shall flee. And we shall go upon swift horses; and so they, who shall pursue you, shall be swifter.)

17 A thousand men shall flee from the face of the dread of one; and ye shall flee from the face of [the] dread of five, till ye be left as the mast of a ship in the top of a mountain (until ye be left like the mast of a ship on the top of a mountain), and as a sign on a little hill.

18 Therefore the Lord abideth, that he have mercy on you, and therefore he shall be enhanced sparing you; for why God is Lord of doom, blessed be all they that abide him. (And so the Lord waiteth, because he hath mercy on you, and so he shall be exalted for sparing you; for God is the Lord of justice, or of judgement, blessed be all they who wait for him.)

Isaiah 30:8-18 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.