Isaiah 30:7

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.

Isaiah 30:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 30:7

For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose
Not sending help in time, or such as did no service; though they made a show of help, and attempted to help them, or seemed to do so, yet failed to do it: therefore have I cried;
proclaimed or published, either the Lord by the prophet, or the prophet in the name of the Lord, which is much the same: concerning this, Their strength [is] to sit still;
either concerning this embassy, that it would have been better for the ambassadors to have spared all their toil, and labour, and strength, in going down to Egypt, and have remained quiet and easy in their own country: or, "I cried, or called, to this ^F9", this city of Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of it, and declared to them, that it was best for them quietly to trust in the Lord, and depend upon his protection, and sit still in Jerusalem, and not attempt to flee from thence to Egypt for safety, and they should see the salvation of God, as in ( Exodus 14:13 ) to which some think there is an allusion; not but that they might be busy, and employ themselves in preparing for their defence, by providing themselves with arms, and repairing their fortification; but it was not right to go out of the city, and seek a foreign aid or safety. The word for "strength" is "Rahab", one of the names of Egypt, ( Psalms 87:4 ) ( Isaiah 51:9 ) and so the sense may be, their "Rahab", their "Egypt", or what they expect from thence, namely, protection and safety, is to sit still, and abide quietly at Jerusalem. Jarchi refers this to Egypt, "I have called to this", to Egypt, they are of a proud spirit, the people cease, and are proud without cause; or according to another exposition he gives, their pride ceaseth, or it is fit it should. De Dieu interprets it also of Egypt; and so does Gussetius ^F11, but in a different manner, thus, the Egyptians are strength as to rest, they will strongly rest, while Israel strongly hopes they will help them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (tazl ytarq) "vocavi ad hanc", Montanus; "ad istam clamo", Castalio.
F11 Comment. Ebr. p. 829.

Isaiah 30:7 In-Context

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.)