Isaiah — Chapter 30

Oh, disloyal children!—declares GOD—Making plansAgainst My wishes,Weaving schemesAgainst My will,Thereby pilingGuilt on guilt—

Who set out to go down to EgyptWithout asking Me,To seek refuge with Pharaoh,To seek shelter under the protection of Egypt.

The refuge with Pharaoh shall result in your shame;The shelter under Egypt’s protection, in your chagrin.

Though his officers are present in Zoan,aZoan Or “Tanis.” And his messengersbmessengers Emendation yields “kings”; cf. 19.2 with note. reach as far as Hanes,

They all shall come to shameBecause of a people that does not avail them,That is of no help or avail,But [brings] only chagrin and disgrace.

The “Beasts of the Negeb” Pronouncement.ThroughcThe “Beasts of the Negeb” Pronouncement. / Through Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “Through the wasteland of the Negeb / Through…” a land of distress and hardship,Of lion and roaringdroaring Meaning of Heb. uncertain. king-beast,Of viper and flying seraph,eseraph See note at 14.29. They convey their wealth on the backs of donkeys,Their treasures on camels’ humps,To a people of no avail.

For the help of EgyptShall be vain and empty.Truly, I call this,“They are a threat that has ceased.”fThey are a threat that has ceased Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Disgrace and chagrin”; cf. v. 5.

Now,Go, write it down on a tabletAnd inscribe it in a record,That it may be with them for future days,A witnessgwitness Understanding ʻad, with Targum, as a variant of ʻed. forever.

For it is a rebellious people,Faithless children,Children who refused to heedGOD’s instruction;

Who said to the seers,“Do not see,”To the prophets, “Do not prophesy truth to us;Speak to us falsehoods,Prophesy delusions.

Leave the way!Get off the path!Let us hear no moreAbout the Holy One of Israel!”

Assuredly,Thus said the Holy One of Israel:Because you have rejected this word,And have put your trust and relianceIn that which is fraudulent and tortuous—

Of a surety,This iniquity shall work on youLike a spreading breach that occurs in a lofty wall,Whose crash comes sudden and swift.

It is smashed as one smashes an earthen jug,Ruthlessly shatteredSo that no shard is left in its breakageTo scoop coals from a brazier,Or ladle water from a puddle.

For thus said my Sovereign GOD,The Holy One of Israel,“You shall triumph by stillness and quiet;Your victory shall come aboutThrough calm and confidence.”But you refused.

“No,” you declared.“We shall flee on steeds”—Therefore you shall flee!“We shall ride on swift mounts”—Therefore your pursuers shall prove swift!

One thousand before the shout of one—You shall flee at the shout of five;Till what is left of youIs like a mast on a hilltop,Like a pole upon a mountain.

Truly, GOD is waiting to show you grace,Truly, to arise and pardon you.For GOD is a God of justice;Happy are all who wait, in turn.hin turn Lit. “for Him.”

Indeed, O people in Zion, dwellers of Jerusalem, you shall not have cause to weep. Divine favor will be granted at the sound of your cry; upon hearing it, [God] will respond.

My Sovereign will provide for you meager bread and scant water. Then your Guide will no more be ignored,ibe ignored Meaning of Heb. uncertain. but your eyes will watch your Guide;

and, whenever you deviate to the right or to the left, your ears will heed the command from behind you: “This is the road; follow it!”

And you will treat as impure the silver overlay of your images and the golden plating of your idols. You will castjcast Change of vocalization yields “keep.” them away like a menstruous woman. “Out!” you will call to them.

So rain shall be provided for the seed with which you sow the ground, and the bread that the ground brings forth shall be rich and fat. Your livestock, in that day, shall graze in broad pastures;

as for the cattle and the donkeys that till the soil, they shall partake of salted fodder that has been winnowed with shovel and fan.

And on every high mountain and on every lofty hill, there shall appear brooks and watercourses—on a day of heavy slaughter, when towers topple.

And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, when GOD binds up the wounds of this people and heals the injuries it has suffered.

Behold GOD’s eminent mightkeminent might Lit. “name.” Cf. Ps. 20.2; 54.3; Rashi, Luzzatto. Comes from afarIn blazing wrath,With a heavy burdenlWith a heavy burden Presumably with a heavy load of punishment. Meaning of Heb. uncertain.—With lips full of fury,With tongue like devouring fire,

And breath like a raging torrentReaching halfway up the neck—To set a misguiding yokemyoke Interpreting naphath like Arabic nāf; meaning of line uncertain. upon nationsAnd a misleading bridle upon the jaws of peoples.

For you, there shall be singingAs on a night when a festival is hallowed;There shall be rejoicing as when they marchWith flute, with hand-drums, and with lyresnwith hand-drums, and with lyres Moved up from v. 32 for clarity. To the Rock of Israel on the Mount of GOD.

For GOD will project a majestic voiceAnd display the sweep of an armIn raging wrath,In a devouring blaze of fire,In tempest, and rainstorm, and hailstones.

Truly, Assyria, who beats with the rod,Shall be cowed by GOD’s voice;

oMeaning of verse uncertain. And each time the appointed staff passes by, GOD will bring down [an arm] upon himAnd will do battle with him as he waves it.

The TophethpTopheth A site near Jerusalem at which human beings were sacrificed by fire in periods of paganizing; see 2 Kings 23.10. has long been ready for him;He too is destined for MelechqMelech Cf. Molech, Lev. 18.21; 20.2–5.—His firepit has been made both wide and deep,With plenty of fire and firewood,And with GOD’s breath Burning in it like a stream of sulfur.