Isaiah Chapter 30
No Help from Egypt
30:1The LORD says, “Misfortune awaits rebellious children
that carry out plans, but not mine,
that make alliances, but not by my Spirit,
and thereby pile sin on top of error;
2 children that go down to Egypt to get help instead of consulting me,
to take refuge in Pharaoh’s safety,
to look for shelter under Egypt’s shadow.
3 The safety that comes from Pharaoh will humiliate them;
the shelter under Egypt’s shadow will disgrace them.
4 Their princes may be at Zoan,
their ambassadors may arrive at Hanes,
5 but they’ll all be disgraced
by a people that can’t help them,
but bring shame and dishonor.”
Is 30:1-5
6 Oracle About Animals in the Negev
Through a land of distress and anguish—
where lions and lionesses,
vipers and poisonous snakes live—
a caravan transports their wealth on the backs of donkeys,
their treasure on the humps of camels.
They’re taking tribute to a nation that can’t help them,
7 to Egypt, “Harmless Rahab [Dragon],” as I describe it.
Is 30:6-7
Warning to Judah
8 Go write this on a scroll
so it can serve as a lasting testimony.
9 This is a rebellious nation,
unfaithful children that refuse to hear the LORD’s instruction,
10 that say to seers, “Don’t see visions,”
that tell prophets, “Don’t prophesy what’s true.
Say pleasant things;
prophesy illusions.
11 Get off the road, turn away from the beaten path;
we don’t want to hear any more
about the Holy One of Israel.”
Is 30:8-11
12 This is what the Holy One of Israel says,
“Since you’ve rejected that message
and relied on oppression and perversion,
13 your sin is like a bulge in a wall
that’s ready to collapse.
14 It will fall like a smashed clay pot
so completely shattered that not a sherd of it
can take coals from a hearth
or dip water from a well.”
Is 30:12-14
Blessings for the LORD’s People
15 This is what the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, says,
“Only in repenting and resting in me will you be saved;
your strength lies in quietness and trust.
But you didn’t want to do that.
16 You said, ‘No, we’ll flee on horses brought from Egypt.’
You’ll flee all right!
‘We’ll ride on fast horses.’
Your pursuers will ride fast too!
17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one;
you’ll all run at the threat of five,
till you’re abandoned like a flagpole on a mountaintop,
like a signal on a hill.”
Is 30:15-17
18 The LORD wants to be gracious to you;
he waits on high to show you mercy
because he’s a just God.
How blessed they are who wait for him to help.
Is 30:18
19 People in Zion, residents of Jerusalem, don’t cry; he’ll be gracious to you. When he hears you cry out to him for help, he’ll answer. 20 Although he’s given you adversity for food and suffering for water, your Teacher won’t hide any longer; you’ll see him. 21 When you swerve to left or right, you’ll hear a voice behind you, “This is the way; walk here.” 22 You’ll defile your carved images overlaid with silver, your molten images plated with gold. You’ll thrown them out like filthy rags and say, “Get them out of here!”
23 Then he’ll give you rain for the seed you sow and bread from the yield. It’ll be rich and abundant. Your livestock will have plenty of pasture. 24 Your oxen and donkeys that work the ground will eat salted fodder winnowed with fork and shovel. 25 After the great slaughter of your enemies when the towers fall, on every tall mountain and tall hill, there’ll be streams of water running down. 26 Moonlight will be like sunlight, and sunlight will be seven times brighter—a week’s worth a day—when the LORD sets his people’s fractures and heals the bruises he’s inflicted on them. Is 30:19-26
27 The LORD will come from a remote place
with burning anger and thick smoke.
His lips will be full of indignation,
his tongue a consuming fire,
28 his breath an overflowing torrent neck deep.
He’ll sift out the nations in his sieve
and put a bridle in their mouths to ride them to ruin.
29 But you’ll sing songs at night like you do at the holy festivals. You’ll celebrate like you do when you march to a flute as pilgrims and go up to the mountain of the LORD, the Rock of Israel. 30 He will make his majestic voice heard and bring down his arm in lightning, cloudbursts, and downpours with hailstones. 31 The Assyrians will panic when they hear him strike with his rod. 32 Every punishing blow he lays on them will be to the accompaniment of tambourines and harps. He’ll fight them in battles and brandish his weapons. 33 Topheth has long been ready, prepared for the Assyrian king. The LORD has made it deep and wide, a pyre with plenty of wood. His breath like a lava stream of sulfur will light it.
Is 30:27-33