1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.
14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.
15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.
23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.
24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
28 And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.
29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.
30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.
31 For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.
33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
1 Woe H1945 to the rebellious H5637 children, H1121 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that take H6213 counsel, H6098 but not of me; and that cover H5258 with a covering, H4541 but not of my spirit, H7307 that they may add H5595 sin H2403 to sin: H2403
2 That walk H1980 to go down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and have not asked H7592 at my mouth; H6310 to strengthen H5810 themselves in the strength H4581 of Pharaoh, H6547 and to trust H2620 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt! H4714
3 Therefore shall the strength H4581 of Pharaoh H6547 be your shame, H1322 and the trust H2622 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt H4714 your confusion. H3639
4 For his princes H8269 were at Zoan, H6814 and his ambassadors H4397 came H5060 to Hanes. H2609
5 They were all ashamed H3001 of a people H5971 that could not profit H3276 them, nor be an help H5828 nor profit, H3276 but a shame, H1322 and also a reproach. H2781
6 The burden H4853 of the beasts H929 of the south: H5045 into the land H776 of trouble H6869 and anguish, H6695 from whence come the young H3833 and old lion, H3918 the viper H660 and fiery H8314 flying H5774 serpent, H8314 they will carry H5375 their riches H2428 upon the shoulders H3802 of young asses, H5895 and their treasures H214 upon the bunches H1707 of camels, H1581 to a people H5971 that shall not profit H3276 them.
7 For the Egyptians H4714 shall help H5826 in vain, H1892 and to no purpose: H7385 therefore have I cried H7121 concerning this, H2063 Their H1992 strength H7293 is to sit still. H7674
8 Now go, H935 write H3789 it before them in a table, H3871 and note H2710 it in a book, H5612 that it may be for the time H3117 to come H314 for H5704 ever H5703 and ever: H5769
9 That this is a rebellious H4805 people, H5971 lying H3586 children, H1121 children H1121 that will H14 not hear H8085 the law H8451 of the LORD: H3068
10 Which say H559 to the seers, H7200 See H7200 not; and to the prophets, H2374 Prophesy H2372 not unto us right things, H5229 speak H1696 unto us smooth things, H2513 prophesy H2372 deceits: H4123
11 Get you out H5493 of the way, H1870 turn aside H5186 out of the path, H734 cause the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 to cease H7673 from before H6440 us.
12 Wherefore thus saith H559 the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 Because ye despise H3988 this word, H1697 and trust H982 in oppression H6233 and perverseness, H3868 and stay H8172 thereon:
13 Therefore this iniquity H5771 shall be to you as a breach H6556 ready to fall, H5307 swelling out H1158 in a high H7682 wall, H2346 whose breaking H7667 cometh H935 suddenly H6597 at an instant. H6621
14 And he shall break H7665 it as the breaking H7667 of the potters' H3335 vessel H5035 that is broken in pieces; H3807 he shall not spare: H2550 so that there shall not be found H4672 in the bursting H4386 of it a sherd H2789 to take H2846 fire H784 from the hearth, H3344 or to take H2834 water H4325 withal out of the pit. H1360
15 For thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 the Holy One H6918 of Israel; H3478 In returning H7729 and rest H5183 shall ye be saved; H3467 in quietness H8252 and in confidence H985 shall be your strength: H1369 and ye would H14 not.
16 But ye said, H559 No; for we will flee H5127 upon horses; H5483 therefore shall ye flee: H5127 and, We will ride H7392 upon the swift; H7031 therefore shall they that pursue H7291 you be swift. H7043
17 One H259 thousand H505 shall flee at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of one; H259 at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of five H2568 shall ye flee: H5127 till ye be left H3498 as a beacon H8650 upon the top H7218 of a mountain, H2022 and as an ensign H5251 on an hill. H1389
18 And therefore will the LORD H3068 wait, H2442 that he may be gracious H2603 unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, H7311 that he may have mercy H7355 upon you: for the LORD H3068 is a God H430 of judgment: H4941 blessed H835 are all they that wait H2442 for him.
19 For the people H5971 shall dwell H3427 in Zion H6726 at Jerusalem: H3389 thou shalt weep H1058 no more: H1058 he will be very H2603 gracious H2603 unto thee at the voice H6963 of thy cry; H2199 when he shall hear H8085 it, he will answer H6030 thee.
20 And though the Lord H136 give H5414 you the bread H3899 of adversity, H6862 and the water H4325 of affliction, H3906 yet shall not thy teachers H3384 be removed into a corner H3670 any more, but thine eyes H5869 shall see H7200 thy teachers: H3384
21 And thine ears H241 shall hear H8085 a word H1697 behind H310 thee, saying, H559 This is the way, H1870 walk ye in it, H3212 when ye turn to the right hand, H541 and when ye turn to the left. H8041
22 Ye shall defile H2930 also the covering H6826 of thy graven images H6456 of silver, H3701 and the ornament H642 of thy molten images H4541 of gold: H2091 thou shalt cast them away H2219 as a menstruous cloth; H1739 thou shalt say H559 unto it, Get thee hence. H3318
23 Then shall he give H5414 the rain H4306 of thy seed, H2233 that thou shalt sow H2232 the ground H127 withal; and bread H3899 of the increase H8393 of the earth, H127 and it shall be fat H1879 and plenteous: H8082 in that day H3117 shall thy cattle H4735 feed H7462 in large H7337 pastures. H3733
24 The oxen H504 likewise and the young asses H5895 that ear H5647 the ground H127 shall eat H398 clean H2548 provender, H1098 which hath been winnowed H2219 with the shovel H7371 and with the fan. H4214
25 And there shall be upon every high H1364 mountain, H2022 and upon every high H5375 hill, H1389 rivers H6388 and streams H2988 of waters H4325 in the day H3117 of the great H7227 slaughter, H2027 when the towers H4026 fall. H5307
26 Moreover the light H216 of the moon H3842 shall be as the light H216 of the sun, H2535 and the light H216 of the sun H2535 shall be sevenfold, H7659 as the light H216 of seven H7651 days, H3117 in the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 bindeth up H2280 the breach H7667 of his people, H5971 and healeth H7495 the stroke H4273 of their wound. H4347
27 Behold, the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 cometh H935 from far, H4801 burning H1197 with his anger, H639 and the burden H4858 thereof is heavy: H3514 his lips H8193 are full H4390 of indignation, H2195 and his tongue H3956 as a devouring H398 fire: H784
28 And his breath, H7307 as an overflowing H7857 stream, H5158 shall reach to the midst H2673 of the neck, H6677 to sift H5130 the nations H1471 with the sieve H5299 of vanity: H7723 and there shall be a bridle H7448 in the jaws H3895 of the people, H5971 causing them to err. H8582
29 Ye shall have a song, H7892 as in the night H3915 when a holy H6942 solemnity H2282 is kept; H6942 and gladness H8057 of heart, H3824 as when one goeth H1980 with a pipe H2485 to come H935 into the mountain H2022 of the LORD, H3068 to the mighty One H6697 of Israel. H3478
30 And the LORD H3068 shall cause his glorious H1935 voice H6963 to be heard, H8085 and shall shew H7200 the lighting down H5183 of his arm, H2220 with the indignation H2197 of his anger, H639 and with the flame H3851 of a devouring H398 fire, H784 with scattering, H5311 and tempest, H2230 and hailstones. H68 H1259
31 For through the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 shall the Assyrian H804 be beaten down, H2865 which smote H5221 with a rod. H7626
32 And in every place H3605 where the grounded H4145 staff H4294 shall pass, H4569 which the LORD H3068 shall lay H5117 upon him, it shall be with tabrets H8596 and harps: H3658 and in battles H4421 of shaking H8573 will he fight H3898 with it.
33 For Tophet H8613 is ordained H6186 of old; H865 yea, for the king H4428 it is prepared; H3559 he hath made it deep H6009 and large: H7337 the pile H4071 thereof is fire H784 and much H7235 wood; H6086 the breath H5397 of the LORD, H3068 like a stream H5158 of brimstone, H1614 doth kindle H1197 it.
1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith Jehovah, that take counsel, but not of me; and that make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin,
2 that set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
4 For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors are come to Hanes.
5 They shall all be ashamed because of a people that cannot profit them, that are not a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 The burden of the beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit `them'.
7 For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab that sitteth still.
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.
9 For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah;
10 that say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits,
11 get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely thereon;
13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly in an instant.
14 And he shall break it as a potter's vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing; so that there shall not be found among the pieces thereof a sherd wherewith to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.
15 For thus said the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. And ye would not:
16 but ye said, No, for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand `shall flee' at the threat of one; at the threat of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.
18 And therefore will Jehovah wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for Jehovah is a God of justice; blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; thou shalt weep no more; he will surely be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear, he will answer thee.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers;
21 and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
22 And ye shall defile the overlaying of thy graven images of silver, and the plating of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as an unclean thing; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.
23 And he will give the rain for thy seed, wherewith thou shalt sow the ground; and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures;
24 the oxen likewise and the young asses that till the ground shall eat savory provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fork.
25 And there shall be upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill, brooks `and' streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire;
28 and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reacheth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction: and a bridle that causeth to err `shall be' in the jaws of the peoples.
29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.
30 And Jehovah will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of `his' anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest, and hailstones.
31 For through the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be dismayed; with his rod will he smite `him'.
32 And every stroke of the appointed staff, which Jehovah shall lay upon him, shall be with `the sound of' tabrets and harps; and in battles with the brandishing `of his arm' will he fight with them.
33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
1 Wo `to' apostate sons, The affirmation of Jehovah! To do counsel, and not from Me, And to spread out a covering, and not of My spirit, So as to add sin to sin.
2 Who are walking to go down to Egypt, And My mouth have not asked, To be strong in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt.
3 And the strength of Pharaoh Hath been to you for shame, And the trust in the shadow of Egypt confusion,
4 For in Zoan were his princes, And his messengers reach Hanes.
5 All he made ashamed of a people that profit not, Neither for help, not for profit, But for shame, and also for reproach!
6 The burden of the beasts of the south. Into a land of adversity and distress, Of young lion and of old lion, Whence `are' viper and flying saraph, They carry on the shoulder of asses their wealth, And on the hump of camels their treasures, Unto a people not profitable.
7 Yea, Egyptians `are' vanity, and in vain do help, Therefore I have cried concerning this: `Their strength `is' to sit still.'
8 No, go in, write it on a tablet with them, And on a book engrave it, And it is for a latter day, for a witness unto the age,
9 That a rebellious people `is' this, sons -- liars, Sons not willing to hear the law of Jehovah.
10 Who have said to seers, `Ye do not see,' And to prophets, `Ye do not prophesy to us Straightforward things, Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,
11 Turn aside from the way, decline from the path, Cause to cease from before us the Holy One of Israel.'
12 Therefore, thus said the Holy One of Israel, Because of your kicking against this word, And ye trust in oppression, And perverseness, and rely on it,
13 Therefore is this iniquity to you as a breach falling, Swelled out in a wall set on high, Whose destruction suddenly, at an instant cometh.
14 And He hath broken it As the breaking of the potters' bottle, Beaten down -- He doth not spare, Nor is there found, in its beating down, A potsherd to take fire from the burning, And to draw out waters from a ditch.
15 For thus said the Lord Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel: `In returning and rest ye are saved, In keeping quiet and in confidence is your might, And ye have not been willing.
16 And ye say, No, for on a horse we flee? Therefore ye flee, And on the swift we ride! Therefore swift are your pursuers.
17 One thousand because of the rebuke of one, Because of the rebuke of five ye flee, Till ye have been surely left as a pole On the top of the mountain, And as an ensign on the height.
18 And therefore doth wait Jehovah to favour you, And therefore He is exalted to pity you, For a God of judgment `is' Jehovah, O the blessedness of all waiting for Him.
19 For the people in Zion dwell in Jerusalem, Weep thou not, weeping, Pitying, He pitieth thee at the voice of thy cry, When He heareth He answereth thee.
20 And the Lord hath given to you bread of adversity, And water of oppression. And thy directors remove no more, And thine eyes have seen thy directors,
21 And thine ear heareth a word behind thee, Saying, `This `is' the way, go ye in it,' When ye turn to the right, And when ye turn to the left.
22 And ye have defiled the covering of Thy graven images of silver, And the ephod of thy molten image of gold, Thou scatterest them as a sickening thing, `Go out,' thou sayest to it.
23 And He hath given rain `for' thy seed, With which thou dost sow the ground, And bread, the increase of the ground, And it hath been fat and plenteous, Enjoy do thy cattle in that day an enlarged pasture.
24 And the oxen and the young asses serving the ground, Fermented provender do eat, That one is winnowing with shovel and fan.
25 And there hath been on every high mount, And on every exalted hill, Rivulets -- streams of waters, In a day of much slaughter, in the falling of towers.
26 And the light of the moon hath been as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun is sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day of Jehovah's binding up the breach of His people, When the stroke of its wound He healeth.
27 Lo, the name of Jehovah is coming from far, Burning is His anger, and great the flame, His lips have been full of indignation, And His tongue `is' as a devouring fire.
28 And His breath `is' as an overflowing stream, Unto the neck it divideth, To sift nations with a sieve of vanity, And a bridle causing to err, `Is' on the jaws of the peoples.
29 Singing is to you as in a night sanctified for a festival, And joy of heart as he who is going with a pipe, To go in to the mountain of Jehovah, Unto the rock of Israel.
30 And caused to be heard hath Jehovah The honour of His voice, And the coming down of His arm He doth shew with the raging of anger, And the flame of a consuming fire, Scattering, and inundation, and hailstone.
31 For from the voice of Jehovah broken down `is' Asshur, With a rod He smiteth.
32 And every passage of the settled staff, That Jehovah causeth to rest on him, Hath been with tabrets, and with harps, And in battles of shaking he hath fought with it.
33 For, arranged from former time is Tophet, Even it for the king is prepared, He hath made deep, He hath made large, Its pile `is' fire and much wood, The breath of Jehovah, As a stream of brim stone, is burning in it!
1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith Jehovah, who take counsel, but not of me, and who make leagues, but not by my Spirit, that they may heap sin upon sin;
2 who walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked of my mouth, -- to take refuge under the protection of Pharaoh, and trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 For to you the protection of Pharaoh shall be a shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt a confusion.
4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people [that] did not profit them, nor were a help or profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 -- The burden of the beasts of the south: Through a land of trouble and anguish, whence come the lioness and lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches upon the shoulders of asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to the people that shall not profit [them].
7 For Egypt shall help in vain, and to no purpose; therefore have I named her, Arrogance, that doeth nothing.
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and record it in a book, that it may be for the time to come, as a witness for ever,
9 that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah;
10 who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits;
11 get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us!
12 Therefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel: Because ye reject this word, and confide in oppression and wilfulness, and depend thereon,
13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a towering wall, whose breaking shall come suddenly in an instant.
14 And he shall break it as the breaking of a potter's vessel, that is broken in pieces unsparingly; and in the pieces of it there shall not be found a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to scoop water out of the cistern.
15 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength; but ye would not.
16 And ye said, No, but we will flee upon horses, -- therefore shall ye flee; and, We will ride upon the swift, -- therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand [shall flee] at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as a banner on a hill.
18 And therefore will Jehovah wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he lift himself up, that he may have mercy upon you; for Jehovah is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion, at Jerusalem. Thou shalt weep no more; he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; as he heareth it, he will answer thee.
20 And the Lord will give you the bread of adversity, and the water of oppression; yet thy teachers shall not be hidden any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.
21 And when ye turn to the right hand or when ye turn to the left, thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.
22 And ye shall defile the silver covering of your graven images, and the gold overlaying of your molten images; thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth: Out! shalt thou say unto it.
23 And he will give the rain of thy seed with which thou shalt sow the ground; and bread, the produce of the ground, and it shall be fat and rich. In that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures;
24 and the oxen and the asses that till the ground shall eat salted provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
25 And there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every hill that is lifted up, brooks [and] water-courses, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the wound of their stroke.
27 Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning [with] his anger -- a grievous conflagration; his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a consuming fire;
28 and his breath as an overflowing torrent, which reacheth even to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction, and [to put] a bridle into the jaws of the peoples, that causeth them to go astray.
29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a feast is sanctified; and joy of heart, as of one who goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.
30 And Jehovah will cause the majesty of his voice to be heard, and will shew the lighting down of his arm with indignation of anger, and a flame of consuming fire, with waterflood and storm and hailstones.
31 For through the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be broken down: he will smite [him] with the rod.
32 And wherever shall pass the appointed staff, which Jehovah shall lay upon him, it shall be with tambours and harps; and with tumultuous battles will he fight with it.
33 For Topheth is prepared of old; for the king also it is prepared: he hath made it deep and large; its pile is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
1 Woe to the rebellious children, says Yahweh, who take counsel, but not of me; and who make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin,
2 that set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
4 For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors are come to Hanes.
5 They shall all be ashamed because of a people that can't profit them, that are not a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 The burden of the animals of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit [them].
7 For Egypt helps in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab who sits still.
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever.
9 For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of Yahweh;
10 who tell the seers, "Don't see;" and to the prophets, "Don't prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,
11 get out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, "Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely thereon;
13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly in an instant.
14 He shall break it as a potter's vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing; so that there shall not be found among the pieces of it a broken piece with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern."
15 For thus said the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. You would not:
16 but you said, No, for we will flee on horses; therefore shall you flee: and, We will ride on the swift; therefore shall those who pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand [shall flee] at the threat of one; at the threat of five shall you flee: until you be left as a beacon on the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.
18 Therefore will Yahweh wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy on you: for Yahweh is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more; he will surely be gracious to you at the voice of your cry; when he shall hear, he will answer you.
20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not your teachers be hidden anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers;
21 and your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk you in it; when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.
22 You shall defile the overlaying of your engraved images of silver, and the plating of your molten images of gold: you shall cast them away as an unclean thing; you shall tell it, Get you hence.
23 He will give the rain for your seed, with which you shall sow the ground; and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall your cattle feed in large pastures;
24 the oxen likewise and the young donkeys that till the ground shall eat savory provender, which has been winnowed with the shovel and with the fork.
25 There shall be on every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, brooks [and] streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh binds up the hurt of his people, and heals the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of Yahweh comes from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire;
28 and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reaches even to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction: and a bridle that causes to err [shall be] in the jaws of the peoples.
29 You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goes with a pipe to come to the mountain of Yahweh, to the Rock of Israel.
30 Yahweh will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of [his] anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest, and hailstones.
31 For through the voice of Yahweh shall the Assyrian be dismayed; with his rod will he strike [him].
32 Every stroke of the appointed staff, which Yahweh shall lay on him, shall be with [the sound of] tambourines and harps; and in battles with the brandishing [of his arm] will he fight with them.
33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yes, for the king it is made ready; he has made it deep and large; the pile of it is fire and much wood; the breath of Yahweh, like a stream of sulfur, does kindle it.
1 Ho! uncontrolled children, says the Lord, who give effect to a purpose which is not mine, and who make an agreement, but not by my spirit, increasing their sin:
2 Who make a move to go down into Egypt, without authority from me; who are looking to the strength of Pharaoh for help, and whose hope is in the shade of Egypt.
3 And the strength of Pharaoh will be your shame, and your hope in the shade of Egypt will come to nothing.
4 For his chiefs are at Zoan, and his representatives have come to Hanes.
5 For they have all come with offerings to a people of no use to them, in whom is no help or profit, but only shame and a bad name.
6 The word about the Beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and grief, the land of the she-lion and the voice of the lion, of the snake and the burning winged snake, they take their wealth on the backs of young asses, and their stores on camels, to a people in whom is no profit.
7 For there is no use or purpose in the help of Egypt: so I have said about her, She is Rahab, who has come to an end.
8 Now go, put it in writing before them on a board, and make a record of it in a book, so that it may be for the future, a witness for all time to come.
9 For they are an uncontrolled people, false-hearted, who will not give ear to the teaching of the Lord:
10 Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Do not give us word of what is true, but say false things to give us pleasure:
11 Get out of the good way, turning from the right road; do not keep the Holy One of Israel before our minds.
12 For this cause the Holy One of Israel says, Because you will not give ear to this word, and are looking for help in ways of deceit and evil, and are putting your hope in them:
13 This sin will be to you like a crack in a high wall, causing its fall suddenly and in a minute.
14 And he will let it be broken as a potter's vessel is broken: it will be smashed to bits without mercy; so that there will not be a bit in which one may take fire from the fireplace, or water from the spring.
15 For the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, said, In quiet and rest is your salvation: peace and hope are your strength: but you would not have it so.
16 Saying, No, for we will go in flight on horses; so you will certainly go in flight: and, We will go on the backs of quick-running beasts; so those who go after you will be quick-footed.
17 A thousand will go in fear before one; even before five you will go in flight: till you are like a pillar by itself on the top of a mountain, and like a flag on a hill.
18 For this cause the Lord will be waiting, so that he may be kind to you; and he will be lifted up, so that he may have mercy on you; for the Lord is a God of righteousness: there is a blessing on all whose hope is in him.
19 O people, living in Zion, at Jerusalem, your weeping will be ended; he will certainly have mercy on you at the sound of your cry; when it comes to his ear, he will give you an answer.
20 And though the Lord will give you the bread of trouble and the water of grief, you will no longer put your teacher on one side, but you will see your teacher:
21 And at your back, when you are turning to the right hand or to the left, a voice will be sounding in your ears, saying, This is the way in which you are to go.
22 And you will make unclean what is covering your pictured images of silver, and the plating of your images of gold: you will send them away as an unclean thing, saying, Be gone!
23 And he will give rain for your seed, so that you may put it in the earth; and you will have bread from the produce of the earth, good and more than enough for your needs: in that day the cattle will get their food in wide grass-lands.
24 And the oxen and the young asses which are used for ploughing, will have salted grain which has been made free from the waste with fork and basket.
25 And there will be rivers and streams of water on every tall mountain and on every high hill, in the day when great numbers are put to the sword, when the towers come down.
26 And the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times greater, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord puts oil on the wounds of his people, and makes them well from the blows they have undergone.
27 See, the name of the Lord is coming from far, burning with his wrath, with thick smoke going up: his lips are full of passion, and his tongue is like a burning fire:
28 And his breath is as an overflowing stream, coming up even to the neck, shaking the nations for their destruction, like the shaking of grain in a basket: and he will put a cord in the mouths of the people, turning them out of their way.
29 You will have a song, as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and you will be glad in heart, as when they go with music of the pipe to the mountain of the Lord, the Rock of Israel.
30 And the Lord will send out the sound of his great voice, and they will see his arm stretched out, with the heat of his wrath, and the flame of a burning fire; with a cloud-burst, and storm, and a rain of ice.
31 For through the voice of the Lord the Assyrian will be broken, and the Lord's rod will be lifted up against him.
32 And every blow of the rod of his punishment, which the Lord will send on him, will be with the sound of music: and with the waving of his sword the Lord will make war against him.
33 For a place of fire has long been ready; yes, it has been made ready for the king; he has made it deep and wide: it is massed with fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of fire, puts a light to it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 30
Commentary on Isaiah 30 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The plan which, according to Isaiah 29:15, was already projected and prepared in the deepest secrecy, is now much further advanced. The negotiations by means of ambassadors have already been commenced; but the prophet condemns what he can no longer prevent. “Woe to the stubborn children, saith Jehovah, to drive plans, and not by my impulse, and to plait alliance, and not according to my Spirit, to heap sin upon sin: that go away to travel down to Egypt, without having asked my mouth, to fly to Pharaoh's shelter, and to conceal themselves under the shadow of Egypt. And Pharaoh's shelter becomes a shame to them, and the concealment under the shadow of Egypt a disgrace. For Judah's princes have appeared in Zoan, and his ambassadors arrive in Hanes. They will all have to be ashamed of a people useless to them, that brings no help and no use, but shame, and also reproach.” Sōr e rı̄m is followed by infinitives with Lamed (cf., Isaiah 5:22; Isaiah 3:8): who are bent upon it in their obstinacy. Massēkhâh designates the alliance as a plait ( massēkheth ). According to Cappellus and others, it designates it as formed with a libation ( σπονδη , from σπένδεσθαι ); but the former is certainly the more correct view, inasmuch as m assēkhâh (from nâsakh , fundere ) signifies a cast, and hence it is more natural here to take nâsakh as equivalent to sâkhakh , plectere (Jerome: ordiremini telam ). The context leaves no doubt as to the meaning of the adverbial expressions ולא־מנּי and ולא־רוּחי , viz., without its having proceeded from me, and without my Spirit being there. “Sin upon sin:” inasmuch as they carry out further and further to perfect realization the thought which was already a sinful one in itself. The prophet now follows for himself the ambassadors, who are already on the road to the country of the Nile valley. He sees them arrive in Zoan, and watches them as they proceed thence into Hanes. He foresees and foretells what a disgraceful opening of their eyes will attend the reward of this untheocratical beginning. On lâ‛ōz b' , see at Isaiah 10:31 : ‛ōz is the infinitive constr. of ‛ūz ; m â‛ōz , on the contrary, is a derivative of ‛ âzaz , to be strong. The suffixes of שׂריו (his princes) and מלאכיו (his ambassadors) are supposed by Hitzig, Ewald, and Knobel, who take a different view of what is said, to refer to the princes and ambassadors of Pharaoh. But this is by no means warranted on the ground that the prophet cannot so immediately transfer to Zoan and Hanes the ambassadors of Judah, who were still on their journey according to Isaiah 30:2. The prophet's vision overleaps the existing stage of the desire for this alliance; he sees the great men of his nation already suing for the favour of Egypt, first of all in Zoan, and then still further in Hanes, and at once foretells the shameful termination of this self-desecration of the people of Jehovah. The lxx give for יגיעוּ חנּס , μάτην κοπιάσουσιν , i.e., ייגעוּ סהנּם , and Knobel approves this reading; but it is a misunderstanding, which only happens to have fallen out a little better this time than the rendering ὡς Δαυίδ given for כּדּוּר in Isaiah 29:3. If c hinnâm had been the original reading, it would hardly have entered any one's mind to change it into c hânēs . The latter was the name of a city on an island of the Nile in Central Egypt, the later Heracleopolis (Eg. Hnēs ; Ehnēs ), the Anysis of Herodotus (ii. 137). On Zoan , see at Isaiah 19:11. At that time the Tanitic dynasty was reigning, the dynasty preceding the Ethiopian. Tanis and Anysis were the two capitals. הבאישׁ (= היבשׁ =( ה , a metaplastic hiphil of יבשׁ = בּושׁ , a different word from יבשׁ ) is incorrectly pointed for הבאישׁ , like ריאשׁנה ( keri ) for ראישׁנה in Joshua 21:10. הבאישׁ signifies elsewhere, “to make stinking” (to calumniate, Proverbs 13:5), or “to come into ill odour” (1 Samuel 27:12); here, however, it means to be put to shame ( בּאשׁ = בּושׁ ).
The prophet's address is hardly commenced, however, when a heading is introduced of the very same kind as we have already met with several times in the cycle of prophecies against the heathen nations. Gesenius, Hitzig, Umbreit, and Knobel, rid themselves of it by pronouncing it a gloss founded upon a misunderstanding. But nothing is more genuine in the whole book of Isaiah than the words m assâ' bahămōth negebh . The heading is emblematical, like the four headings in chapters 21, 22. And the m assâ' embraces Isaiah 30:6, Isaiah 30:7. Then follows the command to write it on a table by itself. The heading is an integral part of the smaller whole. Isaiah breaks off his address to communicate an oracle relating to the Egyptian treaty, which Jehovah has specially commanded him to hand down to posterity. The same interruption would take place if we expunged the heading; for in any case it was Isaiah 30:6, Isaiah 30:7 that he was to write upon a table. This is not an address to the people, but the preliminary text, the application of which is determined afterwards. The prophet communicates in the form of a citation what has been revealed to him by God, and then states what God has commanded him to do with it. We therefore enclose Isaiah 30:6, Isaiah 30:7 in inverted commas as a quotation, and render the short passage, which is written in the tone of chapter 21, as follows: “Oracle concerning the water-oxen of the south: Through a land of distress and confinement, whence the lioness and lion, adders and flying dragons; they carry their possessions on the shoulders of asses' foals, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a nation that profits nothing. And Egypt, worthlessly and hollowly will they help; therefore I call this Egypt, Great-mouth that sits still.” The “water-ox of the south” is the Nile-horse; and this is the emblem of Egypt, the land of the south (in Daniel and Zechariah Babylonia is “the land of the north”). Bahămōth is the construct of behēmōth (Job 40), which is a Hebraized from of an Egyptian word, p - ehe - mau (though the word itself has not yet been met with), i.e., the ox of the water, or possibly p - ehe - mau - t (with the feminine article at the close, though in hesmut , another name for a female animal, mut = t . mau signifies “the mother:” see at Job 40:15). The animal referred to is the hippopotamus, which is called bomarino in Italian, Arab. the Nile-horse or water-pig. The emblem of Egypt in other passages of the Old Testament is tannin , the water-snake, or leviathan , the crocodile. In Psalms 78:31 this is called chayyath qâneh , “the beast of the reed,” though Hengstenberg supposes that the Nile-horse is intended there. This cannot be maintained, however; but in the passage before us this emblem is chosen, just because the fat, swine-like, fleshy colossus, whose belly nearly touches the ground as it walks, is a fitting image of Egypt, a land so boastful and so eager to make itself thick and broad, and yet so slow to exert itself in the interest of others, and so unwilling to move from the spot. This is also implied in the name rahabh - hēm - shâb . Rahab is a name applied to Egypt in other passages also (Isaiah 51:9; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 89:11), and that in the senses attested by the lxx at Job 26:12 (cf., Isaiah 9:13), viz., κῆτος , a sea-monster, monstrum marinum . Here the name has the meaning common in other passages, viz., violence, domineering pride, boasting ( ἀλαζονεία , as one translator renders it). הם is a term of comparison, as in Genesis 14:2-3, etc.; the plural refers to the people called rahabh. Hence the meaning is either, “The bragging people, they are sit-still;” or, “Boast-house, they are idlers.” To this deceitful land the ambassadors of Judah were going with rich resources ( c hăyâlı̄m , opes ) on the shoulder of asses' foals, and on the hump ( dabbesheth , from dâbhash , according to Luzzatto related to gâbhash , to be hilly) of camels, without shrinking from the difficulties and dangers of the road through the desert, where lions and snakes spring out now here and now there ( מהם , neuter, as in Zephaniah 2:7, comp. Isaiah 38:16; see also Deuteronomy 8:15; Numbers 21:6). Through this very desert, through which God had led their fathers when He redeemed them out of the bondage of Egypt, they were now marching to purchase the friendship of Egypt, though really, whatever might be the pretext which they offered, it was only to deceive themselves; for the vainglorious land would never keep the promises that it made.
So runs the divine oracle to which the following command refers. “Now go, write it on a table with them, and note it in a book, and let it stand there fore future days, for ever, to eternity.” The suffixes of kothbâh (write it) and c huqqâh (note it) refer in a neuter sense to Isaiah 30:6, Isaiah 30:7; and the expression “go” is simply a general summons to proceed to the matter (cf., Isaiah 22:15). Sēpher could be used interchangeably with lūăch , because a single leaf, the contents of which were concluded, was called sēpher (Exodus 17:14). Isaiah was to write the oracle upon a table, a separate leaf of durable material; and that “with them,” i.e., so that his countrymen might have it before their eyes (compare Isaiah 8:1; Habakkuk 2:2). It was to be a memorial for posterity. The reading לעד (Sept., Targ., Syr.) for לעד is appropriate, though quite unnecessary. The three indications of time form a climax: for futurity, for the most remote future, for the future without end.
It was necessary that the worthlessness of the help of Egypt should be placed in this way before the eyes of the people. “For it is a refractory people, lying children, children who do not like to hear the instruction of Jehovah, who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things! Speak flatteries to us! Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, remove from our face the Holy One of Israel.” On the expression ‛am m e rı̄ (a people of stubbornness), see at Isaiah 3:8. The vowel-pointing of כחשׁהים follows the same rule as that of החכם . The prophet traces back their words to an unvarnished expression of their true meaning, just as he does in Isaiah 28:15. They forbid the prophets of Jehovah to prophesy, more especially n e khōchōth , straight or true things (things not agreeable to their own wishes), but would rather hear c hălâqōth , i.e., smooth, insinuating, and flattering things, and even mahăthallōth (from hâthal , Talm. tal , ludere ), i.e., illusions or deceits. Their desire was to be entertained and lauded, not repelled and instructed. The prophets are to adopt another course ( מנּי only occurs here, and that twice, instead of the more usual מנּי = מן , after the form אלי , עלי ), and not trouble them any more with the Holy One of Israel, whom they (at least Isaiah, who is most fond of calling Jehovah by this name) have always in their mouths.
Thus do they fall out with Jehovah and the bearers of His word. “Therefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye dislike this word, and put your trust in force and shufflings, and rely upon this; therefore will this iniquity be to you like a falling breach, bent forwards in a high-towering wall, which falls to ruin suddenly, very suddenly. And He smites it to pieces, as a potter's vessel falls to pieces, when they smash it without sparing, and of which, when it lies smashed to pieces there, you cannot find a sherd to fetch fire with from the hearth, or to take water with out of a cistern.” The “word” towards which they cherished me'ōs (read mo'oskhem ), was the word of Jehovah through His prophet, which was directed against their untheocratic policy of reckoning upon Egypt. Nâlōz , bent out or twisted, is the term used to denote this very policy, which was ever resorting to bypaths and secret ways; whilst ‛ōsheq denotes the squeezing out of the money required to carry on the war of freedom, and to purchase the help of Egypt (compare 2 Kings 15:20). The guilt of Judah is compared to the broken and overhanging part of a high wall ( nibh‛eh , bent forwards; compare ( בּעבּע , a term applied to a diseased swelling). Just as such a broken piece brings down the whole of the injured wall along with it, so would the sinful conduct of Judah immediately ruin the whole of its existing constitution. Israel, which would not recognise itself as the image of Jehovah, even when there was yet time (Isaiah 29:16), would be like a vessel smashed into the smallest fragments. It is the captivity which is here figuratively threatened by the prophet; for the smashing had regard to Israel as a state. The subject to וּשׁברהּ in Isaiah 30:14 is Jehovah, who would make use of the hostile power of man to destroy the wall, and break up the kingdom of Judah into such a diaspora of broken sherds . The reading is not ושׁהברהּ (lxx, Targum), but וּשׁברהּ , et franget eam . Kâthōth is an infinitive statement of the mode; the participle kâthūth , which is adopted by the Targum, Kimchi, Norzi, and others, is less suitable. It was necessary to proceed with יחמל לא (without his sparing), simply because the infinitive absolute cannot be connected with לא (Ewald, §350, a ). לחשּׂוף (to be written thus with dagesh both here and Haggai 2:16) passes from the primary meaning nudare to that of scooping up, as ערה does to that of pouring out.
Into such small sherds, a heap thus scattered hither and thither, would the kingdom of Judah be broken up, in consequence of its ungodly thirst for self-liberation. “For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, Through turning and rest ye would be helped; your strength would show itself in quietness and confidence; but ye would not. And ye said, No, but we will fly upon horses; therefore ye shall flee: and, We will ride upon racehorses; therefore your pursuers will race. A thousand, ye will flee from the threatening of one, from the threatening of five, until ye are reduced to a remnant, like a pine upon the top of the mountain, and like a banner upon the hill.” The conditions upon which their salvation depended, and by complying with which they would attain to it, were shūbhâh , turning from their self-chosen way, and nachath , rest from self-confident work of their own (from nūăch , like rachath , ventilabrum , from rūăch , and shachath , fovea , from shūăch ). Their strength (i.e., what they would be able to do in opposition to the imperial power) would show itself ( hâyâh , arise, come to the light, as in Isaiah 29:2), in hashqēt , laying aside their busy care and stormy eagerness, and bitchâh , trust, which cleaves to Jehovah and, renouncing all self-help, leaves Him to act alone. This was the leading and fundamental principle of the prophet's politics even in the time of Ahaz (Isaiah 7:4). But from the very first they would not act upon it; nor would they now that the alliance with Egypt had become an irreversible fact. To fly upon horses, and ride away upon racehorses ( kal , like κέλης , celer )
(Note: We regard the Sanscrit kal , to drive or hunt, the Greek κέλλ ( ὀκέλλ ) ειν , and the Semitic qal , as all having the same root: cf., Vurtius, Grundzüge der griech. Etymol . i. 116.))
had been and still was their proud and carnal ambition, which Jehovah would answer by fulfilling upon them the curses of the thorah (Leviticus 26:8, Leviticus 26:36; Deuteronomy 28:25; Deuteronomy 32:30). One, or at the most five, of the enemy would be able with their snorting to put to flight a whole thousand of the men of Judah. The verb nūs (Isaiah 30:16), which rhymes with sūs , is used first of all in its primary sense of “flying” (related to nūts , cf., Exodus 14:27), and then in its more usual sense of “fleeing.” (Luzzatto, after Abulwalîd : vogliamo far sui cavalli gloriosa comparsa , from nūs , or rather nâsas , hence nânōs , from which comes nēs , excellere .) יקּלּוּ , the fut. niphal , signifies to be light, i.e., swift; whereas יקל , the fut. kal , had become a common expression for light in the sense of despised or lightly esteemed. The horses and chariots are Judah's own (Isaiah 2:7; Micah 5:9), though possibly with the additional allusion to the Egyptian cavalry, of world-wide renown, which they had called to their help. In Isaiah 30:17 the subject of the first clause is also that of the second, and consequently we have not וּמפּני (compare the asyndeta in Isaiah 17:6). The insertion of r e bhâbhâh (ten thousand) after c hămisshâh (five), which Lowth, Gesenius, and others propose, is quite unnecessary. The play upon the words symbolizes the divine law of retribution ( talio ), which would be carried out with regard to them. The nation, which had hitherto resembled a thick forest, would become like a lofty pine ( tōrne , according to the talmudic tūrnı̄thâ , Pinus pinea ), standing solitary upon the top of a mountain, and like a flagstaff planted upon a hill - a miserable remnant in the broad land so fearfully devastated by war. For אם עד followed by a preterite (equivalent to the fut. exactum ), compare Isaiah 6:11 and Genesis 24:19.
The prophet now proceeds with ולכן , to which we cannot give any other meaning than et propterea , which it has everywhere else. The thought of the prophet is the perpetually recurring one, that Israel would have to be reduced to a small remnant before Jehovah would cease from His wrath. “And therefore will Jehovah wait till He inclines towards you, and therefore will He withdraw Himself on high till He has mercy upon you; for Jehovah is a God of right, salvation to those who wait for Him.” In other places lâkhēn (therefore) deduces the punishment from the sin; here it infers, from the nature of the punishment, the long continuance of the divine wrath. Chikkâh , to wait, connected as it is here with Lamed , has at least the idea, if not the actual signification, of delay (as in 2 Kings 9:3; compare Job 32:4). This helps to determine the sense of yârūm , which does not mean, He will show Himself exalted as a judge, that through judgment He may render it possible to have mercy upon you (which is too far-fetched a meaning); but, He will raise Himself up, so as to be far away (cf., Numbers 16:45, “Get you up from among this congregation;” and Psalms 10:5, m ârōm = “far above,” as far as heaven, out of his sight), that thus (after having for a long time withdrawn His gracious presence; cf., Hosea 5:6) He may bestow His mercy upon you. A dark prospect, but only alarming to unbelievers. The salvation at the remotest end of the future belongs to believers even now. This is affirmed in the word 'ashrē (blessed), which recalls Psalms 2:12. The prophet uses c hâkhâh in a very significant double sense here, just as he did nuus a short time before. Jehovah is waiting for the time when He can show His favour once more, and blessed are they who meet His waiting with their own waiting.
None but such are heirs of the grace that follows the judgment - a people, newly pardoned in response to its cry for help, conducted by faithful teachers in the right way, and renouncing idolatry with disgust. “For a people continues dwelling in Zion, in Jerusalem; thou shalt not weep for ever: He will prove Himself gracious to thee at the sound of thy cry for help; as soon as He hears, He answers thee. And the Lord giveth you bread in penury, and water for your need; and thy teachers will not hide themselves any more, and thine eyes come to see thy teachers. And thine ears will hear words behind thee, saying, 'This is the way, walk ye in it!' whether ye turn to the right hand or to the left. And ye defile the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the clothing of thy molten images of gold; thou wilt scatter them like filthy thing: 'Get out!' thou sayest to it.” We do not render Isaiah 30:19 , “For O people that dwelleth in Zion, in Jerusalem!” For although the personal pronoun may be omitted after Vav in an apostrophizing connection (Proverbs 8:5; Joel 2:23), we should certainly expect to find אתּה here. The accent very properly marks these words as forming an independent clause. The apparent tautology in the expression, “in Zion, in Jerusalem,” is emphatic and explanatory. The fate of Zion-Jerusalem will not be the same as that of the imperial city (Isaiah 13:20; Isaiah 25:2); for it is the city of Jehovah, which, according to His promise, cannot become an eternally deserted ruin. After this promising declaration, the prophet turns and addresses the people of the future in the people of his own time; bâkhō strengthens the verbal notion with the mark of duration; c hânōn with the mark of certainty and fulness. יחנ ך , with an advanced ŏ , as in Genesis 43:29, for יחן . כּ is the shortest expression used to denote simultaneous occurrence; answering and hearing would coincide ( shom‛âh , nomen actionis , as in Isaiah 47:9; Isaiah 55:2; Ges. §45, 1 b ; ‛ ânâkh , the pausal form here, as in Jeremiah 23:37). From this lowest stage of response to the penitential cry for help, the promise rises higher and higher. The next stage is that in which Jerusalem is brought into all the distress consequent upon a siege, as threatened by the prophet in Isaiah 29:3-4; the besieged would not be allowed by God to die of starvation, but He would send them the necessary support. The same expression, but very little altered, viz., “to give to eat lechem lachatz ūmayim lachatz ,” signifies to put any one upon the low rations of a siege or of imprisonment, in 1 Kings 22:27 and 2 Chronicles 18:26; but here it is a promise, with the threat kept in the background. צר and לח ץ are connected with the absolute nouns לחם and מים , not as adverbial, but as appositional definitions (like תּרעלה יין , “wine which is giddiness,” in Psalms 60:5; and בּרכּים מים , “water which is knees,” i.e., which has the measure of the knees, where birkayim is also in apposition, and not the accusative of measurement): literally, bread which is necessity, and water which is affliction; that is to say, nourishment of which there is extreme need, the very opposite of bread and water in abundance. Umbreit and Drechsler understand this spiritually. But the promise rises as it goes on. There is already an advance, in the fact that the faithful and well-meaning teachers ( mōrı̄m ) no longer keep themselves hidden because of the hard-heartedness and hatred of the people, as they have done ever since the time of Ahaz ( נכנף , a denom.: to withdraw into כּנף , πτέρυξ , the utmost end, the most secret corner; though kânaph in itself signifies to cover or conceal). Israel, when penitent, would once more be able to rejoice in the sight of those whom it longed to have back again. מורי ך is a plural, according to the context (on the singular of the previous predicate, see Ges. §147). As the shepherds of the flock, they would follow the people with friendly words of admonition, whilst the people would have their ears open to receive their instruction. תּאמינוּ is here equivalent to תּימינוּ , תּימינוּ . The abominations of idolatry (which continued even in the first years of Hezekiah's reign: Isaiah 31:7; Micah 1:5; Micah 5:11-13; Micah 6:16) would now be regarded as abominations, and put away. Even gold and silver, with which the images that were either carved or cast in inferior metal were overlaid, would be made unclean (see 2 Kings 28:8ff.); that is to say, no use would be made of them. Dâvâh is a shorter expression for k e lı̄ dâvâh , the cloth worn by a woman at the monthly period. On zârâh , to dispense - to which dâvâh would be inappropriate if understood of the woman herself, as it is by Luzzatto - compare 2 Kings 23:6. With זהב ך , the plural used in the general address passes over into the individualizing singular; לו is to be taken as a neuter pointing back to the plunder of idols.
The promise, after setting forth this act of penitence, rises higher and higher; it would not stop at bread in time of need. “And He gives rain to thy seed, with which thou sowest the land; and bread of the produce of the land, and it is full of sap and fat: in that day your flocks will feed in roomy pastures. And the oxen and the young asses, which work the land, salted mash will they eat, which is winnowed with the winnowing shovel and winnowing fork! And upon every high mountain, and every hill that rises high, there are springs, brooks in the day of the great massacre, when the towers fall.” The blessing which the prophet depicts is the reverse of the day of judgment, and stands in the foreground when the judgment is past. The expression “in that day” fixes, as it were, the evening of the day of judgment, which is followed by the depicted morning of blessing. But the great mass of the Jewish nation would be first of all murdered in war; the towers must fall, i.e., (though without any figure, and merely as an exemplifying expression) all the bulwarks of self-confidence, self-help, and pride (Isaiah 2:15; Micah 5:9-10). In the place of the self-induced calamities of war, there would now come the God-given rich blessings of peace; and in the place of the proud towers, there would come fruitful heights abounding with water. The field would be cultivated again, and produce luxuriant crops of nutritious corn; so that not only the labour of man, but that of the animals also, would receive a rich reward. “Rain to thy seed:” this is the early rain commencing about the middle of October. אשׁר as an accusative, זרע being construed with a double accusative, as in Deuteronomy 22:9. מקני ך might be the singular, so far as the form is concerned (see Isaiah 1:30; Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 22:11); but, according to Exodus 17:3, it must be taken as a plural, like מורי ך . The ' ălâphı̄m are the oxen used in ploughing and threshing; the ‛ ăyârı̄m , the asses used for carrying manure, soil, the sheaves, or the grain. B e lı̄l c hâmı̄ts is a mash (composed of oats, barley, and vetches, or things of that kind) made more savoury with salt and sour vegetables;
(Note: Such as Salsola kali , Salsola tragus , Salsola soda , and other plants of the family of the chenopodiaceae .)
that is to say, a farrago (from bâlal , to mix; Comm. on Job , at Job 40:19-24). According to Wetzstein, it is ripe barley (unthreshed during the harvest and threshing time, and the grain itself for the rest of the year) mixed with salt or salt vegetables. In any case, b e lı̄l is to be understood as referring to the grain; this is evident from the relative clause, “which has been winnowed” (= m e zōreh , Ewald, §169, d ), or perhaps more correctly, “which he (one) winnows” ( part. kal ), the participle standing for the third person, with the subject contained within itself (Ewald, §200), i.e., not what was generally given from economy, viz., barley, etc., mixed with chopped straw ( tibn ), but pure grain ( habb m ahd , as they say at the present day). Rachath is a winnowing shovel, which is still used, according to Wetzstein, in Merj. Gedur , and Hauran ; mizreh , on the other hand, is the winnowing fork with six prongs. Dainty food, such as was only given occasionally to the cattle, as something especially strengthening, would then be their regular food, and would be prepared in the most careful manner. “Who cannot see,” exclaims Vitringa, “that this is to be taken spiritually?” He appeals to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:9, viz., that God does not trouble Himself about oxen. But Paul did not mean this in the same sense as Aristotle, who maintained that the minima were entirely excluded from the providence of God. What the Scriptures say concerning cattle, they do not say for the sake of the cattle, but for the sake of men; though it does not follow that the cattle are to be understood figuratively, as representing men. And this is the case here. What the prophet paints in this idyllic style, in colours furnished by the existing customs,
(Note: Asses particularly, even those of a guest, are generally very much neglected. The host throws them a little grass, and then hangs up the fodder-sack full of chopped straw; and it is a sign of extraordinary hospitality of corn is given to the asses as well as to the horses. - Wetzstein.)
is not indeed intended to be understood in the letter; and yet it is to be taken literally. In the age of glory, even on this side of eternity, a gigantic stride will be taken forward towards the glorification of universal nature, and towards the end of all those sighs which are so discernible now, more especially among domestic animals. The prophecy is therefore to be interpreted according to Romans 8:19.; from which we may clearly see that God does trouble Himself about the sighing of an ox or ass that is overburdened with severe toil, and sometimes left to starve.
The promise now rises higher and higher, and passes from earth to heaven. “And the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be multiplied sevenfold, like the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth the hurt of His people, and healeth the crushing of His stroke.” Modern commentators from Lowth downwards for the most part pronounce היּמים שׁבעת כּאור a gloss; and there is one external evidence in favour of this, which is wanting in the case of the other supposed glosses in Isaiah, namely, that the words are omitted by the lxx (though not by the Targum, the Syriac, or Jerome). Even Luther (although he notices these words in his exposition and sermons) merely renders them, der Sonnen schein wird siebenmal heller sein denn jtzt (the sunlight will be seven times as bright as it is now). But the internal evidence does not favour their spuriousness even in the case before us; for the fact that the regularity of the verse, as consisting of four members, is thereby disturbed, is no evidence at all, since the v. could be warranted in a pentastic quite as well as in a tetrastic form. We therefore decide in this instance also in favour of the conclusion that the prophet composed the gloss himself. But we cannot maintain, with Umbreit, that the addition was necessary, in order to guard against the idea that there would be seven suns shining in the sky; for the prophet does not predict a multiplication of the sun by seven, but simply the multiplication of its light. The seven days are the length of an ordinary week. Drechsler gives it correctly: “The radiated light, which is sufficient to produce the daylight for a whole week according to the existing order of things, will then be concentrated into a single day.” Luther renders it in this way, als wenn sieben tag ynn eynander geschlossen weren (as if seven days were enclosed in one another). This also is not meant figuratively, any more than Paul means is figuratively, when he says, that with the manifestation of the “glory” of the children of God, the “corruption” of universal nature will come to an end. Nevertheless, it is not of the new heaven that the prophet is speaking, but of the glorification of nature, which is promised by both the Old Testament prophecy and by that of the New at the closing period of the world's history, and which will be the closing typical self-annunciation of that eternal glory in which everything will be swallowed up. The brightest, sunniest days then alternate, as the prophet foretells, with the most brilliant moonlight nights. No other miracles will be needed for this than that wonder-working power of God, which even now produces those changes of weather, the laws of which no researches of natural science have enabled us to calculate, and which will then give the greatest brilliancy and most unchangeable duration to what is now comparatively rare - namely, a perfectly unclouded sky, with sun or moon shining in all its brilliancy, yet without any scorching from the one, or injurious effects from the other. Heaven and earth will then put on their sabbath dress; for it will be the Sabbath of the world's history, the seventh day in the world's week. The light of the seven days of the world's week will be all concentrated in the seventh. For the beginning of creation was light, and its close will be light as well. The darkness all comes between, simply that it may be overcome. At last will come a bōqer (morning), after which it will no more be said, “And evening was, and morning was.” The prophet is speaking of the last type of this morning. What he predicts here precedes what he predicted in Isaiah 24:23, just as the date of its composition precedes that of chapters 24-27; for there the imperial city was Babylon, whereas here the glory of the latter day is still placed immediately after the fall of Assyria.
“Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning His wrath, and quantity of smoke: His lips are full of wrathful foam, and His tongue like devouring fire. And His breath is like an overflowing brook, which reaches half-way to the neck, to sift nations in the sieve of nothingness; and a misleading bridle comes to the cheeks of the nations.” Two figures are here melted together - namely, that of a storm coming up from the farthest horizon, which turns the sky into a sea of fire, and kindles whatever it strikes, so that there rises up a heavy burden, or thick mass of smoke ( kōbhed m assâ'âh , like mas'ēth in Judges 20:40, cf., Judges 20:38; on this attributive combination, burning His wrath (Ewald, §288, c ) and a quantity, etc., see Isaiah 13:9); and that of a man burning with wrath, whose lips foam, whose tongue moves to and fro like a flame, and whose breath is a snorting that threatens destruction, which when it issues from Jehovah swells into a stream, which so far covers a man that only his neck appears as the visible half. We had the same figure in Isaiah 8:8, where Asshur, as it came upon Judah, was compared to such an almost overwhelming and drowning flood. Here, again, it refers to Judah, which the wrath of Jehovah had almost though not entirely destroyed. For the ultimate object of the advancing name of Jehovah ( shēm , name, relating to His judicial coming) is to sift nations, etc.: lahănâphâh for l e hânı̄ph (like lahăzâdâh in Daniel 5:20), to make it more like nâphâh in sound. The sieve of nothingness is a sieve in which everything, that does not remain in it as good corn, is given up to annihilation; שׁוא is want of being, i.e., of life from God, and denotes the fate that properly belongs to such worthlessness. In the case of v'resen (and a bridle, etc.) we must either supply in thought לשׂום ( שׂם ), or, what is better, take it as a substantive clause: “a misleading bridle” (or a bridle of misleading, as Böttcher renders it, math‛eh being the form mashqeh ) holds the cheeks of the nations. The nations are regarded as wild horses, which could not be tamed, but which were now so firmly bound and controlled by the wrath of God, that they were driven down into the abyss.
This is the issue of the judgment which begins at the house of God, then turns against the instrument employed, namely the heathen, and becomes to the Israel that survives a counterpart of the deliverance from Egypt. “Your song will then sound as in the night, when the feast is celebrated; and ye will have joy of heart like those who march with the playing of flutes, to go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.” In the word c hâg (feast), which is generally used with special reference to the feast of tabernacles, there is here an unmistakeable allusion to the passover, as we may see from the introduction of “the night,” which evidently means the night before the passover ( lēl shimmurı̄m , Exodus 12:42), which was so far a festal night, that it preceded and introduced the feast of unleavened bread. The prophet has taken his figure from the first passover-night in Egypt, when Israel was rejoicing in the deliverance which it was just about to receive, whilst the destroying angel was passing through the land. Such would be the song which they would be able to sing, when Jehovah poured out His judgment upon His people's enemies outside. The church is shut up in its chamber (Isaiah 26:20), and its joy resembles the heartfelt joy of those who go on pilgrimage on one of the three great feasts, or in the procession that carries up the first-fruits to Jerusalem ( Biccurim , iii. 3), going up with the sound of flutes to the mountain of Jehovah, to appear before Him, the Rock of Israel.
Israel is marching in such a joyful way to a sacred and glorious height, whilst outside Jehovah is sweeping the world-power entirely away, and that without any help from Israel. “And Jehovah causes His majestic voice to be heard, and causes the lowering of His arm to be seen, with the snorting of wrath and the blazing of devouring fire, the bursting of a cloud, and pouring of rain and hailstones. For Asshur will be terrified at the voice of Jehovah, when He smites with the staff. And it will come to pass, every stroke of the rod of destiny, which Jehovah causes to fall upon Asshur, is dealt amidst the noise of drums and the playing of guitars; and in battles of swinging arm He fights it. For a place for the sacrifice of abominations has long been made ready, even for the king is it prepared; deep, broad has He made it: its funeral-pile has fire and wood in abundance; the breath of Jehovah like a stream of brimstone sets it on fire.” The imposing crash (on hōd , see Job 39:20) of the cry which Jehovah causes to be heard is thunder (see Psalms 29:1-11); for the catastrophe occurs with a discharge of all the destructive forces of a storm (see Isaiah 29:6). Nephets is the “breaking up” or “bursting,” viz., of a cloud. It is through such wrath-announcing phenomena of nature that Jehovah manifests the otherwise invisible letting down of His arm to smite ( nachath may possibly not be the derivative of nūăch , “settling down,” but of nâchath , “the coming down,” as in Psalms 38:3; just as shebheth in 2 Samuel 23:7 is not derived from shūbh , but from shâbhath , to go to ruin). Isaiah 30:31, commencing with ki (for), explains the terrible nature of what occurs, from the object at which it is directed: Asshur is alarmed at the voice of Jehovah, and thoroughly goes to pieces. We must not render this, as the Targum does, “which smites with the rod,” i.e., which bears itself so haughtily, so tyrannically (after Isaiah 10:24). The smiter here is Jehovah (lxx, Vulg., Luther); and basshēbhet yakkeh is either an attributive clause, or, better still, a circumstantial determining clause, eo virga percutiente . According to the accents, v e hâyâh in Isaiah 30:32 is introductory: “And it will come to pass, every stroke of the punishing rod falls (supply יהיה ) with an accompaniment of drums and guitars” (the Beth is used to denote instrumental accompaniment, as in Isaiah 30:29; Isaiah 24:9; Psalms 49:5, etc.) - namely, on the part of the people of Jerusalem, who have only to look on and rejoice in the approaching deliverance. Mūsâdâh with m attēh is a verbal substantive used as a genitive, “an appointment according to decree” (comp. yâsad in Habakkuk 1:12, and yâ ‛ ad in Micah 6:9). The fact that drums and guitars are heard along with every stroke, is explained in Isaiah 30:32 : “Jehovah fights against Asshur with battles of swinging,” i.e., not with darts or any other kind of weapon, but by swinging His arm incessantly, to smite Asshur without its being able to defend itself (cf., Isaiah 19:16). Instead of בּהּ , which points back to Asshur , not to m atteh , the keri has בּם , which is not so harsh, since it is immediately preceded by עליו . This cutting down of the Assyrians is accounted for in Isaiah 30:33, ( ki , for), from the fact that it had long ago been decreed that they should be burned as dead bodies. 'Ethmūl in contrast with m âchâr is the past: it has not happened today, but yesterday, i.e., as the predestination of God is referred to, “long ago.”
Tophteh is the primary form of tōpheth (from tūph , not in the sense of the Neo-Persian tâften , Zend. tap , to kindle or burn, from which comes tafedra , melting; but in the Semitic sense of vomiting or abhorring: see at Job 17:6), the name of the abominable place where the sacrifices were offered to Moloch in the valley of Hinnom: a Tophet-like place. The word is variously treated as both a masculine and feminine, possibly because the place of abominable sacrifices is described first as bâmâh in Jeremiah 7:31. In the clause הוּכן למּל ך גּם־הוא , the gam , which stands at the head, may be connected with lammelekh , “also for the king is it prepared” (see at Job 2:10); but in all probability lammelekh is a play upon lammolekh (e.g., Leviticus 18:2), “even this has been prepared for the Melekh,” viz., the king of Asshur. Because he was to be burned there, together with his army, Jehovah had made this Tophet-like place very deep, so that it might have a far-reaching background, and very broad, so that in this respect also there might be room for many sacrifices. And their m e dūrâh , i.e., their pile of wood (as in Ezekiel 24:9, cf., Ezekiel 24:5, from dūr , Talm. dayyēr , to lay round, to arrange, pile), has abundance of fire and wood (a hendiadys , like “cloud and smoke” in Isaiah 4:5). Abundance of fire: for the breath of Jehovah, pouring upon the funeral pile like a stream of brimstone, sets it on fire. בּ בּער , not to burn up, but to set on fire. בּהּ points back to tophteh , like the suffix of m e durâthâh .
(Note: So far as the form of the text is concerned, kōl has the disjunctive yethib before pashta , which occurs eleven times according to the Masora. Nevertheless the word is logically connected in the closest manner with what follows (comp. 'ē th tōrath in Isaiah 5:24). The âh of m ūsâdâh is rafatum pro mappicato , according to the Masora; in which case the suffix would refer to Asshur. In the place of הוא גם we also meet with היּא גם , with this chethib and keri reversed; but the former, according to which הוכן is equivalent to הוכנה , has many examples to support it in the Masora. הוכן has kametz in correct MSS in half pause; whereas Kimchi ( Michlol , 117b) regards it as a participle.)