הֹוי בָּנִים סֹורְרִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה לַעֲשֹׂות עֵצָה וְלֹא מִנִּי וְלִנְסֹךְ מַסֵּכָה וְלֹא רוּחִי לְמַעַן סְפֹות חַטָּאת   30:1 עַל־חַטָּאת׃

Isai. 30:1   “Alas, the rebellous children,” declares the Lord,

                             “getting counsel but not from Me,

                    and offering a cover but not of My spirit,

                              thereby heaping sins upon sins,

הַהֹלְכִים לָרֶדֶת מִצְרַיִם וּפִי לֹא שָׁאָלוּ לָעֹוז בְּמָעֹוז פַּרְעֹה וְלַחְסֹות בְּצֵל מִצְרָיִם׃   30:2

Isai. 30:2   who are running to go down to Egypt

                             and do not ask of My ‘mouth,’

                    to be strong in the protection of Pharoah

                             and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!”

וְהָיָה לָכֶם מָעֹוז פַּרְעֹה לְבֹשֶׁת וְהֶחָסוּת בְּצֵל־מִצְרַיִם לִכְלִמָּה׃   30:3

Isai. 30:3   “Then the strength of Pharoah

                             will become a shame for you,

                    and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, a disgrace.”

כִּי־הָיוּ בְצֹעַן שָׂרָיו וּמַלְאָכָיו חָנֵס יַגִּיעוּ׃   30:4

Isai. 30:4   For its princes are in Zoan,

                            and its embassadors might have reached Hanes.

Zoan and Hanes were two cities in the south of Egypt, thus being a good distance from Israel.

כֹּל הֹבִאִישׁ עַל־עַם לֹא־יֹועִילוּ לָמֹו לֹא לְעֵזֶר וְלֹא לְהֹועִיל כִּי לְבֹשֶׁת וְגַם־לְחֶרְפָּה׃   30:5

Isai. 30:5   Everyone is put to shame

                            by people not able to be a profit to them,

                    not helping and not being of benefit,

                            but being a shame

                    and also being a disgrace.

מַשָּׂא בַּהֲמֹות נֶגֶב בְּאֶרֶץ צָרָה וְצוּקָה לָבִיא וָלַיִשׁ מֵהֶם אֶפְעֶה וְשָׂרָף מְעֹוףֵף יִשְׂאוּ עַל־כֶּתֶף עֲיָרִים   30:6 חֵילֵהֶם וְעַל־דַּבֶּשֶׁת גְּמַלִּים אֹוצְרֹתָם עַל־עַם לֹא יֹועִילוּ׃

Isai. 30:6   A burden of the beasts of the south:

                            Through the land of trouble and anguish,

                    from which are the lion and the lioness,

                             the viper and the flying serpent,

                    they shall carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses,

                             and their treasures upon the humps of camels,

                    for people not being a profit.

As in Isaiah’s earliest chapters, the first word of this verse, translated as A burden, is probably intended to mean a prophecy.  I believe this is Isaiah’s way of letting us know his prophesies were his burden.

וּמִצְרַיִם הֶבֶל וָרִיק יַעְזֹרוּ לָכֵן קָרָאתִי לָזֹאת רַהַב הֵם שָׁבֶת׃   30:7

Isai. 30:7   And the Egyptians would help in vain and without purpose.

                            Therefore I have given a name to this:

                    They are a crocodile, resting.

עַתָּה בֹּוא כָתְבָהּ עַל־לוּחַ אִתָּם וְעַל־סֵפֶר חֻקָּהּ וּתְהִי לְיֹום אַחֲרֹון לָעַד עַד־עֹולָם׃   30:8

Isai. 30:8   Now go!  Write it on a tablet before them,

                             and on a scroll inscribe it,

                     that it may be for a later time for ever and ever.

כִּי עַם מְרִי הוּא בָּנִים כֶּחָשִׁים בָּנִים לֹא־אָבוּ שְׁמֹועַ תֹּורַת יְהוָה׃   30:9

Isai. 30:9   For it is a rebellious people

                           of faithless children,

                    children not desirous

                           of hearing the teaching of the Lord,

אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ לָרֹאִים לֹא תִרְאוּ וְלַחֹזִים לֹא תֶחֱזוּ־לָנוּ נְכֹחֹות דַּבְּרוּ־לָנוּ חֲלָקֹות חֲזוּ מַהֲתַלֹּות׃   30:10

Isai. 30:10   who say to the seers, “Do not see!”

                               and to the prophets,

                      “Do not prophesy truths for us!

                               Speak to us flattery,

                      prophesy delusions!”

סוּרוּ מִנֵּי־דֶרֶךְ הַטּוּ מִנֵּי־אֹרַח הַשְׁבִּיתוּ מִפָּנֵינוּ אֶת־קְדֹושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃   30:11

Isai. 30:11   “Deviate from the way!

                               Turn aside from the path!

                      Cause the Holy One of Israel to desist from before us!”

לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר קְדֹושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל יַעַן מָאָסְכֶם בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַתִּבְטְחוּ בְּעֹשֶׁק וְנָלֹוז וַתִּשָּׁעֲנוּ עָלָיו׃   30:12

Isai. 30:12   For this, so says the Holy One of Israel:

                              “Because of your rejection of this word,

                      and you have trusted in oppression

                              and in perverseness, and rely on it,

לָכֵן יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה כְּפֶרֶץ נֹפֵל נִבְעֶה בְּחֹומָה נִשְׂגָּבָה אֲשֶׁר־פִּתְאֹם לְפֶתַע יָבֹוא שִׁבְרָהּ׃   30:13

Isai. 30:13   therefore, this iniquity shall be for you

                               as a failing break swelling out on a strong wall,

                     which all of a sudden instantly might come crashing.”

וּשְׁבָרָהּ כְּשֵׁבֶר נֵבֶל יֹוצְרִים כָּתוּת לֹא יַחְמֹל וְלֹא־יִמָּצֵא בִמְכִתָּתֹו חֶרֶשׂ לַחְתֹּות אֵשׁ מִיָּקוּד   30:14

  וְלַחְשֹׂף מַיִם מִגֶּבֶא׃

Isai. 30:14   And it shall burst

                               like the breaking of a vessel

                      of earthenware being crushed.

                              There shall be no compassion,

                      so in its bursting,

                               there will not be found among its fragments

                      a shard to take fire from the hearth

                               or to take water from the cistern.

כִּי כֹה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה קְדֹושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּבָה וָנַחַת תִּוָּשֵׁעוּן בְּהַשְׁקֵט וּבְבִטְחָה תִּהְיֶה גְּבוּרַתְכֶם   30:15 וְלֹא אֲבִיתֶם׃

Isai. 30:15   For thus had said the Master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel:

                             “By returning and resting you would be saved;

                      in passivity and in trust shall be your strength.”

                             But you were not acquiescent.

וַתֹּאמְרוּ לֹא־כִי עַל־סוּס נָנוּס עַל־כֵּן תְּנוּסוּן וְעַל־קַל נִרְכָּב עַל־כֵּן יִקַּלּוּ רֹדְפֵיכֶם׃   30:16

Isai. 30:16   And you said, “Not so!  On horses we will flee.”

                              Therefore you shall flee.

                      And, “On the swift we shall ride.”

                              Because of this your pursuers shall be swift.

אֶלֶף אֶחָד מִפְּנֵי גַּעֲרַת אֶחָד מִפְּנֵי גַּעֲרַת חֲמִשָּׁה תָּנֻסוּ עַד אִם־נֹותַרְתֶּם כַּתֹּרֶן עַל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר   30:17

  וְכַנֵּס עַל־הַגִּבְעָה׃

Isai. 30:17   You shall flee,

                              one thousand from before the rebuke of one,

                       from before the chiding of five,

                              until you have been left

                       as a beacon on the top of the mountain

                              and as an ensign on the hill.

וְלָכֵן יְחַכֶּה יְהוָה לַחֲנַנְכֶם וְלָכֵן יָרוּם לְרַחֶםְכֶם כִּי־אֱלֹהֵי מִשְׁפָּט יְהוָה אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חֹוכֵי לֹו׃   30:18

Isai. 30:18   So, therefore, the Lord will wait to show you favor,

                              and, because of it, He will rise up to show you compassion,

                       for the Lord is a God of justice.

                              Happy are all waiting for Him.

כִּי־עַם בְּצִיֹּון יֵשֵׁב בִּירוּשָׁלִָם בָּכֹו לֹא־תִבְכֶּה חָנֹון יָחְנְךָ לְקֹול זַעֲקֶךָ כְּשָׁמְעָתֹו עָנָךְ׃   30:19

Isai. 30:19   For, O people in Zion,

                              O dweller in Jerusalem,

                      you shall no more weep.

                              Surely He will show favor to the sound of your cry.

                      At His hearing, He answers you.

וְנָתַן לָכֶם אֲדֹנָי לֶחֶם צָר וּמַיִם לָחַץ וְלֹא־יִכָּנֵף עֹוד מֹורֶיךָ וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאֹות אֶת־מֹורֶיךָ׃   30:20

Isai. 30:20   As the Master gives bread of distress

                               and water of affliction to you,

                      yet your Teacher will not withdraw again,

                               and your eyes will be perceiving your Teacher.

וְאָזְנֶיךָ תִּשְׁמַעְנָה דָבָר מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ לֵאמֹר זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ לְכוּ בֹו כִּי תַאֲמִינוּ וְכִי תַשְׂמְאִילוּ׃   30:21

Isai. 30:21   And your ears shall discern

                               the advice from behind you

                      saying, “This is the way; walk on it,”

                               lest you would turn to the right or to the left.

וְטִמֵּאתֶם אֶת־צִפּוּי פְּסִילֵי כַסְפֶּךָ וְאֶת־אֲפֻדַּת מַסֵּכַת זְהָבֶךָ תִּזְרֵם כְּמֹו דָוָה צֵא תֹּאמַר לֹו׃   30:22

Isai. 30:22   And you shall defile the covering

                              of the idols of your silver

                      and the plating of the mask of your gold.

                              You shall cast them away as unclean.

                      “Be gone,” you must say to it.

וְנָתַן מְטַר זַרְעֲךָ אֲשֶׁר־תִּזְרַע אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה וְלֶחֶם תְּבוּאַת הָאֲדָמָה וְהָיָה דָשֵׁן וְשָׁמֵן יִרְעֶה מִקְנֶיךָ   30:23 בַּיֹּום הַהוּא כַּר נִרְחָב׃

Isai. 30:23   Then He will give the rain of your seed

                               with which you will sow the ground,

                      and of the food of the produce of the ground,

                               and it shall be rich and plentiful.

                      Your cattle shall graze in that day,

                               a wide open pasture.

וְהָאֲלָפִים וְהָעֲיָרִים עֹבְדֵי הָאֲדָמָה בְּלִיל חָמִיץ יֹאכֵלוּ אֲשֶׁר־זֹרֶה בָרַחַת וּבַמִּזְרֶה׃  30:24

Isai. 30:24   And the oxen and the young asses tilling the soil

                               shall eat seasoned provender

                       that was winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.

וְהָיָה עַל־כָּל־הַר גָּבֹהַ וְעַל כָּל־גִּבְעָה נִשָּׂאָה פְּלָגִים יִבְלֵי־מָיִם בְּיֹום הֶרֶג רָב בִּנְפֹל מִגְדָּלִים׃   30:25

Isai. 30:25   And streams of courses of water

                               shall be borne on every lofty mountain and on every hill

                       in the day of the mighty slaughter

                               with the falling of the towers.

וְהָיָה אֹור־הַלְּבָנָה כְּאֹור הַחַמָּה וְאֹור הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם כְּאֹור שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים בְּיֹום חֲבֹש יְהוָהׁ   30:26 אֶת־שֶׁבֶר עַמֹּו וּמַחַץ מַכָּתֹו יִרְפָּא׃

Isai. 30:26   And the light of the moon

                               shall be like the light of the sun,

                      and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold

                                like the light of seven days,

                       in the day of the Lord binding the broken of His people,

                                and He will heal the stroke of its wound.

הִנֵּה שֵׁם־יְהוָה בָּא מִמֶּרְחָק בֹּעֵר אַפֹּו וְכֹבֶד מַשָּׂאָה שְׂפָתָיו מָלְאוּ זַעַם וּלְשֹׁונֹו כְּאֵשׁ אֹכָלֶת׃   30:27

Isai. 30:27   Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar.

                               His “anger” is burning with a heaviness of rising smoke.

                      His “lips” are full of indignation,

                               and His “tongue” is like a consuming fire,

וְרוּחֹו כְּנַחַל שֹׁוטֵף עַד־צַוָּאר יֶחֱצֶה לַהֲנָפָה גֹויִם בְּנָפַת שָׁוְא וְרֶסֶן מַתְעֶה עַל לְחָיֵי עַמִּים׃   30:28

Isai. 30:28   and His “breath” is like a gushing torrent.

                               Up to the neck it shall reach,

                      sifting nations with a sieve of falsehood.

                               And a bridle causing to err

                      shall be upon the jaws of peoples.

הַשִּׁיר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כְּלֵיל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ־חָג וְשִׂמְחַת לֵבָב כַּהֹולֵךְ בֶּחָלִיל לָבֹוא בְהַר־יְהוָה אֶל־צוּר   30:29

 יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Isai. 30:29   A song shall be yours

                                like the night a feast is hallowed,

                      and joy of heart like going with the flute,

                                coming on the mountain of the Lord,

                       to the Rock of Israel,

וְהִשְׁמִיעַ יְהוָה אֶת־הֹוד קֹולֹו וְנַחַת זְרֹועֹו יַרְאֶה בְּזַעַף אַף וְלַהַב אֵשׁ אֹוכֵלָה נֶפֶץ וָזֶרֶם וְאֶבֶן בָּרָד׃   30:30

Isai. 30:30   and the Lord will make heard the glory of His voice,

                              and He will show the descent of His “arm,”

                      with a furious “rage” and a consuming flash of fire,

                              a bursting of clouds and gushing rain and hail stones.

כִּי־מִקֹּול יְהוָה יֵחַת אַשּׁוּר בַּשֵּׁבֶט יַכֶּה׃   30:31

Isai. 30:31   For more than the voice of the Lord shall dismay Assyria.

                              He will smite with a rod.

וְהָיָה כֹּל מַעֲבַר מַטֵּה מוּסָדָה אֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יְהוָה עָלָיו בְּתֻפִּים וּבְכִנֹּרֹות וּבְמִלְחֲמֹות תְּנוּפָה   30:32

 נִלְחַם־ (בָּהּ) [בָּם]׃

Isai. 30:32   And every transition of the foundational staff

                               that the Lord shall let fall on him

                      shall be with tambourines and with harps,

                               and in battles of waving He shall wage war with it.

The last word in this verse, in the parentheses, is thought to be in error.  My translation of the word is with it (the it being feminine).  The alleged correction in the brackets is translated as with them (the them being masculine).  Now I believe the original it is likely referring to one of three possible antecedents:  1) to the foundational staff (in the first line of the translation), which is a masculine and feminine metaphorical phrase, or 2) to the waving, which is feminine, or 3) to Assyria in the previous verse, which as a people, would normally be considered feminine.  The “correction” seems to indicate that the pronoun refers to the people of Assyria with whom the Lord will be waging battle.  I see this correction as being a result of a possible lack of imagination.  See my remarks relating to the next verse where I reveal more of my probable ignorance.

כִּי־עָרוּךְ מֵאֶתְמוּל תָּפְתֶּה גַּם־(הוּא) [הִיא] לַמֶּלֶךְ הוּכָן הֶעְמִיק הִרְחִב מְדֻרָתָהּ אֵשׁ וְעֵצִים הַרְבֵּה   30:33 נִשְׁמַת יְהוָה כְּנַחַל גָּפְרִית בֹּעֲרָה בָּהּ׃

Isai. 30:33   For an inferno has been arranged from of old.

                              Yes, it has been prepared deep, wide, for the king.

                      The flame is a fire and wood plentiful.

                              The “breath” of the Lord

                      is like a torrent of brimstone burning in it.

I believe the supposed error in this verse is a result of the verse’s complex structure.  The error seems to be of a type similar to that in the previous verse.  The word in parentheses, translated as it, is of the masculine form.  The pronoun must refer to inferno, which is masculine.  Then the flame in the third line and the “breath” in the fourth line are feminine, as is the last it in the fifth line.  So I suspect that the scholars assumed that in this case the inferno must also be considered feminine.  And the correction in the brackets transforms the it in the second English line to a feminine pronoun to be consistent.

Now I have a somewhat different viewpoint.  Surprise!  I see no problem with the alleged inconsistencies in gender.  I suspect this is Isaiah’s way of revealing his thoughts.  I imagine that the first it refers to the inferno, and, since both are masculine, therefore no error exists.  The remaining pronoun refers to the flame or the “breath” of the Lord.  Isaiah, as well as all the other prophetic authors in later books, often employ this kind of poetic methodology.  In fact, this type of apparent inconsistency has occurred before this point in the bible.  So I see no problem with the verse.  In fact, I see a problem with the sages who typically used what amounts to a “voting” scheme to reach a conclusion and may have been too hasty to correct sacred writings.

[Return to Isaiah Chapters]   [Prev.:  Isai. 29]   [Next:  Isai. 31]