Isaiah 30

Judah’s Worthless Treaty with Egypt

30“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins.H1945H5637H1121H5002H3068H6213H6098H5258H4541H7307H5595H2403H24032For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade.H1980H3381H4714H7592H6310H5810H4581H6547H2620H6738H47143But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.H4581H6547H1322H2622H6738H4714H36394For though his power extends to Zoan and his officials have arrived in Hanes,H8269H6814H4397H5060H26095all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.”H3001H5971H3276H5828H3276H1322H27816This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev. The caravan moves slowly across the terrible desert to Egypt—donkeys weighed down with riches and camels loaded with treasure—all to pay for Egypt’s protection. They travel through the wilderness, a place of lionesses and lions, a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live. All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.H4853H929H5045H776H6869H6695H3833H3918H660H8314H5774H8314H5375H2428H3802H5895H214H1707H1581H5971H32767Egypt’s promises are worthless! Therefore, I call her Rahab—the Harmless Dragon

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A Warning for Rebellious Judah

8Now go and write down these words. Write them in a book. They will stand until the end of time as a witnessH935H3789H3871H2710H5612H3117H314H5704H5703H57699that these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.H4805H5971H3586H1121H1121H14H8085H8451H306810They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.H559H7200H7200H2374H2372H5229H1696H2513H2372H412311Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’”H5493H1870H5186H734H6918H3478H7673H644012This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel. “Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies,H559H6918H3478H3988H1697H982H6233H3868H817213calamity will come upon you suddenly—like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapse and come crashing down.H5771H6556H5307H1158H7682H2346H7667H935H6597H662114You will be smashed like a piece of pottery—shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well.”H7665H7667H3335H5035H3807H2550H4672H4386H2789H2846H784H3344H2834H4325H136015This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says. “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.H559H136H3069H6918H3478H7729H5183H3467H8252H985H1369H1416You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!H559H5127H5483H5127H7392H7031H7291H704317One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.”H259H505H6440H1606H259H6440H1606H2568H5127H3498H8650H7218H2022H5251H1389

Blessings for the Lord’s People

18So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.H3068H2442H2603H7311H7355H3068H430H4941H835H244219O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.H5971H3427H6726H3389H1058H1058H2603H2603H6963H2199H8085H603020Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.H136H5414H3899H6862H4325H3906H3384H3670H5869H7200H338421Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.H241H8085H1697H310H559H1870H3212H541H804122Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!”H2930H6826H6456H3701H642H4541H2091H2219H1739H559H331823Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock.H5414H4306H2233H2232H127H3899H8393H127H1879H8082H3117H4735H7462H7337H373324The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind.H504H5895H5647H127H398H2548H1098H2219H7371H421425In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill.H1364H2022H5375H1389H6388H2988H4325H3117H7227H2027H4026H530726The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.H216H3842H216H2535H216H2535H7659H216H7651H3117H3117H3068H2280H7667H5971H7495H4273H434727Look! The Lord is coming from far away, burning with anger, surrounded by thick, rising smoke. His lips are filled with fury; his words consume like fire.H8034H3068H935H4801H1197H639H4858H3514H8193H4390H2195H3956H398H78428His hot breath pours out like a flood up to the neck of his enemies. He will sift out the proud nations for destruction. He will bridle them and lead them away to ruin.H7307H7857H5158H2673H6677H5130H1471H5299H7723H7448H3895H5971H858229But the people of God will sing a song of joy, like the songs at the holy festivals. You will be filled with joy, as when a flutist leads a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem, the mountain of the Lord—to the Rock of Israel.H7892H3915H6942H2282H6942H8057H3824H1980H2485H935H2022H3068H6697H347830And the Lord will make his majestic voice heard. He will display the strength of his mighty arm. It will descend with devouring flames, with cloudbursts, thunderstorms, and huge hailstones.H3068H1935H6963H8085H7200H5183H2220H2197H639H3851H398H784H5311H2230H68H125931At the Lord’s command, the Assyrians will be shattered. He will strike them down with his royal scepter.H6963H3068H804H2865H5221H762632And as the Lord strikes them with his rod of punishment, his people will celebrate with tambourines and harps. Lifting his mighty arm, he will fight the Assyrians.H3605H4145H4294H4569H3068H5117H8596H3658H4421H8573H389833Topheth—the place of burning—has long been ready for the Assyrian king; the pyre is piled high with wood. The breath of the Lord, like fire from a volcano, will set it ablaze.H8613H6186H865H4428H3559H6009H7337H4071H784H7235H6086H5397H3068H5158H1614H1197