Focused Passage

Isaiah 30:8-17

Woe to the Rebellious Children: False Help from Egypt and the LORD’s Gracious Waiting

Isaiah 30 moves from a woe against Judah’s rebellious alliance with Egypt, to the people’s refusal to hear the LORD’s instruction, to the collapse of their false confidence, to the LORD’s gracious promise of mercy, guidance, restoration, and final judgment against Assyria.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the days to come, a witness forever and ever.

9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.

10 They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

11 Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”

12 Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, trusting in oppression and relying on deceit,

13 this iniquity of yours is like a breach about to fail, a bulge in a high wall, whose collapse will come suddenly—in an instant!

14 It will break in pieces like a potter’s jar, shattered so that no fragment can be found. Not a shard will be found in the dust large enough to scoop the coals from a hearth or to skim the water from a cistern.”

15 For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.”

16 “No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.

17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Go בּ֣וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular now עַתָּ֗ה H6258 Adverb write כָתְבָ֥הּ H3789 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular it on עַל־ H5921 Preposition a tablet ל֛וּחַ H3871 Noun - masculine singular in their presence אִתָּ֖ם H854 Preposition | third person masculine plural and inscribe חֻקָּ֑הּ H2710 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular it on וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition a scroll סֵ֣פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular it will be וּתְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular for the days לְי֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to come אַחֲר֔וֹן H314 Adjective - masculine singular a witness לָעַ֖ד H5703 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular forever עַד־ H5704 Preposition and ever עוֹלָֽם׃ H5769 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

- כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction These ה֔וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular are rebellious מְרִי֙ H4805 Noun - masculine singular people עַ֤ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct deceitful כֶּחָשִׁ֑ים H3586 Noun - masculine plural children בָּנִ֖ים H1121 Noun - masculine plural children בָּנִ֕ים H1121 Noun - masculine plural vvv לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle unwilling אָב֥וּ H14 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to obey שְׁמ֖וֹעַ H8085 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the LORD’s יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular instruction תּוֹרַ֥ת H8451 Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 10

Original words

They אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative say אָמְר֤וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to the seers לָֽרֹאִים֙ H7203 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural Stop לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle seeing visions תִרְא֔וּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural and to the prophets וְלַ֣חֹזִ֔ים H2374 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural Do not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle prophesy תֶחֱזוּ־ H2372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to us לָ֖נוּ Preposition | first person common plural the truth נְכֹח֑וֹת H5229 Noun - feminine plural Speak דַּבְּרוּ־ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural to us לָ֣נוּ Preposition | first person common plural pleasant words חֲלָק֔וֹת H2513 Adjective - masculine plural prophesy חֲז֖וּ H2372 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural illusions מַהֲתַלּֽוֹת׃ H4123 Noun - feminine plural
Verse 11

Original words

Get out ס֚וּרוּ H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural of מִנֵּי־ H4480 Preposition the way דֶ֔רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular turn off הַטּ֖וּ H5186 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural . . . מִנֵּי־ H4480 Preposition the road אֹ֑רַח H734 Noun - common singular Rid us הַשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ H7673 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural of מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Holy קְד֥וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular construct One of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Therefore לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb this is what כֹּ֤ה H3541 Adverb the Holy קְד֣וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular construct One of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַר֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Because יַ֥עַן H3282 Adverb you have rejected מָֽאָסְכֶ֖ם H3988 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural this הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular message בַּדָּבָ֣ר H1697 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular trusting וַֽתִּבְטְחוּ֙ H982 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural in oppression בְּעֹ֣שֶׁק H6233 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and relying וַתִּֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ H8172 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural on deceit וְנָל֔וֹז H3868 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular - עָלָֽיו׃ H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

- לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular iniquity הֶעָוֺ֣ן H5771 Article | Noun - common singular of yours יִֽהְיֶ֤ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular is like לָכֶם֙ Preposition | second person masculine plural a breach כְּפֶ֣רֶץ H6556 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular about to fail נֹפֵ֔ל H5307 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular a bulge נִבְעֶ֖ה H1158 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular in a high נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה H7682 Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative wall בְּחוֹמָ֣ה H2346 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular whose collapse שִׁבְרָֽהּ׃ H7667 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular will come יָב֥וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular suddenly פִּתְאֹ֥ם H6597 Adverb in an instant לְפֶ֖תַע H6621 Preposition-l | Adverb
Verse 14

Original words

It will break וּ֠שְׁבָרָהּ H7665 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular in pieces כְּשֵׁ֨בֶר H7667 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct like a potter’s יוֹצְרִ֛ים H3335 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural jar נֵ֧בֶל H5035 Noun - masculine singular construct shattered כָּת֖וּת H3807 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular so that no fragment לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יַחְמֹ֑ל H2550 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular can be found וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Not a shard חֶ֔רֶשׂ H2789 Noun - masculine singular will be found יִמָּצֵ֤א H4672 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the dust בִמְכִתָּתוֹ֙ H4386 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular large enough to scoop לַחְתּ֥וֹת H2846 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the coals אֵשׁ֙ H784 Noun - common singular from a hearth מִיָּק֔וּד H3344 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular or to skim וְלַחְשֹׂ֥ף H2834 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the water מַ֖יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural from a cistern מִגֶּֽבֶא׃פ H1360 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction . . . כֹֽה־ H3541 Adverb the Lord אֲדֹנָ֨י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֜ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular the Holy קְד֣וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular construct One of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular has said אָמַר֩ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular By repentance בְּשׁוּבָ֤ה H7729 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular and rest וָנַ֙חַת֙ H5183 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular you would be saved תִּוָּ֣שֵׁע֔וּן H3467 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun your strength גְּבֽוּרַתְכֶ֑ם H1369 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural would lie תִּהְיֶ֖ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular in quiet בְּהַשְׁקֵט֙ H8252 Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct confidence וּבְבִטְחָ֔ה H985 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular but you were not וְלֹ֖א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle willing אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ H14 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

No לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle you say וַתֹּ֨אמְר֥וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural . . . כִ֛י H3588 Conjunction we will flee נָנ֖וּס H5127 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural on עַל־ H5921 Preposition horses ס֥וּס H5483 Noun - masculine singular Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֣ן H3651 Adverb you will flee תְּנוּס֑וּן H5127 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun We will ride נִרְכָּ֔ב H7392 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֖ן H3651 Adverb . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition swift horses קַ֣ל H7031 Adjective - masculine singular but your pursuers רֹדְפֵיכֶֽם׃ H7291 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural will be faster יִקַּ֥לּוּ H7043 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 17

Original words

A אֶחָ֗ד H259 Number - masculine singular thousand [will flee] אֶ֣לֶף H505 Number - masculine singular at מִפְּנֵי֙ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct the threat גַּעֲרַ֣ת H1606 Noun - feminine singular construct of one אֶחָ֔ד H259 Number - masculine singular at מִפְּנֵ֛י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct the threat גַּעֲרַ֥ת H1606 Noun - feminine singular construct of five חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה H2568 Number - masculine singular you will all flee תָּנֻ֑סוּ H5127 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural until עַ֣ד H5704 Preposition . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction you are left alone נוֹתַרְתֶּ֗ם H3498 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine plural like a pole כַּתֹּ֙רֶן֙ H8650 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition a mountaintop רֹ֣אשׁ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הָהָ֔ר H2022 Article | Noun - masculine singular like a banner וְכַנֵּ֖ס H5251 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition a hill הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ H1389 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.