Open English Translation ISA Chapter 30

30 Yahweh declares that you rebellious children won’t end well.

You’re making plans that don’t come from me,

and pouring out drink offerings but not by my spirit,

thus adding disobedience to disobedience.

2 Those who go down to Egypt didn’t ask my advice,

before trying to reach safety with Far-oh (Pharaoh),

≈ and trying to find security in Egypt’s (Heb. Mitsrayim’s) shadow.

3 But Far’oh’s safety will bring you all shame,

≈ and Egypt’s security will bring you all humiliation,

4 because its officials have been in Tsoan,

and its messengers have reached Hanes.

5 Everyone will be ashamed because of a nation that won’t benefit them—

not help, nor advantage, but shame and even disgrace.

6 This is a message about the Negev desert’s animals:

In the area of trouble and danger

from the lioness and the lion,

≈ and the viper and the flying serpent,

they carry their wealth on donkeys’ shoulders

≈ and their treasures on camels’ humps,

to a nation that can’t help them.

7 Egypt’s ‘help’ is futile and meaningly,

so I’ve called her ‘Rahab who just sits there’.

8 Now go to them and write it on a tablet—

≈ inscribe it on a scroll

so that it’ll be there for a future day—

≈ something that’ll endure forever

9 because this is a rebellious nation.

They’re lying children—unwilling to listen to Yahweh’s instructions,

10 who tell those who see visions, “Don’t see.”

And tell the prophets, “Don’t show us ‘what’s right’—

Just flatter us and give us deceptive messages.”

11 Turn off the road.

≈ Go on a different path.

Keep Yisrael’s holy one away from us.

12 Therefore Yisrael’s holy one says,

“Because you’ve all rejected this message

and have trusted in oppression and perversion and depended on it,

13 then that disobedience will become your downfall,

→ like a bulge in a high wall that will at some unexpected time, suddenly come smashing down.

14 It’ll be like the smashing of a clay jar—completely shattered.

Among the fragments, a person wouldn’t be able to find a piece big enough to pick up a hot coal from the fire,

≈ or to dip some water out of a cistern to drink.”

15 So this is what Yisrael’s holy one says,

“You’ll all be saved by returning and quietly waiting.

Your strength will come from quietness and confidence,

→ but you all weren’t willing.

16 You all said, ‘Nah, we’ll flee away on horses,’

and indeed you all will flee,

and you said, ‘We’ll ride on swift horses,’

but those who chase after you all will prove to be swifter.

17 A thousand will flee from the threat of just one.

≈ You’ll all flee from the threat of five of the enemy

until you’re left like a lone flagstaff on the top of a mountain

≈ or like a banner poked into a hill.”

18 And yet Yahweh is waiting to show favour to you all,

so he takes action to show you mercy

because Yahweh is a god of justice.

Those who wait for him to rescue them will be blessed,

19 because people will live in Tsiyyon (Zion)—in Yerushalem.

You certainly won’t weep anymore because at the sound of your crying out, he’ll show favour to you.

As soon as he hears, he’ll answer you.

20 My master will give you distress for your food

≈ and oppression for your water,

and your teacher will no longer hide himself,

so you’ll see him will your own eyes.

21 Your ears will hear a command coming from behind you saying,

‘That’s the right way to go,’

so you’ll be guided whether you go to the right or to the left.

22 Then you all will desecrate your silver-plated idols

≈ and your gold-sheathed images.

You’ll throw them away like a menstrual rag

≈ and you’ll say, ‘You piece of filth!’

23 Then he’ll give you rain for the seed that you’ve planted in the ground,

→ and the soil will produce plenty of food,

≈ and your livestocks will graze in wide pastures at that time.

24 The bulls and the male donkeys that till the ground

→ will eat human-quality grain that’s been properly winnowed.

25 On every high mountain and every substantial hill,

there’ll be streams flowing with water,

at the time of much slaughter when fortified towers are defeated.

26 The light from the moon will be like the light from the sun,

and the sun’s light will be seven times brighter

at the time when Yahweh bandages up his people’s fracture

and when he heals their severe wound.

27 Look, Yahweh is coming from far away.

He’s very angry and his weight ascends.

His lips are full of indignation

and his tongue is like a consuming fire.

28 His breath is like a rushing river that comes up to the neck,

to sift the nations in a sieve that separates out worthlessness,

and with a bridle in the people’s jaws to lead them astray.

29 You’ll all have your own song like you would at a religious festival,

and be happy inside like when someone walks to Yahweh’s mountain with their flute—

going to Yisrael’s rock that gives protection.

30 Then Yahweh will make his majestic voice heard

and lowering his arm, he’ll reveal his raging anger and the consuming flame,

as well as a windstorm, a rainstorm, and a hailstorm,

31 because Yahweh’s voice will shatter Ashshur (Assyria)—

he’ll strike them with a rod.

32 With every stroke from the punishing rod that he puts across them,

there’ll be tambourines and harps as he fights them in battle—brandishing his arm,

33 because a cremation place was arranged long ago.

Indeed, it’s been prepared for the Assyrian king.

Its funeral pyre is deep and wide with the firewood piled high.

Yahweh’s breath will ignite it like a stream of burning sulphur.