Isaiah 30:7

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

But, the Egyptians, with vanity and emptiness, would help, - Therefore have I proclaimed concerning this, Insolent, they sit still!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Egypt’s help is completely worthless;therefore, I call her:Rahab Who Just Sits.

Hebrew Names Version
For Mitzrayim helps in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rachav who sits still.

King James Version
For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

English Standard Version
Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her "Rahab who sits still."

New American Standard Bible
Even Egypt, whose help is vain and empty. Therefore, I have called her "Rahab who has been exterminated."

New Century Version
to Egypt whose help is useless. So I call that country Rahab the Do-Nothing.

Amplified Bible
For Egypt's help is worthless and good for nothing. Therefore, I have called her "Rahab Who Has Been Exterminated."

World English Bible
For Egypt helps in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab who sits still.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For the Egyptians are vanitie, & they shall helpe in vaine. Therefore haue I cried vnto her, Their strength is to sit still.

Legacy Standard Bible
Even Egypt, whose help is vain and empty.Therefore, I have called her"Rahab who has ceased."

Berean Standard Bible
Egypt's help is vain and empty; therefore I have called her, 'Rahab Who Just Sits Still.'

Contemporary English Version
Egypt can't help you! That's why I call that nation a helpless monster."

Complete Jewish Bible
For Egypt's help is worthless, pointless; so I call her "Arrogance Doing Nothing."

Darby Translation
For Egypt shall help in vain, and to no purpose; therefore have I named her, Arrogance, that doeth nothing.

Easy-to-Read Version
That useless nation is Egypt. Egypt's help is worth nothing, so I call Egypt the "Do-Nothing Dragon."

George Lamsa Translation
For the Egyptians shall help in vain and in falsehood; therefore I have warned them, for this their trust is in vain.

Good News Translation
The help that Egypt gives is useless. So I have nicknamed Egypt, ‘The Harmless Dragon.'"

Lexham English Bible
For Egyptians help with vanity and emptiness, therefore I have called this one "Rahab, they are sitting."

Literal Translation
And Egypt; vainly and emptily they help. So I have called to this: Their strength is to sit still.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For the Egipcians helpe shalbe but vane and lost. Therfore I tolde you also yt youre pryde shulde haue an ende.

American Standard Version
For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab that sitteth still.

Bible in Basic English
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.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose; therefore have I called her arrogancy that sitteth still.

King James Version (1611)
For the Egyptians shall helpe in vaine, and to no purpose: Therefore haue I cried concerning this: Their strength is to sit still.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For vayne and nothing worth shall the helpe of the Egyptians be: Therefore haue I cryed vnto Hierusalem, they shall haue strength inough if they wyll settle their mindes in quietnesse.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The Egyptians shall help you utterly in vain: tell them, This your consolation is vain.

English Revised Version
For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab that sitteth still.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whi Egipt schal helpe in veyn, and idili. Therfor Y criede on this thing, It is pride oneli; ceesse thou.

Update Bible Version
For Egypt helps in vain, and to no purpose: therefore I have called her Rahab that sits still.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the Egyptian shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength [is] to sit still.

New English Translation
Egypt is totally incapable of helping. For this reason I call her ‘Proud one who is silenced.'"

New King James Version
For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose.Therefore I have called herRahab-Hem-Shebeth. [fn]

New Living Translation
Egypt's promises are worthless! Therefore, I call her Rahab— the Harmless Dragon.

New Life Bible
Egypt's help is of no worth and is empty. So I have called her Rahab who has done nothing.

New Revised Standard
For Egypt's help is worthless and empty, therefore I have called her, "Rahab who sits still."

Douay-Rheims Bible
For Egypt shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this: It is pride only, sit still.

Revised Standard Version
For Egypt's help is worthless and empty, therefore I have called her "Rahab who sits still."

Young's Literal Translation
Yea, Egyptians [are] vanity, and in vain do help, Therefore I have cried concerning this: `Their strength [is] to sit still.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Even Egypt, whose help is vain and empty. Therefore, I have called her "Rahab who has been exterminated."

Contextual Overview

¹ Alas! for sons who are rebellious, Declareth Yahweh. Executing a purpose, but not from me, And pouring out a libation but not from my spirit, - That they may add sin to sin: ² Who are setting out to go down to Egypt, But at my mouth, have not asked, - Betaking them to the protection of Pharaoh And seeking refuge under the shadow of Egypt. ³ Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh become to you a shame, And, the refuge in the shadow of Egypt, an insult; ⁴ For their princes have been, in Zoan, - And, their messengers unto Hanes, would draw near. ⁵ Every one, hath felt ashamed of a people that could not serve them, - Neither with help, nor with service, But they are a shame, yea even a reproach. ⁶ The Oracle on the Beasts of the South, - Through a land of distress and oppression - Lioness and lion coming therefrom, Viper and fiery flying serpent, They would carry, on the shoulders of young asses their wealth And on the humps of camels their treasures Unto a people that cannot serve them. ⁷ But, the Egyptians, with vanity and emptiness, would help, - Therefore have I proclaimed concerning this, Insolent, they sit still!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the Egyptians: Isaiah 31:1-5, Jeremiah 37:7

concerning this: or, to her

Their: Isaiah 30:15, Isaiah 2:22, Isaiah 7:4, Isaiah 28:12, Exodus 14:13, Psalms 76:8, Psalms 76:9, Psalms 118:8, Psalms 118:9, Lamentations 3:26, Hosea 5:13

Reciprocal: Judges 7:21 - stood Ruth 3:18 - Sit still 2 Kings 18:21 - upon Egypt 2 Chronicles 20:17 - stand ye still Job 9:13 - the proud helpers Psalms 60:11 - vain Isaiah 20:5 - afraid Isaiah 30:12 - Because Ezekiel 16:33 - but thou Hosea 12:1 - and they

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose,.... Not sending help in time, or such as did no service; though they made a show of help, and attempted to help them, or seemed to do so, yet failed to do it:

therefore have I cried; proclaimed or published, either the Lord by the prophet, or the prophet in the name of the Lord, which is much the same:

concerning this, Their strength [is] to sit still; either concerning this embassy, that it would have been better for the ambassadors to have spared all their toil, and labour, and strength, in going down to Egypt, and have remained quiet and easy in their own country: or, "I cried, or called, to this i", this city of Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of it, and declared to them, that it was best for them quietly to trust in the Lord, and depend upon his protection, and sit still in Jerusalem, and not attempt to flee from thence to Egypt for safety, and they should see the salvation of God, as in Exodus 14:13 to which some think there is an allusion; not but that they might be busy, and employ themselves in preparing for their defence, by providing themselves with arms, and repairing their fortification; but it was not right to go out of the city, and seek a foreign aid or safety. The word for "strength" is "Rahab", one of the names of Egypt, Psalms 87:4 and so the sense may be, their "Rahab", their "Egypt", or what they expect from thence, namely, protection and safety, is to sit still, and abide quietly at Jerusalem. Jarchi refers this to Egypt, "I have called to this", to Egypt, they are of a proud spirit, the people cease, and are proud without cause; or according to another exposition he gives, their pride ceaseth, or it is fit it should. De Dieu interprets it also of Egypt; and so does Gussetius k, but in a different manner, thus, the Egyptians are strength as to rest, they will strongly rest, while Israel strongly hopes they will help them.

i קראתי לזאת "vocavi ad hanc", Montanus; "ad istam clamo", Castalio. k Comment. Ebr. p. 829.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the Egyptians shall help in vain - That is, if they enter into the alliance, they shall not be able to defend you from the invader. The other member of the sentence would seem to imply that they would make promises of aid, and would even boast of being able to deliver them, but that they would fail in their promises.

Therefore have I cried - Therefore have I the prophet cried, that is, I do call her so.

Concerning this - Concerning this country; that is, Egypt. Some have understood this as referring to Jerusalem, but the connection requires us to understand it of Egypt.

Their strength is to sit still - This is evidently designed to be an expressive appellation of Egypt. The word rendered here, without much propriety, ‘strength’ (רהב râhab) is a proper name of Egypt, and is several times applied to it; Isaiah 51:9 :

Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab

And wounded the dragon?

In this passage there can be no doubt that it refers to Egypt. So in Psalms 87:4; Psalms 89:10 (see the margin). Why it was given to Egypt is unknown, and can only be conjectured. Bochart (“Geog. Sacra,” i. 4. 24) supposes that it is derived from the word ῥιβι ribi, which singifies “a pear,” and that it was given to the Delta or Lower Egypt on account of its form, as somewhat resembling a pear. But there is not clear evidence that such was the meaning of the word, and there is no reason why we should forsake the usual sense of the Hebrew word. The verb רהב râhab means to urge, press on, attack Proverbs 6:3; to be highspirited, fierce, full of courage; to behave proudly Isaiah 3:5; and has, in most instances, a relation to pride, to arrogance, to boasting Job 9:13; Psalms 40:4. The noun “Rahab” indicates ferocity, haughtiness, boasting, insolence; and the name was doubtless given to Egypt on account of its insolence and pride. It is used here because Egypt would be full of self-confidence, and would boast that she could aid the suppliant Jews, and deliver them from the threatened invasion. The phrase rendered ‘to sit still,’ is a part of the name which the prophet gave to her. Though she boasted, yet would she sit still; she would be inefficient, and would do nothing; and the whole name, therefore, may be rendered, ‘I call her, the blusterer that sitteth still;’ that is, ‘they are courageous in talking; cowards in acting.’ (Taylor)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 30:7. Their strength is to sit still - "Rahab the Inactive."] The two last words, הם שבת hem shabeth, joined into one, make the participle pihel המשבת hammeshabbeth. I find the learned Professor Doederlein, in his version of Isaiah, and note on this place, has given the same conjecture; which he speaks of as having been formerly published by him. A concurrence of different persons in the same conjecture adds to it a greater degree of probability.