Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 30

Verse 1

Woe. The third of the six woes.

rebellious = stubborn, or backsliding.

children = sons.

take counsel = carry out a purpose. cover with a covering: or, pour out a libation; and so, make an alliance.

My Spirit = Me. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

Verse 2

walk = are setting out. This prophecy had been given in the days of Hezekiah (617-588), and was then being fulfilled in Israel. strength of Pharaoh. Compare Isaiah 30:7 , where it is shown to be a vain help. In verses: Isaiah 30:2 , Isaiah 30:3 , "strength" is literal. In Isaiah 30:7 it is a Figure.

trust = flee for refuge to. Hebrew. hasah. App-69 . Same word as in Isaiah 30:3 , but not the same as in Isaiah 30:12 .

Verse 4

his: i.e. Pharaoh's.

Zoan. Now Zan.

learn doctrine = accept instruction. Hanes. Called Tahapanes (Jeremiah 2:16 ). Now Tell Defenneh , about seventy miles from Cairo, the capital of a minor district. Succeeding Memphis as the capital before Abraham's time. Known to the Greeks as Hiracleopolis Magna. The name occurs only in Scripture.

Verse 6

burden. Refers to the lading of the animals of the ambassadors who were going down to Egypt with rich gifts to secure an alliance, and thus reversing the steps of their national deliverance. It is not a fresh "burden", "the beginning of which has been lost".

the south = the Negeb, which must be passed through to get to Egypt. See notes on Genesis 13:1 , and Psalms 126:4 .

the viper, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 8:15 ). Occurs in Isaiah only here, and in Isaiah 59:5 . App-92 .

riches. Hebrew. hayil = strength. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the riches or treasures carried by it.

to = [relying] upon: i.e. the Egyptians, as stated in preceding clause.

Verse 7

have I cried concerning this = have I called (or named) her.

Their strength, &c. Hebrew Egypt sitting still (and thus not giving the help that was being sought). Rahab = pride, or strength, is put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for Egypt, the proud or strong one. Note the wrong but common use of this verse, through not heeding the context.

Verse 8

a table = a tablet.

note = inscribe. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 17:14 ; Exodus 24:4 .

the time to come = the latter day.

Verse 9

children = sons.

law: or, instruction contained in the law of Moses, See note on Isaiah 1:10 .

Verse 12

trust = confide. Hebrew. b a t ah ( App-69 .) Not the same word as in verses: Isaiah 30:2 , Isaiah 30:3 . Same as in Isaiah 30:15 .

Verse 14

as the breaking of the potters' vessel. The reference is to the manufacture of homrah, by breaking up pottery to powder in order to make cement of it. Carried on in the valley of Hinnom. See note on Jeremiah 19:1 , Jeremiah 19:2 .

fire from the hearth = that which is kindled.

pit = cistern.

Verse 15

confidence = trust: i.e. trust [in Jehovah]. Hebrew. batah , as in Isaiah 30:12 . App-69 .

strength = real power. Hebrew. geburah. Not the same word as in verses: Isaiah 30:2 , Isaiah 30:3 , but the same as in Isaiah 28:6 .

Verse 16

flee . . . horses . . . shall ye flee. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. nanus . . . sus . . . t'nusun, for emphasis.

swift . . . shall they. . . be swift. Figure of speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. kal . . . yikkallu, for emphasis; not a mere "play on words".

Verse 17

One thousand shall flee. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:8 .)

shall flee. The Figure of speech Ellipsis is correctly supplied from the next clause.

rebuke = threat.

ye flee = ye [all] flee.

a beacon = a pole, or mast.

ensign = flagstaff.

Verse 18

be gracious = show you favour, or grace.

have mercy upon you = show you compassion.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

blessed = O the happinesses [of all, &c. ]. The first of three in Isaiah (Isaiah 32:20 ; Isaiah 56:2 ).

wait = look for.

Verse 20

though. Omit "though", and read it as a direct promise: "Jehovah will give you affliction [as] bread and adversity [as] water".

Lord* = Jehovah ( App-4 ). One of the 134 places where the Sopherim changed Jehovah of the primitive text for Adonai. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "Jehovah" in the text.

yet shall not thy teachers = and thy teachers shall not.

corner. Hebrew occurs only here.

teachers. Perhaps plural of Majesty = thy great Teacher (i.e. Jehovah).

be removed into a corner = hide Himself.

see = be clearly seeing.

Verse 22

covering. Hebrew. zapha ( zippoi ). Reference to Pentateuch. Occurs only here, Exodus 38:17 , Exodus 38:19 , and Numbers 16:38 , Numbers 16:39 . App-92 .

ornament. Hebrew. 'aphuddah (rendered ephod). Reference to Pentateuch. Occurs only here, Exodus 28:8 , and Exodus 39:5 .

Verse 23

thy seed. Another reading (Ben Naphtali) is "thy land".

earth = ground, or soil.

Verse 24

ear. Old English = to plough: from Anglo-Saxon erian: and this from the Latin arare : the Aryan root AR entering into many words with a cognate reference. ARt (ploughing being the oldest art); oAR (with which the water is ploughed); ARtos(Greek for bread); eARth; ARatrum (Latin, a plough); ARare (to plough). The verb "ear" is found only here, Deuteronomy 21:4 , and 1 Samuel 8:12 . The noun "earing" occurs in Genesis 45:6 , and Exodus 34:21 .

Verse 25

streams. Hebrew. yiblei (from yabal = to bring, or conduct along). Occurs only here in the "former" portion, and only in Isaiah 44:4 , in the "latter" portion of Isaiah, where it is rendered "watercourses". App-79 .

Verse 27

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

the name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

Verse 28

breath = blast. Hebrew. ruach . See note on Isaiah 25:4 .

people = peoples.

Verse 29

when a holy solemnity is kept. Reference to Pentateuch. and the habitual keeping of the feasts there prescribed (Leviticus 23:2 , &c). See App-92 .

holy. See note on Exodus 3:6 .

the mountain of the LORD. See notes on Isaiah 2:3 , and Ezekiel 28:16 .

mighty One = Rock. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:4 , Deuteronomy 32:15 , Deuteronomy 32:18 , Deuteronomy 32:30 , Deuteronomy 32:31 ). Compare Isaiah 26:4 . App-92 .

Verse 32

every place where the grounded staff, &c. = every stroke of the staff of doom, which, &c.

tabrets = drums. See note on 1 Samuel 10:5 . Hebrew. toph, forming the Figure of speech Paronomasia with Tophet in next verse, for emphasis.

shaking = tumult.

Verse 33

Tophet = the place of burning. In the valley of Hinnom, the place where continual fires consumed the refuse of Jerusalem. Compare Revelation 19:20 ; Revelation 20:10 .

the king = Moloch. See note on 1 Kings 11:7 .

breath. Hebrew. neshamah ( App-16 ). See note on Isaiah 2:22 .