Isaiah 30:1

הַהֹֽלְכִים֙ לָרֶ֣דֶת מִצְרַ֔יִם וּפִ֖י לֹ֣א שָׁאָ֑לוּ לָעוֹז֙ בְּמָע֣וֹז פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלַחְס֖וֹת בְּצֵ֥ל מִצְרָֽיִם׃ Who set out to go down to Egypt
Without asking Me,
To seek refuge with Pharaoh,
To seek shelter under the protection of Egypt.

וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם מָע֥וֹז פַּרְעֹ֖ה לְבֹ֑שֶׁת וְהֶחָס֥וּת בְּצֵל־מִצְרַ֖יִם לִכְלִמָּֽה׃ The refuge with Pharaoh shall result in your shame;
The shelter under Egypt’s protection, in your chagrin.

כִּֽי־הָי֥וּ בְצֹ֖עַן שָׂרָ֑יו וּמַלְאָכָ֖יו חָנֵ֥ס יַגִּֽיעוּ׃ Though his officers are present in Zoan,^aZoan Or “Tanis.”
And his messengers^bmessengers Emendation yields “kings”; cf. 19.2 with note. reach as far as Hanes,

כֹּ֣ל הֹבִ֔אישׁ עַל־עַ֖ם לֹא־יוֹעִ֣ילוּ לָ֑מוֹ לֹ֤א לְעֵ֙זֶר֙ וְלֹ֣א לְהוֹעִ֔יל כִּ֥י לְבֹ֖שֶׁת וְגַם־לְחֶרְפָּֽה׃ {ס}         They all shall come to shame
Because of a people that does not avail them,
That is of no help or avail,
But [brings] only chagrin and disgrace.

מַשָּׂ֖א בַּהֲמ֣וֹת נֶ֑גֶב בְּאֶ֩רֶץ֩ צָרָ֨ה וְצוּקָ֜ה לָבִ֧יא וָלַ֣יִשׁ מֵהֶ֗ם אֶפְעֶה֙ וְשָׂרָ֣ף מְעוֹפֵ֔ף יִשְׂאוּ֩ עַל־כֶּ֨תֶף עֲיָרִ֜ים חֵילֵהֶ֗ם וְעַל־דַּבֶּ֤שֶׁת גְּמַלִּים֙ אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔ם עַל־עַ֖ם לֹ֥א יוֹעִֽילוּ׃ The “Beasts of the Negeb” Pronouncement.
Through^cThe “Beasts of the Negeb” Pronouncement. / Through Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “Through the wasteland of the Negeb / Through…” a land of distress and hardship,
Of lion and roaring^droaring Meaning of Heb. uncertain. king-beast,
Of viper and flying seraph,^eseraph See note at 14.29.
They convey their wealth on the backs of donkeys,
Their treasures on camels’ humps,
To a people of no avail.

וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙ קָרָ֣אתִי לָזֹ֔את רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת׃ For the help of Egypt
Shall be vain and empty.
Truly, I call this,
“They are a threat that has ceased.”^fThey are a threat that has ceased Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Disgrace and chagrin”; cf. v. 5.

עַתָּ֗ה בּ֣וֹא כׇתְבָ֥הּ עַל־ל֛וּחַ אִתָּ֖ם וְעַל־סֵ֣פֶר חֻקָּ֑הּ וּתְהִי֙ לְי֣וֹם אַחֲר֔וֹן לָעַ֖ד עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ Now,
Go, write it down on a tablet
And inscribe it in a record,
That it may be with them for future days,
A witness^gwitness Understanding ʻad, with Targum, as a variant of ʻed. forever.

כִּ֣י עַ֤ם מְרִי֙ ה֔וּא בָּנִ֖ים כֶּחָשִׁ֑ים בָּנִ֕ים לֹא־אָב֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹעַ תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ For it is a rebellious people,
Faithless children,
Children who refused to heed
GOD’s instruction;

אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמְר֤וּ לָרֹאִים֙ לֹ֣א תִרְא֔וּ וְלַ֣חֹזִ֔ים לֹ֥א תֶחֱזוּ־לָ֖נוּ נְכֹח֑וֹת דַּבְּרוּ־לָ֣נוּ חֲלָק֔וֹת חֲז֖וּ מַהֲתַלּֽוֹת׃ Who said to the seers,
“Do not see,”
To the prophets, “Do not prophesy truth to us;
Speak to us falsehoods,
Prophesy delusions.

ס֚וּרוּ מִנֵּי־דֶ֔רֶךְ הַטּ֖וּ מִנֵּי־אֹ֑רַח הַשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס}         Leave the way!
Get off the path!
Let us hear no more
About the Holy One of Israel!”

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֥עַן מׇאׇסְכֶ֖ם בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַֽתִּבְטְחוּ֙ בְּעֹ֣שֶׁק וְנָל֔וֹז וַתִּֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ עָלָֽיו׃ Assuredly,
Thus said the Holy One of Israel:
Because you have rejected this word,
And have put your trust and reliance
In that which is fraudulent and tortuous—

לָכֵ֗ן יִהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ הֶעָוֺ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה כְּפֶ֣רֶץ נֹפֵ֔ל נִבְעֶ֖ה בְּחוֹמָ֣ה נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־פִּתְאֹ֥ם לְפֶ֖תַע יָב֥וֹא שִׁבְרָֽהּ׃ Of a surety,
This iniquity shall work on you
Like a spreading breach that occurs in a lofty wall,
Whose crash comes sudden and swift.

וּ֠שְׁבָרָ֠הּ כְּשֵׁ֨בֶר נֵ֧בֶל יוֹצְרִ֛ים כָּת֖וּת לֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יִמָּצֵ֤א בִמְכִתָּתוֹ֙ חֶ֔רֶשׂ לַחְתּ֥וֹת אֵשׁ֙ מִיָּק֔וּד וְלַחְשֹׂ֥ף מַ֖יִם מִגֶּֽבֶא׃ {ס}         It is smashed as one smashes an earthen jug,
Ruthlessly shattered
So that no shard is left in its breakage
To scoop coals from a brazier,
Or ladle water from a puddle.

כִּ֣י כֹֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יֱהֹוִ֜ה קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל בְּשׁוּבָ֤ה וָנַ֙חַת֙ תִּוָּ֣שֵׁע֔וּן בְּהַשְׁקֵט֙ וּבְבִטְחָ֔ה תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה גְּבוּרַתְכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֖א אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ For thus said my Sovereign GOD,
The Holy One of Israel,
“You shall triumph by stillness and quiet;
Your victory shall come about
Through calm and confidence.”
But you refused.

וַתֹּ֨אמְר֥וּ לֹא־כִ֛י עַל־ס֥וּס נָנ֖וּס עַל־כֵּ֣ן תְּנוּס֑וּן וְעַל־קַ֣ל נִרְכָּ֔ב עַל־כֵּ֖ן יִקַּ֥לּוּ רֹדְפֵיכֶֽם׃ “No,” you declared.
“We shall flee on steeds”—
Therefore you shall flee!
“We shall ride on swift mounts”—
Therefore your pursuers shall prove swift!

אֶ֣לֶף אֶחָ֗ד מִפְּנֵי֙ גַּעֲרַ֣ת אֶחָ֔ד מִפְּנֵ֛י גַּעֲרַ֥ת חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה תָּנֻ֑סוּ עַ֣ד אִם־נוֹתַרְתֶּ֗ם כַּתֹּ֙רֶן֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֔ר וְכַנֵּ֖ס עַל־הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ One thousand before the shout of one—
You shall flee at the shout of five;
Till what is left of you
Is like a mast on a hilltop,
Like a pole upon a mountain.

וְלָכֵ֞ן יְחַכֶּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לַחֲנַנְכֶ֔ם וְלָכֵ֥ן יָר֖וּם לְרַחֶמְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֱלֹהֵ֤י מִשְׁפָּט֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה אַשְׁרֵ֖י כׇּל־ח֥וֹכֵי לֽוֹ׃ {פ}
Truly, GOD is waiting to show you grace,
Truly, to arise and pardon you.
For GOD is a God of justice;
Happy are all who wait, in turn.^hin turn Lit. “for Him.”

כִּי־עַ֛ם בְּצִיּ֥וֹן יֵשֵׁ֖ב בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם בָּכ֣וֹ לֹֽא־תִבְכֶּ֗ה חָנ֤וֹן יׇחְנְךָ֙ לְק֣וֹל זַעֲקֶ֔ךָ כְּשׇׁמְעָת֖וֹ עָנָֽךְ׃ Indeed, O people in Zion, dwellers of Jerusalem, you shall not have cause to weep. Divine favor will be granted at the sound of your cry; upon hearing it, [God] will respond.

וְנָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֧ם אֲדֹנָ֛י לֶ֥חֶם צָ֖ר וּמַ֣יִם לָ֑חַץ וְלֹא־יִכָּנֵ֥ף עוֹד֙ מוֹרֶ֔יךָ וְהָי֥וּ עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֶת־מוֹרֶֽיךָ׃ My Sovereign will provide for you meager bread and scant water. Then your Guide will no more be ignored,ⁱbe ignored Meaning of Heb. uncertain. but your eyes will watch your Guide;

וְאׇזְנֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣עְנָה דָבָ֔ר מֵאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֤ה הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ לְכ֣וּ ב֔וֹ כִּ֥י תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ וְכִ֥י תַשְׂמְאִֽילוּ׃ and, whenever you deviate to the right or to the left, your ears will heed the command from behind you: “This is the road; follow it!”

וְטִמֵּאתֶ֗ם אֶת־צִפּוּי֙ פְּסִילֵ֣י כַסְפֶּ֔ךָ וְאֶת־אֲפֻדַּ֖ת מַסֵּכַ֣ת זְהָבֶ֑ךָ תִּזְרֵם֙ כְּמ֣וֹ דָוָ֔ה צֵ֖א תֹּ֥אמַר לֽוֹ׃ And you will treat as impure the silver overlay of your images and the golden plating of your idols. You will cast^jcast Change of vocalization yields “keep.” them away like a menstruous woman. “Out!” you will call to them.

וְנָתַן֩ מְטַ֨ר זַרְעֲךָ֜ אֲשֶׁר־תִּזְרַ֣ע אֶת־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה וְלֶ֙חֶם֙ תְּבוּאַ֣ת הָאֲדָמָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה דָשֵׁ֖ן וְשָׁמֵ֑ן יִרְעֶ֥ה מִקְנֶ֛יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא כַּ֥ר נִרְחָֽב׃ So rain shall be provided for the seed with which you sow the ground, and the bread that the ground brings forth shall be rich and fat. Your livestock, in that day, shall graze in broad pastures;

וְהָאֲלָפִ֣ים וְהָעֲיָרִ֗ים עֹֽבְדֵי֙ הָאֲדָמָ֔ה בְּלִ֥יל חָמִ֖יץ יֹאכֵ֑לוּ אֲשֶׁר־זֹרֶ֥ה בָרַ֖חַת וּבַמִּזְרֶֽה׃ as for the cattle and the donkeys that till the soil, they shall partake of salted fodder that has been winnowed with shovel and fan.

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עַל־כׇּל־הַ֣ר גָּבֹ֗הַּ וְעַל֙ כׇּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה נִשָּׂאָ֔ה פְּלָגִ֖ים יִבְלֵי־מָ֑יִם בְּיוֹם֙ הֶ֣רֶג רָ֔ב בִּנְפֹ֖ל מִגְדָּלִֽים׃ And on every high mountain and on every lofty hill, there shall appear brooks and watercourses—on a day of heavy slaughter, when towers topple.

וְהָיָ֤ה אוֹר־הַלְּבָנָה֙ כְּא֣וֹר הַחַמָּ֔ה וְא֤וֹר הַֽחַמָּה֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שִׁבְעָתַ֔יִם כְּא֖וֹר שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים בְּי֗וֹם חֲבֹ֤שׁ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שֶׁ֣בֶר עַמּ֔וֹ וּמַ֥חַץ מַכָּת֖וֹ יִרְפָּֽא׃ {פ}
And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, when GOD binds up the wounds of this people and heals the injuries it has suffered.

הִנֵּ֤ה שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּ֣א מִמֶּרְחָ֔ק בֹּעֵ֣ר אַפּ֔וֹ וְכֹ֖בֶד מַשָּׂאָ֑הֿ שְׂפָתָיו֙ מָ֣לְאוּ זַ֔עַם וּלְשׁוֹנ֖וֹ כְּאֵ֥שׁ אֹכָֽלֶת׃ Behold GOD’s eminent might^keminent might Lit. “name.” Cf. Ps. 20.2; 54.3; Rashi, Luzzatto.
Comes from afar
In blazing wrath,
With a heavy burden^lWith a heavy burden Presumably with a heavy load of punishment. Meaning of Heb. uncertain.—
With lips full of fury,
With tongue like devouring fire,

וְרוּח֞וֹ כְּנַ֤חַל שׁוֹטֵף֙ עַד־צַוָּ֣אר יֶחֱצֶ֔ה לַהֲנָפָ֥ה גוֹיִ֖ם בְּנָ֣פַת שָׁ֑וְא וְרֶ֣סֶן מַתְעֶ֔ה עַ֖ל לְחָיֵ֥י עַמִּֽים׃ And breath like a raging torrent
Reaching halfway up the neck—
To set a misguiding yoke^myoke Interpreting naphath like Arabic nāf; meaning of line uncertain. upon nations
And a misleading bridle upon the jaws of peoples.

הַשִּׁיר֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כְּלֵ֖יל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ־חָ֑ג וְשִׂמְחַ֣ת לֵבָ֗ב כַּהוֹלֵךְ֙ בֶּחָלִ֔יל לָב֥וֹא בְהַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־צ֥וּר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ For you, there shall be singing
As on a night when a festival is hallowed;
There shall be rejoicing as when they march
With flute, with hand-drums, and with lyresⁿwith hand-drums, and with lyres Moved up from v. 32 for clarity.
To the Rock of Israel on the Mount of GOD.

וְהִשְׁמִ֨יעַ יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־ה֣וֹד קוֹל֗וֹ וְנַ֤חַת זְרוֹעוֹ֙ יַרְאֶ֔ה בְּזַ֣עַף אַ֔ף וְלַ֖הַב אֵ֣שׁ אוֹכֵלָ֑ה נֶ֥פֶץ וָזֶ֖רֶם וְאֶ֥בֶן בָּרָֽד׃ For GOD will project a majestic voice
And display the sweep of an arm
In raging wrath,
In a devouring blaze of fire,
In tempest, and rainstorm, and hailstones.

כִּֽי־מִקּ֥וֹל יְהֹוָ֖ה יֵחַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר בַּשֵּׁ֖בֶט יַכֶּֽה׃ Truly, Assyria, who beats with the rod,
Shall be cowed by GOD’s voice;

וְהָיָ֗ה כֹּ֚ל מַֽעֲבַר֙ מַטֵּ֣ה מֽוּסָדָ֔הֿ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנִ֤יחַ יְהֹוָה֙ עָלָ֔יו בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבְכִנֹּר֑וֹת וּבְמִלְחֲמ֥וֹת תְּנוּפָ֖ה נִלְחַם־[בָּֽם] (בה)׃ ^oMeaning of verse uncertain. And each time the appointed staff passes by,
GOD will bring down [an arm] upon him
And will do battle with him as he waves it.

כִּֽי־עָר֤וּךְ מֵֽאֶתְמוּל֙ תׇּפְתֶּ֔ה גַּם־[הִ֛יא] (הוא) לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הוּכָ֖ן הֶעְמִ֣יק הִרְחִ֑ב מְדֻרָתָ֗הּ אֵ֤שׁ וְעֵצִים֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה נִשְׁמַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ כְּנַ֣חַל גׇּפְרִ֔ית בֹּעֲרָ֖ה בָּֽהּ׃ {פ}
The Topheth^pTopheth A site near Jerusalem at which human beings were sacrificed by fire in periods of paganizing; see 2 Kings 23.10. has long been ready for him;
He too is destined for Melech^qMelech Cf. Molech, Lev. 18.21; 20.2–5.—
His firepit has been made both wide and deep,
With plenty of fire and firewood,
And with GOD’s breath
Burning in it like a stream of sulfur.