Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Isaiah 30
New International Version

### Woe to the Obstinate Nation

30 “Woe(A) to the obstinate children,”(B)
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance,(C) but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
2 who go down to Egypt(D)
without consulting(E) me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,(F)
to Egypt’s shade for refuge.(G)
3 But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame,
Egypt’s shade(H) will bring you disgrace.(I)
4 Though they have officials in Zoan(J)
and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5 everyone will be put to shame
because of a people(K) useless(L) to them,
who bring neither help(M) nor advantage,
but only shame and disgrace.(N)”

6 A prophecy(O) concerning the animals of the Negev:(P)

Through a land of hardship and distress,(Q)
of lions(R) and lionesses,
of adders and darting snakes,(S)
the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’(T) backs,
their treasures(U) on the humps of camels,
to that unprofitable nation,
7 to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.(V)
Therefore I call her
Rahab(W) the Do-Nothing.

8 Go now, write it on a tablet(X) for them,
inscribe it on a scroll,(Y)
that for the days to come
it may be an everlasting witness.(Z)
9 For these are rebellious(AA) people, deceitful(AB) children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.(AC)
10 They say to the seers,(AD)
“See no more visions(AE)!”
and to the prophets,
“Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,(AF)
prophesy illusions.(AG)
11 Leave this way,(AH)
get off this path,
and stop confronting(AI) us
with the Holy One(AJ) of Israel!”

12 Therefore this is what the Holy One(AK) of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message,(AL)
relied on oppression(AM)
and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall,(AN) cracked and bulging,
that collapses(AO) suddenly,(AP) in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,(AQ)
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.”

15 This is what the Sovereign(AR) Lord, the Holy One(AS) of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest(AT) is your salvation,
in quietness and trust(AU) is your strength,
but you would have none of it.(AV)
16 You said, ‘No, we will flee(AW) on horses.’(AX)
Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
17 A thousand will flee
at the threat of one;
at the threat of five(AY)
you will all flee(AZ) away,
till you are left(BA)
like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
like a banner(BB) on a hill.”

18 Yet the Lord longs(BC) to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.(BD)
For the Lord is a God of justice.(BE)
Blessed are all who wait for him!(BF)

19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.(BG) How gracious he will be when you cry for help!(BH) As soon as he hears, he will answer(BI) you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread(BJ) of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers(BK) will be hidden(BL) no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice(BM) behind you, saying, “This is the way;(BN) walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols(BO) overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold;(BP) you will throw them away like a menstrual(BQ) cloth and say to them, “Away with you!(BR)”

23 He will also send you rain(BS) for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich(BT) and plentiful.(BU) In that day(BV) your cattle will graze in broad meadows.(BW) 24 The oxen(BX) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder(BY) and mash, spread out with fork(BZ) and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter,(CA) when the towers(CB) fall, streams of water will flow(CC) on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun,(CD) and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals(CE) the wounds he inflicted.

27 See, the Name(CF) of the Lord comes from afar,
with burning anger(CG) and dense clouds of smoke;
his lips are full of wrath,(CH)
and his tongue is a consuming fire.(CI)
28 His breath(CJ) is like a rushing torrent,(CK)
rising up to the neck.(CL)
He shakes the nations in the sieve(CM) of destruction;
he places in the jaws of the peoples
a bit(CN) that leads them astray.
29 And you will sing
as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;(CO)
your hearts will rejoice(CP)
as when people playing pipes(CQ) go up
to the mountain(CR) of the Lord,
to the Rock(CS) of Israel.
30 The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice(CT)
and will make them see his arm(CU) coming down
with raging anger(CV) and consuming fire,(CW)
with cloudburst, thunderstorm(CX) and hail.(CY)
31 The voice of the Lord will shatter Assyria;(CZ)
with his rod he will strike(DA) them down.
32 Every stroke the Lord lays on them
with his punishing club(DB)
will be to the music of timbrels(DC) and harps,
as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm.(DD)
33 Topheth(DE) has long been prepared;
it has been made ready for the king.
Its fire pit has been made deep and wide,
with an abundance of fire and wood;
the breath(DF) of the Lord,
like a stream of burning sulfur,(DG)
sets it ablaze.(DH)

#### Cross references

1. Isaiah 30:1 : S Isa 28:1
2. Isaiah 30:1 : S Dt 21:18; S Isa 1:2
3. Isaiah 30:1 : S 2Ki 17:4; S Isa 8:12
4. Isaiah 30:2 : 2Ki 25:26; Isa 31:1; 36:6; Jer 2:18, 36; 42:14; Eze 17:15; 29:16
5. Isaiah 30:2 : S Ge 25:22; S Nu 27:21
6. Isaiah 30:2 : Isa 36:9
7. Isaiah 30:2 : S Isa 4:6
8. Isaiah 30:3 : Jdg 9:8-15
9. Isaiah 30:3 : ver 5; S Ps 44:13; Isa 20:4-5; 36:6
10. Isaiah 30:4 : S Nu 13:22
11. Isaiah 30:5 : ver 7; Isa 20:5; 31:1; 36:6
12. Isaiah 30:5 : S 2Ki 18:21
13. Isaiah 30:5 : S Ps 108:12; Jer 37:3-5
14. Isaiah 30:5 : S ver 3; S 2Ki 18:21; Eze 17:15
15. Isaiah 30:6 : Isa 13:1
16. Isaiah 30:6 : S Jdg 1:9
17. Isaiah 30:6 : S Ex 1:13; 5:10, 21; Isa 5:30; 8:22; Jer 11:4
18. Isaiah 30:6 : S Isa 5:29; 35:9
19. Isaiah 30:6 : S Dt 8:15
20. Isaiah 30:6 : S Ge 42:26; S 1Sa 25:18
21. Isaiah 30:6 : S Isa 15:7
22. Isaiah 30:7 : S 2Ki 18:21; S Jer 2:36
23. Isaiah 30:7 : S Job 9:13
24. Isaiah 30:8 : S Dt 27:8
25. Isaiah 30:8 : S Ex 17:14; S Isa 8:1; Jer 25:13; 30:2; 36:28; Hab 2:2
26. Isaiah 30:8 : Jos 24:26-27
27. Isaiah 30:9 : S Ps 78:8; S Isa 1:2; S Eze 2:6
28. Isaiah 30:9 : Isa 28:15; 59:3-4
29. Isaiah 30:9 : S Isa 1:10
30. Isaiah 30:10 : S 1Sa 9:9
31. Isaiah 30:10 : Jer 11:21; 32:3; Am 7:13
32. Isaiah 30:10 : S 1Ki 22:8; S Jer 4:10
33. Isaiah 30:10 : Jer 23:26; 25:9; 26:9; 36:29; Eze 13:7; Ro 16:18; 2Ti 4:3-4
34. Isaiah 30:11 : ver 21; Pr 3:6; Isa 35:8-9; 48:17
35. Isaiah 30:11 : S Job 21:14
36. Isaiah 30:11 : S Isa 29:19
37. Isaiah 30:12 : ver 15; S Isa 5:19; 31:1
38. Isaiah 30:12 : S Isa 5:24
39. Isaiah 30:12 : S Ps 10:7; S 12:5; S Isa 5:7
40. Isaiah 30:13 : S Ne 2:17; Ps 62:3; S 80:12
41. Isaiah 30:13 : S 1Ki 20:30
42. Isaiah 30:13 : S Isa 17:14
43. Isaiah 30:14 : S Ps 2:9
44. Isaiah 30:15 : Jer 7:20; Eze 3:11
45. Isaiah 30:15 : S ver 12
46. Isaiah 30:15 : S Ex 14:14; S Jos 1:13
47. Isaiah 30:15 : S 2Ch 20:12; Isa 32:17
48. Isaiah 30:15 : Isa 8:6; 42:24; 57:17
49. Isaiah 30:16 : Jer 46:6
50. Isaiah 30:16 : S Dt 17:16; 1Ki 10:28-29; S Ps 20:7; Isa 31:1, 3; 36:8
51. Isaiah 30:17 : S Lev 26:8
52. Isaiah 30:17 : Lev 26:36; Dt 28:25; S 2Ki 7:7
53. Isaiah 30:17 : S Isa 1:8
54. Isaiah 30:17 : S Ps 20:5
55. Isaiah 30:18 : S Ge 43:31; Isa 42:14; 2Pe 3:9, 15
56. Isaiah 30:18 : Ps 78:38; Isa 48:9; Jnh 3:10
57. Isaiah 30:18 : S Ps 11:7; S Isa 5:16
58. Isaiah 30:18 : S Ps 27:14; Isa 25:9; 33:2; 40:31; 64:4; La 3:25; Da 12:12
59. Isaiah 30:19 : S Isa 25:8; 60:20; 61:3
60. Isaiah 30:19 : S Job 24:12
61. Isaiah 30:19 : Job 22:27; Ps 50:15; S 86:7; Isa 41:17; 58:9; 65:24; Zec 13:9; Mt 7:7-11
62. Isaiah 30:20 : 1Ki 22:27
63. Isaiah 30:20 : S Isa 28:9
64. Isaiah 30:20 : Ps 74:9; Am 8:11
65. Isaiah 30:21 : S Isa 29:24
66. Isaiah 30:21 : S ver 11; S Job 33:11
67. Isaiah 30:22 : S Ex 32:4; S Isa 17:8
68. Isaiah 30:22 : S Job 22:24; Isa 31:7
69. Isaiah 30:22 : Lev 15:19-23
70. Isaiah 30:22 : Eze 7:19-20
71. Isaiah 30:23 : S Dt 28:12; Isa 65:21-22
72. Isaiah 30:23 : Isa 25:6; 55:2; Jer 31:14
73. Isaiah 30:23 : S Job 36:31; Isa 62:8
74. Isaiah 30:23 : S Isa 28:5
75. Isaiah 30:23 : S Ps 65:13
76. Isaiah 30:24 : Isa 32:14, 20
77. Isaiah 30:24 : S Job 6:5
78. Isaiah 30:24 : Mt 3:12; Lk 3:17
79. Isaiah 30:25 : S Isa 13:5; 34:6; 65:12; Jer 25:32; 50:27
80. Isaiah 30:25 : S Isa 2:15
81. Isaiah 30:25 : S Ex 17:6; Isa 32:2; 41:18; Joel 3:18; Zec 14:8
82. Isaiah 30:26 : Isa 24:23; 60:19-20; Zec 14:7; Rev 21:23; 22:5
83. Isaiah 30:26 : S Dt 32:39; S 2Ch 7:14; Ps 107:20; S Isa 1:5; Jer 3:22; 17:14; Hos 14:4
84. Isaiah 30:27 : 1Ki 18:24; Ps 20:1; Isa 59:19; 64:2
85. Isaiah 30:27 : Isa 26:20; 66:14; Eze 22:31
86. Isaiah 30:27 : Isa 10:5; 13:5
87. Isaiah 30:27 : S ver 30; S Job 41:21
88. Isaiah 30:28 : S Isa 11:4
89. Isaiah 30:28 : S Ps 50:3; S Isa 28:15
90. Isaiah 30:28 : S Isa 8:8
91. Isaiah 30:28 : Am 9:9
92. Isaiah 30:28 : 2Ki 19:28
93. Isaiah 30:29 : Isa 25:6
94. Isaiah 30:29 : Isa 12:1
95. Isaiah 30:29 : S 1Sa 10:5
96. Isaiah 30:29 : S Ps 42:4; Mt 26:30
97. Isaiah 30:29 : S Ge 49:24
98. Isaiah 30:30 : S Ps 68:33
99. Isaiah 30:30 : Isa 9:12; 40:10; 51:9; 52:10; 53:1; 59:16; 62:8; 63:12
100. Isaiah 30:30 : S ver 27; S Isa 10:25
101. Isaiah 30:30 : S Isa 4:4; 47:14
102. Isaiah 30:30 : Ex 20:18; Ps 29:3
103. Isaiah 30:30 : S Ex 9:18
104. Isaiah 30:31 : S Isa 10:5, 12
105. Isaiah 30:31 : S Isa 11:4
106. Isaiah 30:32 : Isa 10:26
107. Isaiah 30:32 : S Ex 15:20
108. Isaiah 30:32 : S Isa 11:15; Eze 32:10
109. Isaiah 30:33 : S 2Ki 23:10
110. Isaiah 30:33 : S Ex 15:10; S 2Sa 22:16
111. Isaiah 30:33 : S Ge 19:24; S Rev 9:17
112. Isaiah 30:33 : S Isa 1:31

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles