Isaiah 30:7

Isaiah 30:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
• New International Version (NIV)to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her "Rahab who sits still."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.

Context of Isaiah 30:7

5everyone will be ashamed because of a people who can’t help. They are of no benefit, they are no help; they are good for nothing but shame and disgrace. 6A pronouncement concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of trouble and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people who will not help them. Egypt’s help is completely worthless; therefore, I call her: Rahab Who Just Sits. 8Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the future, forever and ever. 9They are a rebellious people, deceptive children, children who do not want to listen to the Lord’s instruction.

Isaiah 30:7 word by word

וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙ קָרָ֣אתִי לָזֹ֔את רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• shall helpעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
• in vainהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and to no purposeרִיקrîyq · vainH7385
• therefore have I criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• concerning thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
• Theirהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• strengthרַ֫הַבrahab · RahabH7293
• to sit stillשֶׁ֫בֶתshebeth · cessationH7674

Cross-references for Isaiah 30:7

• Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the abundance of chariots and in the large number of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the Lord.
• Jeremiah 37:7“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: This is what you will say to Judah’s king, who is sending you to inquire of me: ‘Watch: Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, is going to return to its own land of Egypt.
• Isaiah 30:15For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not willing.”
• Isaiah 2:22Put no more trust in a mere human, who has only the breath in his nostrils. What is he really worth?
• Isaiah 7:4Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah.
• Isaiah 28:12He had said to them, “This is the place of rest; let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen.
• Exodus 14:13But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.
• Psalms 76:8From heaven you pronounced judgment. The earth feared and grew quiet
• Psalms 118:8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humanity.
• Lamentations 3:26It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
• Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent a delegation to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

Commentaries on Isaiah 30:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Their strength is to sit still "Rahab the Inactive" - The two last words, שבת הם 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Rahab Who Sits Still: In ancient mythology, Rahab was an enemy of the good gods and appeared as a fearsome creature, similar to a giant crocodile (see Isaiah 27:1; 51:9; Job 41:1–34). By calling Egypt futile, the prophet meant it would not help Judah.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. "Egypt is vanity, and to no purpose will they help" [G. V. Smith]. strength--Hebrew, Rabah, a designation for Egypt (Is 51:9; Psa 87:4), implying her haughty fierceness; translate, "Therefore I call her Arrogance that sitteth still." She who boasted of the help she would give, when it came to the test, sat still (Is 36:6). English Version agrees with Is 30:15; Is 7:4.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 30:7

• Confidence
• Isaiah
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Rahab

In the dictionaries

• Dispersion
• Ensign
• Hezekiah
• Note
• Ordain
• Stay
• Dragon
• Evil
• Isaiah
• Rahab

Commentaries on Isaiah 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings