English Standard Version
Isaiah 30:7
7Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her "Rahab who sits still."
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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Egypt’s promises are worthless! Therefore, I call her Rahab— the Harmless Dragon.
Context of Isaiah 30:7
5everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace." 6An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the adder and the flying fiery serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them. Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her "Rahab who sits still." 8And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever. 9For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord;
Read all of Isaiah 30Isaiah 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 rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!
- Jeremiah 37:7"Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Judah who sent you to me to inquire of me, 'Behold, Pharaoh's army that came to help you is about to return to Egypt, to its own land.
- Isaiah 30:15For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." But you were unwilling,
- Isaiah 2:22Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?
- Isaiah 7:4And say to him, 'Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.
- Isaiah 28:12to whom he has said, "This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose"; yet they would not hear.
- Exodus 14:13And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
- Psalms 76:8From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still,
- Psalms 118:8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
- Lamentations 3:26It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
- Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to 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
In the dictionaries
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
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