New English Translation
Isaiah 30:7
7Egypt is totally incapable of helping. For this reason I call her ‘Proud one who is silenced.’”
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
5all will be put to shame because of a nation that cannot help them, who cannot give them aid or help, but only shame and disgrace.” 6This is a message about the animals in the Negev: Through a land of distress and danger, inhabited by lionesses and roaring lions, by snakes and darting adders, they transport their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their riches on the humps of camels, to a nation that cannot help them. Egypt is totally incapable of helping. For this reason I call her ‘Proud one who is silenced.’” 8Now go, write it down on a tablet in their presence, inscribe it on a scroll, so that it might be preserved for a future time as an enduring witness. 9For these are rebellious people – they are lying children, children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law.
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 31:1Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt’s many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord.
- Jeremiah 37:7“The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Give a message to the king of Judah who sent you to ask me to help him. Tell him, “The army of Pharaoh that was on its way to help you will go back home to Egypt.
- Isaiah 30:15For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: “If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling.
- Isaiah 2:22Stop trusting in human beings, whose life’s breath is in their nostrils. For why should they be given special consideration?
- Isaiah 7:4Tell him, ‘Make sure you stay calm! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs, or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah.
- Isaiah 28:12In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.
- Exodus 14:13Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again.
- Psalms 76:8From heaven you announced what their punishment would be. The earth was afraid and silent
- Psalms 118:8It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people.
- Lamentations 3:26It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord.
- Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure 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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