New International Version
Isaiah 30:6
6A prophecy concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation,
Isaiah 30:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)An 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, The viper and fiery flying serpent, They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on the humps of camels, To a people who shall not profit;
- New Living Translation (NLT)This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev: The caravan moves slowly across the terrible desert to Egypt— donkeys weighed down with riches and camels loaded with treasure— all to pay for Egypt’s protection. They travel through the wilderness, a place of lionesses and lions, a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live. All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.
Context of Isaiah 30:6
4Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes, 5everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace.” A prophecy concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation, 7to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing. 8Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.
Read all of Isaiah 30Isaiah 30:6 word by word
מַשָּׂ֖א בַּהֲמ֣וֹת נֶ֑גֶב בְּאֶרֶץ֩ צָרָ֨ה וְצוּקָ֜ה לָבִ֧יא וָלַ֣יִשׁ מֵהֶ֗ם אֶפְעֶה֙ וְשָׂרָ֣ף מְעוֹפֵ֔ף יִשְׂאוּ֩ עַל־כֶּ֨תֶף עֲיָרִ֜ים חֵֽילֵהֶ֗ם וְעַל־דַּבֶּ֤שֶׁת גְּמַלִּים֙ אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔ם עַל־עַ֖ם לֹ֥א יוֹעִֽילוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The burdenמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · oracleH4853
- of the beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- of the southנֶ֫גֶבnegeb · NegebH5045
- into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of troubleצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869
- and anguishצוּקָהtsôq tsûqâh · anguishH6695
- the youngלָבִיאlâbîy' lebîyâ' lebâ'îym lebâ'ôth · lionH3833
- and old lionלַ֫יִשׁlayish · lionH3918
- the viperאֶפְעֶה'eph‛eh · viperH660
- and fieryשָׂרָףώârâph · serpentH8314
- flyingעוּף‛ûph · to flyH5774
- serpentשָׂרָףώârâph · serpentH8314
- they will carryנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- their richesחַ֫יִלchayil · strength: richH2428
- upon the shouldersכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
- of young assesעַ֫יִר‛ayir · coltH5895
- and their treasuresאוֹצָר'ôtsâr · treasureH214
- upon the bunchesדַּבֶּ֫שֶׁתdabbesheth · humpH1707
- of camelsגָּמָלgâmâl · camelH1581
- to a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- shall not profitיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276
Cross-references for Isaiah 30:6
- Isaiah 46:1Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.
- Isaiah 57:9You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!
- Hosea 8:9For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.
- Hosea 12:1Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
- 1 Kings 10:2Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.
- Matthew 12:42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
- Isaiah 19:4I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
- Exodus 1:14They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.
- Exodus 5:10Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.
- Deuteronomy 4:20But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
- Deuteronomy 8:15He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
- Deuteronomy 17:16The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”
- Jeremiah 11:4the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.’ I said, ‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God.
- Numbers 21:6Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
- Jeremiah 2:6They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
- 2 Chronicles 9:1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.
Commentaries on Isaiah 30:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The burden - משא massa seems here to be taken in its proper sense; the load, not the oracle. The same subject is continued; and there seems to be no place here for a new title to a distinct prophecy. Does not burden of the beasts of the South in this place relate to the presents sent by Hoshea king of Israel to the South - to Egypt, which lay south of Judea, to engage the Egyptians to succor him against the king of Assyria? Into the land of trouble and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The burden of the beasts of the south - The word south‘ here refers doubtless to the country to the south of Judea; and particularly to Egypt. Thus it is used in Daniel 11:5-6. The phrase beasts of the south,‘ here refers to the animals that were traveling to Egypt. Isaiah, in vision, sees the caravan heavily laden with treasures pursuing a southern direction on its way to Egypt. The word burden‘ is used in two senses, to denote that which is borne, a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Caravans traveled from Judah through the Negev and the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. They avoided the main road along the coast because Assyria controlled it. This desert region was dangerous. Lions and poisonous snakes lived there. The journey put people’s lives at risk. Yet they were willing to face this danger to form an alliance that would not help them. they carry their wealth … and their treasures: This may refer to money and valuable goods that Judah…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. burden--the prophecy as to, &c. [Maurer]; so the Septuagint, the fresh inscription here marks emphatically the prediction that follows. Or, rather, Isaiah sees in vision, the ambassador's beasts burdened with rich presents travelling southwards (namely, to Egypt, Da 11:5, 6), and exclaims, Oh, the burden of treasure on the beasts! &c. (Ho 8:9; 12:1). land of trouble--the desert between Palestine and Egypt, destitute of water and abounding in dangerous…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 30:6
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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