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

5all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.” 6This 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. Egypt’s promises are worthless! Therefore, I call her Rahab— the Harmless Dragon. 8Now go and write down these words. Write them in a book. They will stand until the end of time as a witness 9that these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.

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 31:1What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
• Jeremiah 37:7“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The king of Judah sent you to ask me what is going to happen. Tell him, ‘Pharaoh’s army is about to return to Egypt, though he came here to help you.
• Isaiah 30:15This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.
• Isaiah 2:22Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?
• Isaiah 7:4Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah.
• Isaiah 28:12God has told his people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.” But they would not listen.
• Exodus 14:13But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.
• Psalms 76:8From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you.
• Psalms 118:8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.
• Lamentations 3:26So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
• Hosea 5:13“When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Assyria— to the great king there— but he could neither help nor cure them.

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