Revised Literal Translation
Isaiah 30:6
6The 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 donkeys, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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,
- 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;
Context of Isaiah 30:6
4For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. 5They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. 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 donkeys, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. 7For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. 8Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
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
- 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 donkeysעַ֫יִר‛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 boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
- Isaiah 57:9And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
- Hosea 8:9For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
- Hosea 12:1Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
- 1 Kings 10:2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
- Matthew 12:42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
- Isaiah 19:4And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, Yhwh of Armies.
- Exodus 1:14And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
- Exodus 5:10And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
- Deuteronomy 4:20But Yhwh hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
- Deuteronomy 8:15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
- Deuteronomy 17:16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as Yhwh hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
- Jeremiah 11:4Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
- Numbers 21:6And Yhwh sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
- Jeremiah 2:6Neither said they, Where is Yhwh that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
- 2 Chronicles 9:1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries