Tyndale Open Study NotesIsaiah 30

After warning Judah of judgment due to their stubbornness and reliance on Egypt (Isaiah 30:1–17), God promised to show compassion to his people and defeat their enemies.

This prophecy warned Judah not to rely on Egypt. It is the fourth of six woes (see study note on Isaiah 28:1–33:24).

The people of Judah did not follow God's guidance (compare Isaiah 11:2). They made alliances that God did not approve. The Assyrian attack on Jerusalem was overwhelming. By allying with Egypt, Judah's leaders showed they relied on human help instead of God. Fortunately, Hezekiah later changed his mind (see Isaiah 36–37).

Zoan: See Isaiah 19:11. The location of Hanes is uncertain.

This taunt was against those who were busy trying to please the Egyptians in order to get Egypt’s military support.

• Caravans 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 sent to Egypt. They likely sent these riches to pay for Egypt’s protection and support.

Rahab 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.

God instructed the prophet to write down the vision for future generations. The present generation was rebellious. They chose false prophets' fantasies over God's word (see Isaiah 8:16–17).

Rid us: The people of Judah did not want to be confronted about sin or judgment.

Judgment would suddenly overtake the people of Judah because they were content with their fantasy world, and they refused God’s path to rest and quietness.

The whole society accepted injustice and lies. People encouraged one another to believe things that were not true.

They believed that Egypt would protect them from Assyria, even though that was false. Because many people accepted this idea, it seemed normal and wise to trust Egypt.

It also became accepted to take land from the poor. Leaders treated this oppression as if it were legal and right.

• The people of Judah needed to turn away from their sinful ways (Isaiah 30:12–14) and return to the Lord to be saved.

• Trusting in the Lord would bring peace and confidence, unlike their desperate talks with Egypt.

Judah relied on Egypt for fast horses (see Psalm 33:17), rejecting God's help and risking its downfall.

• one … five: This curse is the opposite of God's blessing for obedience (Leviticus 26:8; Deuteronomy 32:30).

• The Assyrians had taken control of most of the land of Judah. Only Jerusalem remained.

  The city stood alone, like a single pole on top of a hill. It was isolated and surrounded by enemy territory.

This prophecy of salvation gave promises of hope. It helped Israel look away from their present suffering.

Instead, it pointed them toward the glorious future that God had prepared for his people.

• A faithful God will restore order to the world by punishing the wicked and saving his people from them (see Isaiah 1:27; Psalm 96:10–12).

• God blesses those who wait. Faithful people do not rush to solve their own problems. Instead, they rely on his power and goodness.

• This was likely a challenge and promise to Hezekiah during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem (see Isaiah 36–37). If he trusted in God, his people would not weep anymore.

• The Lord cares for his people's needs. When they ask for something, he will surely respond.

adversity and the water of affliction: A city under enemy siege for a long time would eventually face starvation and disease. God did not intend for this disaster to destroy the people of Jerusalem. Instead, it was meant to teach them.

The people’s own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions (see Isaiah 6:9–10; 29:18; 35:5).

One aspect of Hezekiah’s reforms was to remove silver idols and other idolatry of Ahaz’s era and to call the people back to the worship of the God of Israel (2 Kings 18:4–5; 2 Chronicles 29).

The people of Judah would again enjoy covenant blessings rather than curses (see Leviticus 26:4).

The Lord who struck his people would also heal them and cure the wounds he gave them.

In this prophecy of judgment against the nations, Isaiah foretold that Assyria’s power would be broken by God’s strong arm, not by the Egyptians.

like a rushing torrent that rises to the neck: Assyria’s destruction would be as devastating as their invasion of Judah (see Isaiah 8:8).

• His mighty arm: This phrase is a picture of great strength. It reminds readers of how God defeated the Egyptians during the exodus from Egypt (Isaiah 63:12; see Exodus 15:6).

• consuming fire … hailstones: Fire and hail often appear when God shows himself in power. These signs are connected with a theophany (a visible appearance of God). They show that God is acting in judgment and authority (see study note on Isaiah 5:25).

scepter: The Lord, the true King, would be victorious over the threatening Assyrian king.

tambourines and lyres: Instruments once silenced in judgment (Isaiah 24:8) would be used again by God's people. This time, they would celebrate the Lord's goodness instead of becoming spiritually complacent (see Isaiah 5:12).

Topheth was a pagan altar in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, outside Jerusalem. At this place, some people burned their children as sacrifices to the Ammonite god Molech. This was part of false worship (2 Kings 23:9–10).