Yesaya 30:12-19

30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected this message; ¹ 

you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick, ² 

and rely on that kind of behavior. ³ 

30:13 So this sin will become your downfall.

You will be like a high wall

that bulges and cracks and is ready to collapse;

it crumbles suddenly, in a flash. ⁴ 

30:14 It shatters in pieces like a clay jar,

so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged. ⁵ 

Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough ⁶ 

to scoop a hot coal from a fire ⁷ 

or to skim off water from a cistern.” ⁸ 

30:15 For 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; ⁹ 

if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, ¹⁰ 

but you are unwilling.

30:16 You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’

so you will indeed flee.

You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’

so your pursuers will be fast.

30:17 One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier; ¹¹ 

at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away, ¹² 

until the remaining few are as isolated ¹³ 

as a flagpole on a mountaintop

or a signal flag on a hill.”

The Lord Will Not Abandon His People

30:18 For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy;

he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. ¹⁴ 

Indeed, the Lord is a just God;

all who wait for him in faith will be blessed. ¹⁵ 

30:19 For people will live in Zion;

in Jerusalem ¹⁶  you will weep no more. ¹⁷ 

When he hears your cry of despair, he will indeed show you mercy;

when he hears it, he will respond to you. ¹⁸ 

[30:12]  ¹ tn The sentence actually begins with the word “because.” In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

[30:12]  ² tn Heb “and you trust in oppression and cunning.”

[30:12]  ³ tn Heb “and you lean on it”; NAB “and depend on it.”

[30:13]  ⁴ tn The verse reads literally, “So this sin will become for you like a breach ready to fall, bulging on a high wall, the breaking of which comes suddenly, in a flash.” Their sin produces guilt and will result in judgment. Like a wall that collapses their fall will be swift and sudden.

[30:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “Its shattering is like the shattering of a jug of [i.e., “made by”] potters, [so] shattered one cannot save [any of it].”

[30:14]  ⁶ tn The words “large enough” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[30:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “to remove fire from the place of kindling.”

[30:14]  ⁸ tn On the meaning of גֶבֶא (geveh, “cistern”) see HALOT 170 s.v.

[30:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “in returning and in quietness you will be delivered.” Many English versions render the last phrase “shall be saved” or something similar (e.g., NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[30:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “in quietness and in trust is your strength” (NASB and NRSV both similar).

[30:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “One thousand from before [or “because of”] one battle cry.” גְּעָרָה (gÿ’arah) is often defined as “threat,” but in war contexts it likely refers to a shout or battle cry. See Ps 76:6.

[30:17]  ¹² tn Heb “from before [or “because of”] the battle cry of five you will flee.

[30:17]  ¹³ tn Heb “until you are left” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[30:18]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Therefore the Lord waits to show you mercy, and therefore he is exalted to have compassion on you.” The logical connection between this verse and what precedes is problematic. The point seems to be that Judah’s impending doom does not bring God joy. Rather the prospect of their suffering stirs within him a willingness to show mercy and compassion, if they are willing to seek him on his terms.

[30:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Blessed are all who wait for him.”

[30:19]  ¹⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[30:19]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “For people in Zion will live, in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.” The phrase “in Jerusalem” could be taken with what precedes. Some prefer to emend יֵשֵׁב (yeshev, “will live,” a Qal imperfect) to יֹשֵׁב (yoshev, a Qal active participle) and translate “For [you] people in Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.”

[30:19]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “he will indeed show you mercy at the sound of your crying out; when he hears, he will answer you.”