Isaiah 30:15–22

¹⁵For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said:

“You will be delivered by returning and resting;

your strength will lie in quiet confidence.

But you are not willing.”

¹⁶You say, “No!

We will escape on horses”—

therefore you will escape!—

and, “We will ride on fast horses”—

but those who pursue you will be faster.^a

¹⁷One thousand will flee at the threat of one,^b

at the threat of five you will flee,

until you remain

like a solitary pole on a mountaintop

or a banner on a hill.

THE LORD’S MERCY TO ISRAEL

¹⁸Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy,

and is rising up to show you compassion,^c

for the Lord is a just God.

All who wait patiently for him are happy.

¹⁹For people will live on Zion in Jerusalem. You will never weep again; he will show favor to you at the sound of your outcry; as soon as he hears, he will answer you. ²⁰The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression,^d but your Teacher^A will not hide any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, ²¹and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”^{e 22}Then you will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, and call them filth.