Isaiah 30:1–7

Do Not Go Down to Egypt

30“Ah, ⁿstubborn children,” declares the Lord,

^o“who carry out a plan, but not mine,

and who make ^pan alliance,¹ but not of my Spirit,

that they may add sin to sin;

^2qwho set out to go down to Egypt,

without asking for my direction,

to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh

and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

^3rTherefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame,

and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.

⁴For though his officials are at ^sZoan

and ^this envoys reach ^uHanes,

⁵everyone comes to shame

through ^va people that cannot profit them,

that brings neither help nor profit,

but shame and disgrace.”

⁶An ^woracle on ^xthe beasts of ^ythe Negeb.

Through a land of trouble and anguish,

from where come the lioness and the lion,

the adder and the ^zflying 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.

⁷Egypt’s ^ahelp is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her

^b“Rahab who sits still.”