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. ^w

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

at the threat of five you will flee,

until you alone 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, ^y

for the Lord is a just God.

All who wait patiently for Him are happy.

¹⁹For you people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you. ²⁰The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression, ^zbut your Teacher ^awill not hide Himself ^bany longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, ^c21and 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.” ^d22Then you will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, and call them filth.