Isaiah 30:1–7

Warnings to the Stubborn Nation

30The Lord said,

“How terrible it will be for these stubborn children.

They make plans, but they don’t ask me to help them.

They make agreements with other nations, without asking my Spirit.

They are adding more and more sins to themselves.

²They go down to Egypt for help

without asking me about it first.

They hope they will be saved by the king of Egypt;

they want Egypt to protect them.

³But hiding in Egypt will bring you only shame;

Egypt’s protection will only disappoint you.

⁴Your officers have gone to Zoan,

and your messengers have gone to Hanes,

⁵but they will be put to shame,

because Egypt is useless to them.

It will give no help and will be of no use;

it will cause them only shame and embarrassment.”

God’s Message to Judah

⁶This is a message about the animals in southern Judah:

Southern Judah is a dangerous place

full of lions and lionesses,

poisonous snakes and darting snakes.

The messengers travel through there with their wealth on the backs of donkeys

and their treasure on the backs of camels.

They carry them to a nation that cannot help them,

⁷to Egypt whose help is useless.

So I call that country Rahab the Do-Nothing.