62 The identity of this “club” (also referred to as a “serpent” in the next line) is uncertain. It may refer to an Assyrian king, or to Ahaz. For discussion see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (), 1:. The viper/adder referred to in the second half of the verse is his successor.
63 Heb “flying burning one.” The designation “burning one” may allude to the serpent’s appearance or the effect of its poisonous bite. (See the note at .) The qualifier “flying” probably refers to the serpent’s quick, darting movements, though one might propose a homonym here, meaning “biting.” (See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [], 1:, n. 18.) Some might think in terms of a mythological flying, fire breathing dragon (cf. “a flying saraph”; “a flying fiery dragon”), but this proposal does not make good sense in 30:6, where the phrase “flying burning one” appears again in a list of desert animals.
64 The Hebrew text has, “the firstborn of the poor will graze.” “Firstborn” may be used here in an idiomatic sense to indicate the very poorest of the poor. See 114 בְּכוֹר. The translation above assumes an emendation of בְּכוֹרֵי (békhorey, “firstborn of”) to בְּכָרַי (bekharay, “in my pastures”).
65 Heb “your remnant” (so , ).
66 Or “despair” (see מוג). The form נָמוֹג (namog) should be taken here as an infinitive absolute functioning as an imperative. See §72.v.
67 Heb “and there is no one going alone in his appointed places.” The meaning of this line is uncertain. בּוֹדֵד (boded) appears to be a participle from בָּדַד (badad, “be separate”; see 94 בָּדַד). מוֹעָד (mo’ad) may mean “assembly” or, by extension, “multitude” (see *מוֹעָד), but the referent of the third masculine pronominal suffix attached to the noun is unclear. It probably refers to the “nation” mentioned in the next line.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for from the serpent’s root will come forth an adder,

and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy lie down in safety;

but I will kill your root with famine,

and your remnant it will slay.

Wail, O gate; cry out, O city;

melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!

For smoke comes out of the north,

and there is no straggler in his ranks.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken;

from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,

its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.

The poorest of the poor will find pasture,

and the needy will lie down in safety.

But your root I will destroy by famine;

it will slay your survivors.

Wail, you gate! Howl, you city!

Melt away, all you Philistines!

A cloud of smoke comes from the north,

and there is not a straggler in its ranks.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Don’t rejoice, all of you in Philistia,

because the rod of the one who struck you is broken.

For a viper will come from the root of a snake,

and from its egg comes a flying serpent.

Then the firstborn of the poor will be well fed,

and the impoverished will lie down in safety,

but I will kill your root with hunger,

and your remnant will be slain.

Wail, you gates! Cry out, city!

Tremble with fear, all Philistia!

For a cloud of dust is coming from the north,

and there is no one missing from the invader’s ranks.

NLTNew Living Translation

Do not rejoice, you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken—

that the king who attacked you is dead.

For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,

a fiery serpent to destroy you!

I will feed the poor in my pasture;

the needy will lie down in peace.

But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine

and destroy the few who remain.

Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!

Melt with fear, you Philistines!

A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.

Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

You must not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for a viper will come forth from the root of the snake,

and its fruit will be a flying serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy will lie down in security;

but I will cause your root to die in famine,

and it will kill your remnant.

Wail, gate! Cry, city!

Melt, Philistia, all of you!

For smoke is coming from the north,

and there is no straggler in his ranks.

KJV 1900King James Version

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina,

Because the rod of him that smote thee is broken:

For out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice,

And his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed,

And the needy shall lie down in safety:

And I will kill thy root with famine,

And he shall slay thy remnant.

Howl, O gate; cry, O city;

Thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved:

For there shall come from the north a smoke,

And none shall be alone in his appointed times.

Public Domain