Isaiah 30:6–11

⁶Here is a message the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert.

Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys.

They carry their treasures on the humps of camels.

They travel through a land of danger and suffering.

It’s a land that is filled with lions.

Poisonous snakes are also there.

The messengers travel to a nation

that can’t do them any good.

⁷They travel to Egypt, whose help is totally useless.

That’s why I call it Rahab the Do-Nothing.

⁸The Lord said to me, “Go now.

Write on a tablet for the people of Judah

what I am about to say.

Also write it on a scroll.

In days to come

it will be a witness that lasts forever.

⁹The people of Judah refuse to obey me.

They are children who tell lies.

They will not listen to what I want to teach them.

¹⁰They say to the seers,

‘Don’t see any more visions!’

They say to the prophets,

‘Don’t give us any more visions of what is right!

Tell us pleasant things.

Prophesy things we want to hear even if they aren’t true.

¹¹Get out of our way!

Get off our path!

Keep the Holy One of Israel away from us!’ ”