Isaiah 30:9-14

30:9 For these are rebellious people –

they are lying children,

children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law. ¹ 

30:10 They ²  say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”

and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! ³ 

Tell us nice things,

relate deceptive messages. ⁴ 

30:11 Turn aside from the way,

stray off the path. ⁵ 

Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.” ⁶ 

30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected this message; ⁷ 

you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick, ⁸ 

and rely on that kind of behavior. ⁹ 

30:13 So this sin will become your downfall.

You will be like a high wall

that bulges and cracks and is ready to collapse;

it crumbles suddenly, in a flash. ¹⁰ 

30:14 It shatters in pieces like a clay jar,

so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged. ¹¹ 

Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough ¹² 

to scoop a hot coal from a fire ¹³ 

or to skim off water from a cistern.” ¹⁴ 

[30:9]  ¹ tn Or perhaps, “instruction” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NCV, TEV “teachings.”

[30:10]  ² tn Heb “who” (so NASB, NRSV). A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:10]  ³ tn Heb “Do not see for us right things.”

[30:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “Tell us smooth things, see deceptive things.”

[30:11]  ⁵ sn The imagery refers to the way or path of truth, as revealed by God to the prophet.

[30:11]  ⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[30:12]  ⁷ tn The sentence actually begins with the word “because.” In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

[30:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “and you trust in oppression and cunning.”

[30:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “and you lean on it”; NAB “and depend on it.”

[30:13]  ¹⁰ tn The verse reads literally, “So this sin will become for you like a breach ready to fall, bulging on a high wall, the breaking of which comes suddenly, in a flash.” Their sin produces guilt and will result in judgment. Like a wall that collapses their fall will be swift and sudden.

[30:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Its shattering is like the shattering of a jug of [i.e., “made by”] potters, [so] shattered one cannot save [any of it].”

[30:14]  ¹² tn The words “large enough” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[30:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “to remove fire from the place of kindling.”

[30:14]  ¹⁴ tn On the meaning of גֶבֶא (geveh, “cistern”) see HALOT 170 s.v.