Psalms 78:22

78:22 because they did not have faith in God,

and did not trust his ability to deliver them. ¹ 

Isaiah 30:1-3

Egypt Will Prove Unreliable

30:1 “The rebellious ²  children are as good as dead,” ³  says the Lord,

“those who make plans without consulting me, ⁴ 

who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, ⁵ 

and thereby compound their sin. ⁶ 

30:2 They travel down to Egypt

without seeking my will, ⁷ 

seeking Pharaoh’s protection,

and looking for safety in Egypt’s protective shade. ⁸ 

30:3 But Pharaoh’s protection will bring you nothing but shame,

and the safety of Egypt’s protective shade nothing but humiliation.

Isaiah 31:1

Egypt Will Disappoint

31:1 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, ⁹ 

those who rely on war horses,

and trust in Egypt’s many chariots ¹⁰ 

and in their many, many horsemen. ¹¹ 

But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel ¹² 

and do not seek help from the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:5-6

Individuals Are Challenged to Put Their Trust in the Lord ¹³ 

17:5 The Lord says,

“I will put a curse on people

who trust in mere human beings,

who depend on mere flesh and blood for their strength, ¹⁴ 

and whose hearts ¹⁵  have turned away from the Lord.

17:6 They will be like a shrub ¹⁶  in the desert.

They will not experience good things even when they happen.

It will be as though they were growing in the desert,

in a salt land where no one can live.

[78:22]  ¹ tn Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”

[30:1]  ² tn Or “stubborn” (NCV); cf. NIV “obstinate.”

[30:1]  ³ tn Heb “Woe [to] rebellious children.”

[30:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “making a plan, but not from me.”

[30:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “and pouring out a libation, but not [from] my spirit.” This translation assumes that the verb נָסַךְ (nasakh) means “pour out,” and that the cognate noun מַסֵּכָה (massekhah) means “libation.” In this case “pouring out a libation” alludes to a ceremony that formally ratifies an alliance. Another option is to understand the verb נָסַךְ as a homonym meaning “weave,” and the cognate noun מַסֵּכָה as a homonym meaning “covering.” In this case forming an alliance is likened to weaving a garment.

[30:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “consequently adding sin to sin.”

[30:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who go to descend to Egypt, but [of] my mouth they do not inquire.”

[30:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “to seek protection in the protection of Pharaoh, and to seek refuge in the shade of Egypt.”

[31:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “Woe [to] those who go down to Egypt for help.”

[31:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and trust in chariots for they are many.”

[31:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and in horsemen for they are very strong [or “numerous”].”

[31:1]  ¹² sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[17:5]  ¹³ sn Verses 5-11 are a collection of wisdom-like sayings (cf. Ps 1) which set forth the theme of the two ways and their consequences. It has as its background the blessings and the curses of Deut 28 and the challenge to faith in Deut 29-30 which climaxes in Deut 30:15-20. The nation is sinful and God is weary of showing them patience. However, there is hope for individuals within the nation if they will trust in him.

[17:5]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “who make flesh their arm.” The “arm” is the symbol of strength and the flesh is the symbol of mortal man in relation to the omnipotent God. The translation “mere flesh and blood” reflects this.

[17:5]  ¹⁵ sn In the psychology of ancient Hebrew thought the heart was the center not only of the emotions but of the thoughts and motivations. It was also the seat of moral conduct (cf. its placement in the middle of the discussion of moral conduct in Prov 4:20-27, i.e., in v. 23).

[17:6]  ¹⁶ tn This word occurs only here and in Jer 48:6. It has been identified as a kind of juniper, which is a short shrub with minute leaves that look like scales. For a picture and more discussion see Fauna and Flora of the Bible, 131.