Isaiah 30:4
2 They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.
3 But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.
For though their princes are at Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5 everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them. They cannot be of help; they are good for nothing but shame and reproach.”
6 This is the burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people of no profit to them.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- For though their princes are at Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
- KJV
- For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
- WEB
- For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors have come to Hanes.
- ASV
- For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors are come to Hanes.
- DARBY
- For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
- BLB
- For his princes are in Zoan, and his messengers have reached Hanes;
- ÅB
- For deres[^1] fyrster er kommet til Soan[^2], og deres sendebud kommer like til Hanes;
- OTB
- For selv om deres embetsmenn er i Soan og deres sendebud har nådd Hanes,
- B1930
- For deres fyrster er kommet til Soan, og deres sendebud kommer like til Hanes; / < Israels.> / < JES 19, 11. 13. SLM 78, 12.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 19:11
The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
Read in contextJeremiah 43:7
So they entered the land of Egypt because they did not obey the voice of the LORD, and they went as far as Tahpanhes.
Read in contextIsaiah 57:9
You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.
Read in contextHosea 7:11–12
So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
Read in contextEzekiel 30:14
I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes.
Read in contextEzekiel 30:18
The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
Read in context2 Kings 17:4
But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired to send envoys to King So of Egypt, and that he had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.
Read in contextNumbers 13:22
They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.
Read in context