Isaiah 30:4
2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit 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
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Read in contextJeremiah 43:7
So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.
Read in contextIsaiah 57:9
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
Read in contextHosea 7:11–12
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
Read in contextEzekiel 30:14
And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.
Read in contextEzekiel 30:18
At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.
Read in context2 Kings 17:4
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
Read in contextNumbers 13:22
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
Read in context