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24.12.2019

1-5. Woe to those who seek help from Egypt, not from God. 6-8. Prophecy about Egypt. 9-14. Disobedience of the Jews. 15-26. Correction of the people of God. 27–33. Destruction of Assur.

Is. 30: 1-5. The Prophet reproaches his compatriots that, failing to cope with the will of God, they enter into an alliance with Egypt. From this union they will not receive any benefit, but only one shame.

Isa. 30: 1. Woe to the disobedient sons, says the Lord, who make consultations, but without Me, and make alliances, but not according to My spirit, in order to add sin to sin:

Isa. 30: 2. without questioning my mouth, they go to Egypt to strengthen themselves with the power of Pharaoh and to hide under the shadow of Egypt.

“Without Me” is more correct: contrary to My will.

“Not according to my spirit,” that is, not in the way that God taught them through the true prophets who spoke under the influence of the Spirit of God.

“Sin to sin,” that is, they already have many sins, and they still add new ones to the old ones!

"My mouth", that is, My messenger, the prophet Isaiah.

“Under the shadow” is the same as “under protection”.

Isa. 30: 3. But Pharaoh's power will be a shame to you, and refuge under the shadow of Egypt a dishonor;

Isa. 30: 4. for his princes are already in Zoan, and his ambassadors have reached Hanes.

Isa. 30: 5. They will all be ashamed of the people, which the useless to them; there will be no help or benefit from him, but shame and disgrace.

"Princes", that is, the emissaries of the Jewish king.

"Zoan" - see chap. Isa.19: 11.

"Hanes" is a city in Central Egypt, in Greek - Ανσις (egypt. Hnes), located on one of the Nile islands. Both of these cities are named by the prophet as the most prominent points: the first from the end of the 2nd millennium BC was already the residence of the pharaohs, and the latter took the place of the first among other cities of Egypt.

Is 30: 6-8. The motionless, clumsy hippo - Egypt - will not move to help its allies - the Jews. The divine utterance about Egypt (v. 6) should be written by the prophet on a board, which should be displayed before the eyes of the people and, in addition, written in a special scroll.

Isa. 30: 6. The severity of the animals going to the south, in the land of oppression and oppression, whence come out lionesses and lions, snakes and flying snakes; they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and on the humps of camels their treasures to a people who will not benefit them.

"Gravity" - in Hebrew. massa, which means a) heaviness, a heavy burden and b) vision.

In Russian synodal translation we are obviously talking about the heavy packs carried by the animals going to Egypt with the messengers of the Jewish king. These packs contain gifts for the Pharaoh, from whom the emissaries of the Jewish king were to ask for help in the struggle against Assyria. But it is most natural to understand the word massa in the sense of "vision", "prophecy" and the expression "animals" to replace the expression "monster", because in Heb. in the text, the number is set here - behemoth - in the sense of indicating the enormity of one animal (cf. Job 40: 10-15). This Hebrew word is very close to the Egyptian name for the hippopotamus - pehe-mau (pegemo) and it is very likely that the prophet here had in mind this very animal, which could seem to him a suitable symbol of the vast and motionless Egyptian kingdom.

« Walking to the south "- more correctly:" living in the south. " This is the name of Egypt, in contrast to the northern, Babylonian, kingdom.

"The land of oppression and oppression" is the Arabian-Sinai desert and Egypt itself, which was united with this desert.

"Aspid" (Po-Hep. Eptehe) is a viper.

"Flying serpents" - see Isa. 14:29 (cf. Herod. II, 75; III, 107-109).

Isa. 30: 7. For the aid of Egypt will be in vain and in vain; therefore I said to them: their strength is to sit still.

"I said" in translation from Hebrew (if read instead of hem-schabat - hajoschebat): "I call it (Egypt) the motionless Ragab." Ragab (Rahab; monster) is the name of Egypt (see Ps. 86: 4; Ps. 88:11). The thought behind these words is that it is very difficult for the Egyptians to move their troops to the aid of the Jews.

Isa. 30: 8. Now go, write this on their chalkboard, and write it in the book so that it remains for the future time, forever, forever.

The words of the 7th verse must be written on the board by the prophet - that is, in plain sight of the Jews for all to read.

“Into a book” - into a scroll, to keep it in case of losing the board.

Is 30: 9-14. Explaining the purpose of the preceding command, the prophet says that the Jews are a stubborn people in their disobedience to Divine revelation and its heralds - the prophets. They do not want to listen to the truth - they only enjoy flattery. For this they will suffer a terrible punishment from the Lord.

Is. 30: 9. For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children who do not want to listen to the law of the Lord,

Isa. 30:10. who say to the seers: “stop seeing”, and to the prophets: “do not prophesy the truth to us, speak flattering to us, predict the pleasant;

Isa. 30:11. get off the road, get out of the way; remove from our eyes the Holy One of Israel. "

"Seers" - in Hebrew. roim from verb raah - to see something extraordinary, inaccessible to the ordinary human eye.

"Prophets" - chozim - from chaza - to behold in a special ecstatic state. However, both names actually mean almost the same state of prophetic ecstasy (cf. Ch. Is. 29 and 1 Sam. 9: 9).

"Remove from our eyes the Holy One of Israel", that is, we do not want to obey the instructions of the Most High.

Is. 30:12. Therefore, thus says the Holy One of Israel: because you reject this word, but hope in deceit and untruth, and lean on it:

Is 30:13. that lawlessness will be for you, like a crack threatening to fall, revealed in a high wall, which destruction will come suddenly, in an instant.

Isa. 30:14. And He will destroy it, as an earthen vessel is crushed, breaking it without mercy, so that in its fragments there will not be even a shard to take fire from the hearth or scoop up water from a reservoir;

"Hope for deception" - more precisely: suppression (schek). Here is an allusion to the violent actions of Jewish politicians against a people who probably did not want to enter into an alliance with Egypt.

"Lawlessness ... like ... a crack." The falling away of the Jews from the Lord is just as dangerous for their state as a crack that gradually widens is dangerous for a stone house.

The “wall” that the Almighty wants to destroy is the Jewish state, from which nothing will remain.

Isa. 30:15. for thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: if you remained in place and at rest, you would be saved; in silence and hope your fortress; but you didn't want

Isa. 30:16. and they said: "No, we will run away on horses" - for that, run; “We will go fast,” - for that, those who are pursuing you will be fast.

Isa. 30:17. From the threat of one will run a thousand, flee from the threat of the five so that your remnant will be like a landmark on the top of a mountain and like a banner on a hill.

The Jews face a terrible defeat despite their alliance with Egypt! However, the Almighty, as the God of righteousness, will again reward Judas with His mercies after he corrects himself and expiates his guilt before God with his sufferings. The Lord will then send His people fertility as a necessary condition for a quiet life.

"Staying in place." The Jews evidently were planning at that time to raid the Assyrian regions.

“Let us run away ..., gallop away” - perhaps more correct: “let us rush, let us gallop”. The Jews counted on the horses and chariots that they could get from the Egyptians.

"For this, run," that is, horses and chariots will only help you escape from your enemies!

“Like a milestone” - in Hebrew: like a cedar or like a mast; made from cedar. Here the prophet indicates that the remnant of Israel will be very small - like a lonely mast.

Isa. 30:18. And therefore the Lord delays in order to have mercy on you, and therefore he still refrains from taking pity on you; for the Lord is the God of righteousness: blessed are all who trust in Him!

Isa. 30:19. The people will live in Zion in Jerusalem; you will not cry much - He will have mercy on you, according to the voice of your cry, and as soon as he hears it, he will answer you.

Isa. 30:20. And the Lord will give you bread in sorrow and water in need; and your teachers will no longer hide, and your eyes will see your teachers.

Isa. 30:21. and your ears will hear the word saying behind you, "This is the way, follow it," if you would go to the right and if you would go to the left.

"And therefore the Lord hesitates." The Lord is not yet sending and will not soon send deliverance to Zion, because Divine justice requires that the guilty Jews be punished.

"Blessed." But, on the other hand, the one who has placed his hope in God is blessed, because he will find hearing from God in all his prayers.

"People". that is, the repentant Jews will populate Jerusalem again. The city of God, consequently, will not have the sad fate that Babylon and Nineveh suffered, forever abandoned to desolation.

“Thy teachers ... will not hide,” that is, true prophets, who in Judea have always been persecuted and persecuted as troublemakers of public peace (1 Kings 18:17; Am. 7:10; Jer. 38 et seq. ) will be respected by the people.

"Behind you", that is, after you.

The Jews, over time, will abandon their idols, to which they used to be so attached.

"Salary of idols". For the most part idol images were made of wood (Is.40: 19), and then they were covered with a thin layer of gold or gold plates (cf. Ex.32: 20).

Isa. 30:23. And He will give rain on your seed, with which you sow the field, and bread, the fruit of the earth, and it will be abundant and juicy; on that day your flocks will graze in vast pastures.

Isa. 30:24. And the oxen and donkeys that cultivate the field will eat salty fodder, cleaned with a shovel and winnowing.

Isa. 30:25. And on every high mountain and on every lofty hill, streams, streams of water will flow, on the day of the great defeat, when the towers fall.

Isa. 30:26. And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day when the Lord will bind the wound of His people and heal the wounds inflicted on them.

"Salty food" - specially prepared crumbs with salt or salted cut grass. This food was tastier and healthier for the animals.

“The day of the great defeat” is the day of the terrible punishment of God, which will fall upon the world powers hostile to the Jews (cf. Isa. 22 et seq.).

"Towers" - here we mean fortifications of the same capitals hostile to the Jews.

"Like the light of seven days," that is, then it will be so bright, as if the entire supply of light per week shone at once.

Is 30: 27-33. The Lord will punish the enemies of Judas in the most merciless way, and the Jews will rejoice at this time. For the most important enemy of Judah, the king of Assur, a place has already been prepared for burning his body.

Isa. 30:27. Behold, the name of the Lord goes forth from afar, his anger burns, and his flame is strong, his mouth is full of indignation, and his tongue is like a consuming fire,

Isa. 30:28. and His breath is like an overflowing stream that rises even to the neck, to scatter the nations to the point of exhaustion; and there will be a bridle in the jaws of the nations, leading to error.

"The name of the Lord comes from afar." The expression "name" in the Holy Scriptures is often used to denote a person or a being. So the expression to give a name is tantamount to the expression: create beings. “I ... called you by your name” - for example, God addresses Israel (Is.43: 1). This means that the Lord created Israel as a people. Further, in the 9th chapter. book Isaiah (v. 6) the essence, the dignity of the Messiah is indicated by His names. And among the Babylonians, the expression of the name was also considered identical with the person bearing this name. When the Babylonian magician knew the name of a person, he considered that person in his power. Who knew the name of any god, he, according to the Babylonian concept, could force this god to do his will .. Thus, in the present case, Isaiah obviously wants to say that he sees the Lord Himself going to judgment, revealing His holiness and justice. You can even see here an indication of the identity of the Messiah, to whom the Father entrusted all His rights as the Judge of the world (John 5:22).

"To disperse the peoples to the point of exhaustion," that is, to disperse the peoples so that all useless elements disappear from them.

"The bridle that leads to delusion." With these words, the prophet points out that the pagan peoples will be forced to leave their old path and go in such a way that they previously thought it was wrong.

Isa. 30:29. And you will have songs, as on the night of a sacred feast, and joy of the heart, as one going with a pipe to the mountain of the Lord, to the stronghold of Israel.

"On the night of a sacred holiday." Here the prophet is referring to Passover, because no other holiday was celebrated with the Jews at night.

"Walking with a pipe." On Easter, many Jews walked with flutes or pipes. And during the Easter or unleavened week in Jerusalem, processions were arranged, going to the temple with singing and music.

Isa. 30:30. And the Lord will roar with His majestic voice and will reveal His gravitating arm in strong anger and in the flame of a consuming fire, in a storm and in a flood and in a stone city.

Is 30:31. For at the voice of the Lord Asshur will tremble, being smitten with the rod.

Isa. 30:32. And every movement of the rod assigned to him, which the Lord directs against him, will be with tympans and harps, and He will go against him in a devastating war.

Isa. 30:33. For Tophet has long been established; it is prepared for the king, deep and wide; there is a lot of fire and wood in his fire; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, will ignite it.

Depicting in 27-28 Art. the approach of the formidable Judge, the prophet from 30 st. begins to depict the very commission of the judgment.

"The Lord will roar." Here the prophet, obviously, speaks of thunder, which was usually considered to be the voice of God (1 Sam. 12:18; Job 26:14).

"From the voice of the Lord." Here, apparently, the prophet imagines the Almighty as a mighty warrior who lets out a cry of war when attacking the enemy (Joel 3:16; Amos 1: 2).

"Strike with a rod." As can be seen from what follows, the blows of the rod of God will be fatal for Assur.

"With tympans and zithers." The Jews, during the execution performed on their enemies by the Assyrians, will play musical instruments, glorifying the Great Judge.

Tophet. This was the name of the valley of the sons of Ginnom near Jerusalem, where all carrion was burned (Commentary. Bible vol. 2, p. 533). But here the prophet takes this name as a common noun - to designate the place of burning of corpses in general (this, perhaps, is also indicated by the form of this name in the prophet - tophteh). The Assyrian king made a fire for himself in Nineveh, when it was no longer possible to escape from enemies, and burned on it along with his wives and children.

"Like a stream of sulfur." With these words, the prophet indicates that the fire will immediately light up, as if it had been doused with sulfur.

Chapter 30 contains a whole poem directed against the alliance with Egypt. Its stanzas are distributed as follows:

1 stanza - 29 chap. 15-16 Art. - (3, 2, 2)

1 stanza - 30 chap. 1-2 tbsp. - (3, 2, 2)

2 stanza - 30 chap. 3-7 Art. - (3, 2, 2)

3 stanza - 30 chap. 8-11 Art. - (2, 2, 2, 2)

1 stanza - 30 chap. 12-14 Art. - (3, 2, 2)

2 stanza - 30 chap. 15-17 Art. - (3, 2, 2)

3 stanza - 30 chap. 18-19 Art. - (2, 2)

1 stanza - 30 chap. 20-22 Art. - (3, 2)

2 stanza - 30 chap. 23-24 Art. - (2, 3)

3 stanza - 30 chap. 25-26 Art. - (2, 2)

1 stanza - 30 chap. 27-29 Art. - (2, 2, 3)

2 stanza - 30 chap. 30-33 Art. - (2, 2, 3)

It seems that the prophecy of this chapter (like the previous one) describes the impending danger for Jerusalem and the devastation of Judah by the army of Sennacherib. It presents (I) a just reprimand to those who, in trouble, trusted the Egyptians and hurried to seek help from Egypt (vv. 1-7). (Ii) A frightening threat to those who have disregarded the good advice of God given through His prophets, so that their minds would not be disturbed in such trouble; she assured them that this judgment would surely come upon them, no matter what happened to others (vv. 8-17). (III) A gracious promise to those who have trusted in God that they will not only go through this calamity, but also see the days that follow, times of joy and change, many means of grace and many external blessings after them, an increase in joy and exultation (v. 18-26);

many of these promises are quite applicable to the time of gospel grace. (IV) The prophecy of the complete defeat and destruction of the Assyrian army, which became an occasion for great joy and a preface to those happy times (vv. 27-33).

Verses 1-7... Very often the Jewish people made mistakes and acted recklessly when, being attacked by neighbors on the one hand, they sought help from their neighbors on the other, instead of looking at God and trusting in Him. Fighting with the Israelites, they turned to the king of Syria (2 Chronicles 16: 2,3). Fighting with the Syrians, they turned to the king of Assyria (2 Kings 16: 7). And now, fighting against the Assyrians, they turned to the Egyptians for help, for which Rabshak rebuked them (2 Kings 18:21). Note here:

I. How their sin was described, and what made God especially angry. Seeing themselves in danger and trouble, (1.) They did not turn to God for advice. They thought of a way out of this situation in their heads and did not consult with God, although thanks to the Urim and the prophets, a clear advice was ready for them on how to act. They were so confident in their own discretion that they thought it unnecessary to consult the prophet; moreover, they did not want to address him with this question: “They make conferences among themselves and consult with each other; but they do not ask for advice, much less take advice from Me. They take refuge in various shelters, intending to protect themselves different waysto hide from a destructive storm, but not according to My Spirit (not in those shelters where God by His Spirit through the lips of the prophets directed them). Therefore, this veil will be too short and a refuge for lies. "

(2) They did not trust God. They did not consider the presence of God on their side sufficient and did not make any effort at all to make Him their friend, but decided to back themselves up with the power of Pharaoh. They considered him a powerful ally and did not doubt that they could cope with the Assyrians by having him on their side. The shadow of Egypt (and it was only a shadow) was the veil they wanted to wrap themselves in.

II. What evil was present in this sin.

1. This showed that they were rebellious sons; and here woe is proclaimed to those who have such characteristics (v. 1). By confession, they were children of God, but they did not trust God and were justly branded by the rebels, for if we doubt God's providence, then in this way we actually refuse to be faithful to Him.

2. They added sin to sin. It was a sin that brought disaster on them; and then, instead of repenting, they continued to act wickedly before the Lord (2 Chronicles 28:22). And whoever misuses the grace shown to them by making them fuel for his own lusts, he misuses his affections, making them the basis for unbelief in God. Thus, they make the bad worse and add sin to sin; but those who act like them make their bonds even more difficult, and therefore God is justly making their executions astounding. Especially their sin was aggravated by (1) that they made too much effort to protect themselves and to make the Egyptians their allies: “They go to Egypt, they travel in different ways to find the most favorable way, without asking My mouth,” without thinking, whether God will allow and approve of their deed.

(2.) They incurred considerable expense in doing so (v. 6). They loaded the animals going south (horses taken from Egypt, which was located south of Judea) with their riches, imagining, as is often the case with frightened people, that it would be safer for them to be anywhere, but not where they are now are. Either they sent their wealth to Egypt as a bribe to Pharaoh's courtiers to further their interests, or it was payment for the Egyptian army. God would have helped them free of charge, but wanting to receive help from the Egyptians, they had to pay dearly for it, and they seem to have voluntarily done so. Money spent in this way will not be beneficial. They carried their wealth to Egypt through the land of anxiety and suffering (you can read it this way), a huge dull desert located between Canaan and Egypt, where there are snakes and basilisks (Deut 8:15). They dared to go through this dangerous wilderness to carry what they had to Egypt. Or these words mean Egypt itself, which was for Israel the house of slavery, and, therefore, a land of anxiety and suffering, teeming with insatiable and disgusting creatures. Look at the hardships and dangers faced by people who have forsaken God in following their carnal confidence and trusting in creation.

III. What will be the consequences of this.

1. The Egyptians will receive their messengers, treat them with respect and wish to conclude an alliance with them (v. 4): “His princes were already in Zoan, at the court of Pharaoh, and had a meeting with the king, who encouraged them to trust in friendship and help, which he will send them. "

2. But their expectations will not come true: the Egyptians will be useless to them (v. 5). For God says, "This people is useless to them" (v. 6), and every creature treats us in the way (and not otherwise) as He commands it. These words mean that the army that the Israelites needed could not be organized over time; and even if it is formed, it will not be suitable for military operations and they are not going to risk their experienced troops on this campaign; or the transition ahead of them will be so long that they will not be able to fight when the opportunity presents itself; or the Egyptians will not be friendly to the Israelites, but will secretly sympathize with the Assyrians in a given situation. Egypt's help will be in vain and in vain (v. 7). They will hinder and harm, not help.

3. And therefore, the people who at that time liked the Egyptians so much will later be ashamed of them, of their expectations and trust in them (v. 3): “But the power of Pharaoh, of which you were so proud, will be a shame to you; all your neighbors will reproach you, and you yourself will reproach yourself for recklessly trusting in her. The shadow of Egypt of the land overshadowing with wings (Isa. 18: 1), in which you trusted, will be confusing to you; it will not only disappoint you and cause you shame, but it will also weaken your other supports and be an excuse to harm you. " God later threatens to destroy Egypt precisely because of this because the Egyptians treacherously dealt with Israel and became a support of reeds for him (Eze 29: 6,7). The princes and envoys of Israel, who so sought favor and sought to conclude an alliance with the Egyptians, having come to them and seeing how weak or rather insignificant they are, will be ashamed because of the people, from which there will be no help or benefit, but shame and shame (v. 5). He who trusts in God, in His power, providence and promise, will never be ashamed of his hope; and whoever hopes in creation will sooner or later be a shame. God is faithful and can be trusted, but every person is a liar and must be suspected. The Creator is the rock of the ages, and the creation is the broken reed. We should not expect too much from a person, but we should rely heavily on God.

IV. How we should use and apply this (v. 7): “Therefore I told them about this matter and their plans. I published my words so that they would pay attention to them. I insisted on them as a stakeholder. Their strength is to sit quietly, humbly trusting in God and His mercy, quietly submitting to His will, and not wandering to various places where they can get themselves into trouble, seeking help from various creatures. " If on the day of disaster we sit quietly, hoping and quietly awaiting salvation from the Lord, using only legal and correct methods for our own safety, this will strengthen our souls both in ministries and in suffering and will induce divine power to intercede for us. But we weaken ourselves and induce God to leave us when we make flesh our muscle, for then our hearts leave the Lord. When we get tired of looking for help from the creatures, we see that the best way to restore ourselves is to rely on the Creator. Here I am, whatever it pleases Him, let Him do.

Verses 8-17... I. The introduction in these verses sounds very frightening. The prophet should not only preach these words, but write them down (v. 8): "Write this on the board to hang for all to see." He must write it down carefully, not on ordinary paper, which can be lost or torn, but write it down in a book to preserve it for posterity, as regrets for the long-lasting memory of this corrupted generation; let these words be preserved not only for the next centuries to come, but forever, while the world stands; and therefore, as far as the books of Scripture are concerned, they will undoubtedly remain and be read until the end of the ages. Let these words be written, (1.) to put to shame the people of this age who do not want to hear and heed them when they are spoken. Let them be written so as not to get lost; they can benefit their children even if they don't.

(2) To justify God and His judgments with which He was about to punish them; people will be tempted to think that He is very hard on them and overly cruel until they find out how wicked they were, how they angered God, and what prudent means He used before taking such extreme measures.

(3.) To warn others that they should not do as they did, and that their lot should not be the same. These words are intended to admonish those distant places and ages and even those who have reached the last ages (1 Cor. 10:11). This can be useful to God's servants not only for preaching, but also for writing, for what is written lasts a long time.

II. The character of the worldly and wicked Jews described here is saddening. To describe them in a real light (and we are sure that the prophet did not testify against them and did not show them worse than they really are, for God's judgment is performed in truth), he must write: "These are a rebellious people" (v. 9 ). As far as I know, at that time the Jews were the only people in the world professing God, and yet many of them were rebellious people.

1. They rebelled against their own accusations and covenants: "They are deceitful children, they do not fulfill their words, which they promise beautifully, but they do nothing." When He made a covenant with them, He said about them: “Truly they are my people, children who will not lie” (Is 63: 8), but it turned out the other way around.

2. They rebelled against divine authority: "These are children who do not want to listen to the law of the Lord and do not take it into account, but do what they want, despite the fact that God says the opposite."

III. A very harsh charge was brought against them and a terrible sentence was passed. They were charged with two crimes and a chilling death sentence read out:

1. They forbade the prophets to speak to them in the name of God and speak honestly with them.

(1.) This sin is described (v. 10,11). They acted so brutally against the prophets in order to forbid them to preach, or at least honestly describe their situation during the sermon; they were so deceiving and intimidating that they actually said to the seers, "Stop seeing." They had light, but they loved darkness more. The presence of seers among them was a great privilege for them, but they did their best to gouge out their eyes; they had seers in their midst, but they did everything possible to close their lips, for they tormented them, who stood in wicked ways (Rev 11:10). He who silences good ministers and condemns good preaching is justly considered and called a rebel against God. Look what in the prophet's sermon touched them. The prophets spoke of their mistakes and warned of the calamity and danger that would overtake them for their sins. And people couldn't stand it. They had to say pleasant things to the people, indulge them in sins and say that they are doing well, that they will not harm themselves and will not perish if they live the way they live. No matter how correct and true the words of the prophet were, but if they were unpleasant, the people refused to listen to them. If his sermon was consistent with the good opinion that they had about themselves, and confirmed it, then even if it was a lie and deception for them, they willingly accepted such a prophecy. He deserves to be deceived who desires this. The prophets, with the drawn sword of God's wrath in their hand, stopped them in their sinful ways like an angel who stood in the way of Balaam; therefore, people could not continue to sin without fear. And this they regarded as the greatest insult. Continuing to falsely follow where their hearts were leading, they said to the prophets: “Get out of the way, get out of the way. What are you doing on our way? Why can't you leave us alone to do what we like? " The heart of a person who tells a faithful mentor to get out of his way is completely disposed to do evil. Stop lest they kill you (2 Chronicles 25:16). The prophets constantly told them about the Holy One of Israel, that He is the greatest enemy of sin and will severely exact from sinners; and they did not want to hear it. And the essence of the question itself and its expression were too serious for them, and therefore if the prophets turn to them, then let them agree not to call God the Holy One of Israel, for God's holiness is that trait of His character that the wicked fear most of all. Therefore, we do not want to be bothered with such formal introductions (as Mr. White calls them) to heated public addresses. Those have reason to fear perishing in their sins, who cannot listen to threats against them.

(2.) What judgment was passed on them for this? He is presented to us (v. 12,13). Pay attention: Who pronounced this judgment on them: "Thus says the Holy One of Israel." The prophet uses exactly the title of God that they have removed from use. Faithful ministers will not stop using expressions that can awaken sinners, even if they are not happy with them. We must tell people that God is the Holy One of Israel, and they will see that He is, regardless of whether they listen or not. What is the basis for passing this judgment: "since they reject this word", whether in general all the words of the prophet addressed to them, or in particular the word proclaiming that God is the Holy One of Israel. “They despise him, do not fear him, do not revere him, do not make him their hope and do not put their trust in him; and instead of being grateful to the Holy One of Israel, they hope for deception and untruth, for the wealth they have obtained and profits obtained through deception and violence, or they hope for sinful methods by which they will find safety, opposing themselves to God and His will. This is what they lean on, and therefore it is just that they should fall. " What judgment was passed on them: “This lawlessness will be like a crack threatening to fall for you. Your confidence will be like a house built on sand that will fall in a storm and bury the builder in its ruins. Your contempt for the word of God on which you could build will make everything else you hope for like an overhanging wall that will fall as soon as something is placed on it, moreover, which often falls under its own weight. " The doom they thus bring upon themselves will be, first, startling: destruction will come suddenly, in an instant, when they will not expect it, and this will make it more frightening; and since they will not be ready and will not take care of it, the destruction will be more fatal. secondly, complete destruction, universal and irreparable: "You and everything that you hope for will not only be weak, like the clay of a potter (Isa.29:16), but also collapse, like an earthen vessel is broken." He who has an iron rod will crush him (Ps 2: 9), He will not spare, show no respect, and will not try to keep it whole or part of it. But as a broken thing, unusable, let it be broken into pieces so that not a single shard remains large enough to take fire or scoop up water "two things that they needed daily and which poor people often took with a shard of broken pot. They will not only look like a leaning wall (Psalm 61: 4), but they will also look like a broken vessel or glass that is worthless and cannot be restored.

2. They disregarded the merciful teachings of God addressed to them not only about how to preserve themselves and protect themselves, but also how to calm themselves and make themselves careless; they wanted to go their own way (vv. 15-17). Note here:

(1.) The method that God prescribed for them to be saved and empowered. God, who knew them and what suits them, who wished them well, gave the following instruction; and the same is recommended to all of us. Are we willing to be saved from the evil that is present in every calamity, to be warned of its temptations, and to be safe from its curses, which are the only evil present in it? This will be the case if we remain in place and at rest: we return to God and rest in Him as in our rest. Let us put aside our evil paths into which we have turned, calm down and establish ourselves on the path that leads to God and our duty. This is the path of salvation. “Give up your plans to go to Egypt and find peace and contentment in the will of God, and then you can trust Him with your safety. Having converted (thoroughly reforming your heart and life) and in peace (completely surrendering your soul to God and finding satisfaction in Him), you will be saved ”(English transl.). Will we receive the strength to do what is required of us and endure what is entrusted to us? In silence and hope your fortress; we must keep our spirit calm and sedate with constant trust in God, His power and mercy; we must withdraw into ourselves with holy calm, suppressing all anxiety and agitated passions, we must keep peace in our minds. We must rely on God with the holy confidence that He can do what He wants and will do what will benefit His people. This will be our strength; it will inspire us with a holy steadfastness that will carry us with ease and courage through all the hardships we may face.

(2.) Their contempt for this decree. They did not follow God's advice, although it worked for their good; therefore, it is just that those who do not accept God as their doctor die of disease. We certainly become our own enemies if we are not His subjects. They did not want to test the prescribed remedy. But you said: "No (Art. 16), we will not calm down, because we will run away on horseback, we will run fast here and there in order to get help from foreign states." They considered themselves wiser than God, believed that they knew better than Him what was good for them. When Sennacherib captured all the fortified cities of Judah, even then these rebellious sons were not convinced that they needed to stay in place and patiently wait for God to intercede for them, as He miraculously did the last time; but they decided to rush about in order to protect themselves and thereby put them in even greater danger.

(3.) On the sentence passed by him for this. Their sin will be their punishment: you wanted to run for that and run at full speed, so will those who are pursuing you. " Dogs most often run, barking, after the one who runs the fastest. The conquerors protect those who remain in place, but pursue those who try to escape; and therefore, any plan by which they hoped to be saved, quite rightly will become their destruction, and the most guilty will suffer the most. It is foretold (v. 17) that they will be easily destroyed; they will be so oppressed by their own fears, amplified by their escape, that one enemy can destroy a thousand of them, and five will force the army to flee, which would never have happened if their Intercessor had not betrayed them (Deut 32:30). That they will be mostly destroyed, and only in places people will be able to save themselves alone, to watch the events, like a milestone on the top of a mountain, and to be a warning to others to beware of such sinful ways and get rid of the carnal hope.

Verses 18-26. Final Words the previous section, “you will be like a landmark on the top of the mountain,” is understood by some as the promise that the remnant will be preserved as a monument of mercy; and in these verses the prophet tells them what good times will come after calamities. Or, the first words of this section can be read as an antithesis: "And therefore the Lord hesitates to have mercy on you." By showing that those who put their trust in Egypt will be ashamed of their hope, in these verses the prophet shows that those who remain where they are and have made God their only hope will receive comfort from this. When times are tough, God's people are comforted that nevertheless everything will end well for those who fear God when we say to the wicked, "You will be bad."

I. God will be merciful and have mercy on them. This is the basis for all good things. If we find favor with God and He is merciful to us, then we will receive consolation according to the time during which we suffered.

1. It is said very emphatically that mercy is reserved for them.

(1) “The Lord hesitates to have mercy (v. 18);

He will wait for you to return to Him and start looking for His face, and then He will be ready to meet you with mercy. He will expect to do so at the best and most appropriate time, when it will most contribute to His glory, when it will cause the most pleasant surprise in us. He will constantly follow you with His grace and will not miss any opportunity to show you mercy. "

(2) “He will induce Himself to deliver you, He will be exalted, and will rise from His holy dwelling place (3ax 2:13) to intercede for you with an extraordinary example of power and mercy. Thus He will be exalted, that is, He will glorify His given name... This is what He strives for, showing mercy to His people. "

(3) He will have mercy on you (v. 19), answering your prayer, which will make His mercy doubly merciful: “He will have mercy on you in the voice of your cry, the cry that testifies to your distress, when there is an urgent need for the cry of prayer, when she's especially passionate. As soon as He hears it (He doesn't need anymore), from the very first word He will answer you and say: "Here I am." Moreover, He is undoubtedly very merciful. In particular: those who have lost their possessions and property will again enjoy them calmly. When the danger is over, the people will live in Zion, in Jerusalem, as they did before; he will live in safety, free from fear of evil. The one who wept a lot will have reason to rejoice, and they will weep no more; those who live in Zion, the holy city, will find enough in it to wipe the tears from their eyes.

2. This is based on two great truths:

(1) The Lord is the God of righteousness; He acts wisely and justly in directing His providence, He is true to His word and gentle to His people. If He punishes His children, then in righteousness (Jer 10:24), in moderation and prudence, taking into account their nature. We consider it safe to turn to the judge, so shouldn't we surrender our way to the God of righteousness?

(2) Therefore, blessed are all who trust in Him and not only wait for Him in their prayers, but also await Him with their hopes, who will not follow dubious paths to get out of a predicament or bring deliverance, but will patiently wait until God will not stand up for him in His own way and in His own time. Since God is infinitely wise, those who entrust their work to Him are truly happy.

II. They will not need the means of grace (v. 20,21). These verses (1) suggest that they may find themselves in distress and hardship after being liberated. It is promised (v. 19) that they will not cry much and that God will have mercy on them, but here it is considered proven that God can feed them meager bread and meager water with the food of a prisoner (1 Kings 22:27), rough and miserable food that they eat beggars. When one misfortune goes away, we do not know how soon another will come; therefore, we can have the favor of God and comfort, which is sufficient so that there is no crying, and at the same time, we can eat the bread of distress and drink the water of suffering. Therefore, let's not judge love or hate by what stands before us.

(2.) It is promised that their eyes will see their teachers, that is, in their midst they will have faithful teachers, and their hearts will respect them and not neglect them, as before. And then they can best make peace with the bread of distress and the water of suffering. Old Puritans often said, "Black bread and the gospel are a good lot." Hunger and lack of bread are not as terrible as the lack of the word of God (Amos 8: 11,12). It seems that earlier their teachers fled to distant corners (perhaps they were forced to hide for their own safety during the time of Ahaz), but now everything will change. Veritas pop quaerit angulos truth is not looking for corners to hide. But teachers of truth sometimes have to hide in corners to be saved. Things are bad for the Church when this happens when a wife with a crown on her head of twelve stars is forced to flee into the wilderness (Rev 12: 6), when the prophets are hiding fifty in caves (1 Kings 18: 4). But God will take time to call the teachers from hiding and place them in the midst of holy meetings, where the people will see their teachers and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue will be fixed on them (Luke 4:20). And it will be especially pleasant after the long restriction to which they were subjected, like light after darkness and life after death. For all who love God and their soul, this return of faithful teachers from hiding, especially together with the promise that they will no longer hide, is the most auspicious part of any deliverance, and it carries enough comfort in itself to delight the bread of distress and water. suffering. But that's not all.

(3) It is promised that they will benefit not only from public service, but also from private and personal exhortation and advice (v. 21): “Your ears will hear the word that speaks behind you, calling you, as a man calls a traveler, seeing that he lost his way. " Notice where this word comes from. It will speak behind you, come from the One whom you cannot see, but who sees you. "Your eyes will see the teachers, but this teacher is not visible, it is your own conscience, which now, thanks to the grace of God, will awaken to fulfill its ministry." What are these words: “This is the way, follow it. When you doubt, your conscience will guide you along the path of duty; if you are stupid and frivolous, your conscience will revive you along the way. " Not only did God leave a testimony of Himself, but He gave guides to show our way. The timeliness of this word: it will come if you dodged to the right and if you dodged to the left. We tend to get out of our way; roads branch off on either side, and they are so trodden and straight in appearance that they might be mistaken for the correct path. And on the right and on left side there are mistakes; extremes are present on both sides of virtue; the tempter is trying to drag us onto a side path. We are happy if, thanks to the personal advice of a faithful minister or friend, or thanks to the limitations of conscience and the influence of the Holy Spirit, we are put on the right path and are warned not to go in the wrong direction. The success of this word: “It will not only be uttered, but your ears will hear it; if before God spoke to you once, moreover, the second time and you did not notice (Job 33:14), now you will listen attentively to the secret whisper, and you will listen to it with an obedient ear ”. If God gives us not only the word, but also the hearing ear, not only the means of grace, but also the heart that uses them correctly, then we have reason to say: "He is very merciful to us" and reason to hope that He still has mercy on us.

III. They will be healed of their idolatry, throw away their idols, and never return to them again (v. 22). Their deliverance, accomplished by God, will convince them that serving the only God is not only their duty, but also beneficial to them; they acknowledge that just as their idolatry brought this calamity upon them, so they were delivered from it on condition that they would not turn to it again. It was also a good result of seeing their teachers and hearing the word addressed to them; they will forsake their beloved sin, and it will become evident that they have improved through the means of grace they have enjoyed. Note:

(1.) How foolish and foolish they used to be in their attachment to idols in the days of their apostasy. Scripture says that idolaters were maddened by idols (Jer 50:38), admiring them. They had idols of silver and images of gold; and although gold did not need decoration, they covered it with a setting and painted with ornaments; they spared no expense in honoring their idols.

(2.) And how wise they have become now, experiencing holy indignation towards their idols, which they were imbued with on the day of their repentance. They not only destroyed their idols, but destroyed and defiled them; they not only spoiled them appearance, but in a godly rage they scattered the gold and silver from which they were made, although it was valuable and could be used profitably. Their hearts were not disposed to make any vessels of honor out of them. The rich clothes in which these idols were clothed, they threw away as an obscene thing that defiled everyone who touched it and made them unclean until evening (Lev 15:23). Note, For all truly repentant people, sin becomes especially abhorrent; they feel loathing for him and for themselves; they throw him into the dung heap, the most suitable place for him, moreover, they nail him to the cross, for they crucify the flesh; they shout: "Crucify him, crucify him!" They tell him: "Abi hinc in malam rem away from here." They make a firm decision never to give him shelter again. They keep as far as possible from all situations leading to sin, and temptations to it, although they are like the right hand and the right eye, and resent them, like the Ephraimians: "What else do I care about idols?" (Hos 14: 8). Perhaps this concerned many people who, thanks to the deliverance of Jerusalem from the army of Senachirim, became convinced of the folly of their idolatry and left it. This happened to the Jewish people after their return from Babylonian captivity, for after that they abhorred idols; and it is the same now, through the power of divine grace, happening in the souls of converted believers as they move away from spiritual idolatry and come to the fear and love of God. Whoever joins the Lord must forsake all sin and say to him: "Get out of here."

IV. Then God will give them many benefits. When God gives people teachers, and they give God their hearts, starting to seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, then everything will be added to them (Matthew 6:33). And when people come to glorify God, then the earth will give its fruit and God, our God, will bless us (Ps 66: 6,7). Therefore, it goes on to say: “When you leave your idols, then God will give rain on your seed” (v. 23). When we return to God and begin to fulfill our duty, He meets us with His favors.

1. God will give rain to water the seeds you sow at the right time and in the right amount. Pay attention: how much man's hard work and God's blessings accompany the blessings of life that we enjoy at the present time: “You will sow a field (do what you must), and then God will give rain on your seed (will do what is required of Him) ". The same happens with spiritual fruits: we must make an effort with all our hearts and then trust in God, expecting His grace.

2. The harvest of the land will be rich and good, and everything will be produced best quality; it will be plentiful and juicy, very plentiful and very fat, it will be good and it will be enough. Surely you will live in Canaan; this was especially significant after the defeat of Sennacherib, because of God's special blessings (Isa. 37:30). In this way, God will make up for their loss of devastation.

3. Not only cultivated land, but also pastures will be amazingly fertile: “Your flocks will graze on vast pastures; those who eat grass will have a lot of room, and the oxen and donkeys that are kept to cultivate the land and therefore must eat better to be able to work will eat cleaned fodder. The feed they receive will not contain straw, as usual, they will have clean feed, suitable for human consumption, cleaned by a fan. " This abundance will also affect wild animals; it seems that it should be so, for they groan under the weight of the curse that man's sin has brought upon them.

4. Even the tops of the mountains, which were previously barren, will be so well moistened by the rain of heaven that now there will flow streams and streams of water that will descend into the valleys (v. 25). This will happen on the day of the great defeat that the angel will make in the camp of the Assyrians, when the towers and fortifications that they built for the siege of Jerusalem fall; the army will be defeated and will certainly fall. Perhaps this prophecy was fulfilled letter by letter; and at about the same time that the army was destroyed, an unusual stream of mercy poured down to the earth. V. The result will be astounding: the comfort and joy of God's people (v. 26). The light will increase, that is, knowledge will multiply (when the prophecies are fulfilled, they will be fully understood), or, rather, exultation will come: the light of joy that shines for the righteous will now shine brightly. The light of the moon will become as bright and strong as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will increase in proportion to it and will be brighter seven times. Each person will be more joyful and friendly than usual. In Judea and Jerusalem, there will be a surge of joy over the destruction of the Assyrian army as the Lord binds the wound of His people, not only saving them from further defeat, but also healing the wounds inflicted by the invasion, and making up for all their losses. The great calamity that befell them, the despair of receiving help, and the suddenness of deliverance will greatly increase their joy. Many quite rightly believe that these words relate to the light that the gospel brought into this world to those who sat in darkness and which significantly surpassed the light. Old Testamenthow the light of the sun surpasses the light of the moon; he proclaims healing to broken hearts and binds their wounds.

Verses 27-33... This frightening prediction about the death of the Assyrian army, although it is a threat to them, is also part of God's promise to Israel, which says that God will not only punish the Assyrians for the evil done to the Israel of God, but will also frighten them and deprive them of the power to do similar in the future. ... This prediction, soon to be fulfilled, confirms and approves previous promises that will be fulfilled later. In these verses:

I. Almighty God is angry and in anger opposes the Assyrians. He is here in full force and fearful with His wrath (v. 27). The name of the Lord, which the Assyrians despised, as if it could not reach them and harm them, comes from afar. A messenger in the name of the Lord comes from afar, as if from heaven itself. He is the messenger of wrath: His wrath burns. The lips of God are filled with indignation at the blasphemy of Rabshak, who compared the God of Israel with the gods of the pagans; His tongue is like a consuming fire, for He can crush His proud enemies by word; His very breath goes out with the power that a flooded stream possesses, and with it He will kill the wicked (Isa 11: 4). He does not restrain or humble His indignation, as people do, when they have no reason to be angry or they are powerless, but will roar with His majestic voice, proclaiming war against the enemies who have neglected Him (v. 3O). He will manifest His indignation in intense anger: in anger, at its highest point; he will be like the flame of a consuming fire that spreads and devours everything in front of him with lightning, storms and hail of stones. All these are formidable phenomena of nature, and therefore they expressively characterize the horrors of the Almighty God of nature.

II. Describes how the Lord's wrath will be poured out. People often get angry when they can only threaten and talk a lot, but when people hear the majestic voice of God, then it will not end there: He will reveal His gravitating muscle (v. 30). The actions of His providence will fulfill the threats of His word. And those who do not see His hand held high (Isa 26:11) will feel the light emanating from her and will find, to their chagrin, that her burden is heavy (v. 27);

it will be so heavy that they cannot bear it or resist it, and inevitably fall and be crushed. Who knows the power of His anger, or can imagine what an offended God can do? Here are five elements prepared for action:

(1) the overflowing stream, which rises even to the neck, will overcome the enemy army, and only Sennacherib, its commander-in-chief, will stay on the surface and avoid this blow; so he will be saved for the next blow, which will fall in the house of Nisroch of the god he worshiped. The Assyrian army in relation to Judea could be compared with a stormy river, which will reach the neck (Is 8: 7,8), and now the breath of God's wrath will be the same for it.

(2.) God will scatter to exhaustion those nations of which the army of the Assyrians was made (v. 28). The Great God can sift the nations, for they are all before Him like the smallest dust on the scales; He will sift them, but not in order to select some for further preservation, but in order to thoroughly shake them together, plunge them into the greatest numbness and finally shake them out, for the words "dispel until exhaustion" (after which nothing remains ) means they were shaken, but everything turned out to be husks.

(3) God prepared a bridle for their jaws to subdue and bridle them, to prevent them from doing evil, but to compel and induce them to serve His purposes and not their own will (Isa.10: 7). God clearly says about Sennacherib (Isa. 37:29) that He will put a ring in his nostrils and a bit in his mouth. This will be a bridle leading to delusion, prompting them to commit acts that, contrary to their benefit, will be destructive for them and drive them crazy. God, by His word, directs His people on the right path (v. 21), and with a bridle directs His enemies on a steep road, which swiftly leads them to destruction.

(4.) Here is described the rod and the staff, the voice of the Lord, His word, uttering the command, from which Asshur will tremble (v. 31). Asshur himself was a rod in God's hand as He chastised and defeated His people (Isa 10: 5). But it was a short-term wand, and a wand determined by him will reach out against Assur, which will inflict constant blows on him and stick to him until it reaches its goal and leads to the expected effect. It is a rod with a foundation that is based on the merit of enemies and the firm purpose of God. They are destined for destruction (Isa 10:23), and they will have no way to escape it; it will fall wherever Asshur is found; The Lord will direct destruction on him and command him to stop there (v. 32). Such a disastrous situation will be for those who persist in their hostility to God: the wrath of God abides on them.

(5.) Tophet has long been arranged for them (v. 33). The valley of the son of Hinnom, adjacent to Jerusalem, was called Tophet. It is assumed that many Assyrian military units were located in this valley, and there they were exterminated by a destroying angel or the bodies of those killed were burned there. Hezekiah recently, from yesterday (literally) arranged it; that is, say some, he cleansed this place from the images set there, for which they burned their children, and thus prepared from it a container for the dead bodies of their enemies; he is prepared for the king of Assyria (i.e., for his army) and has enough fuel at his disposal to burn them all. They will be swallowed up so suddenly and effectively, as if the fire were kept burning for them by a constant stream of sulfur. Such is the breath of the Lord: His words and His anger directed at them. Further, as in the previous promises, the prophet imperceptibly passed on to the promises of gospel graces and consolations, so here, threatening the death of Sennarichim's army, he points to the final and eternal destruction of all unrepentant sinners. Our Savior names the future plight of the condemned as Gehena with reference to the valley of Hinnom, which in some way allows us to apply these words to their plight; in the Apocalypse, it is also often called a lake, burning with fire and brimstone. It is said that this place has long been prepared for the devil and his angels, for the greatest and proudest sinners, who think they will not have to give an account of what they say and do; it is prepared even for the king. It is deep and wide enough to embrace the world of the wicked; there is a lot of fire and wood in his fire. The wrath of God is fire, and sinners make themselves fuel for it, and the breath of the Lord (the power of His wrath) will ignite it and keep it burning forever (see Isa 66:24). Therefore, be in awe and do not sin.

III. It speaks of the great joy that these events will cause among the people of God. The fall of the Assyrian army will cause Jerusalem to rejoice (v. 29): "And you will have songs, psalms of praise, like those that are sung on the night of a sacred feast in the house of the Lord, in order to glorify the One who gives songs in the night." These will not be songs of vain fun, but sacred songs that are sung solemnly and with reverence at holy holidays. Our joy at the fall of the enemies of the Church must be holy; this should be joy in the heart, like one walking with a pipe (as the sons of the prophets did when they prophesied, 1 Sam.10: 5) to the mountain of the Lord, to there praise the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, wherever divine vengeance overtakes the Assyrians, they will not only fall unmourned, but all their neighbors will welcome their fall with tympans and zithers; they will rejoice, seeing how God will go against them in a devastating war, which will destroy them from this world (v. 32), for at the destruction of the wicked there is a triumph. With special satisfaction, wise and pious people will see the death of those who, like the Assyrians, arrogantly disobeyed God and trampled all over humanity.

1-5. Woe to those who seek help from Egypt, not from God. 6-8. Prophecy about Egypt. 9-14. Disobedience of the Jews. 15-26. Correction of the people of God. 27–33. Destruction of Assur.

Isa. 30: 1. Woe to the disobedient sons, says the Lord, who make consultations, but without Me, and make alliances, but not according to My spirit, in order to add sin to sin:

Isa. 30: 2. without questioning my mouth, they go to Egypt to strengthen themselves with the power of Pharaoh and to hide under the shadow of Egypt.

“Without Me” is more correct: contrary to My will.

“Not according to my spirit,” that is, not in the way that God taught them through the true prophets who spoke under the influence of the Spirit of God.

“Sin to sin,” that is, they already have many sins, and they still add new ones to the old ones!

"My mouth", that is, My messenger, the prophet Isaiah.

“Under the shadow” is the same as “under protection”.

Isa. 30: 3. But Pharaoh's power will be a shame to you, and refuge under the shadow of Egypt a dishonor;

Isa. 30: 4. for his princes are already in Zoan, and his ambassadors have reached Hanes.

Isa. 30: 5. They will all be ashamed of the people, which the useless to them; there will be no help or benefit from him, but shame and disgrace.

"Princes", that is, the emissaries of the Jewish king.

"Zoan" - see chap. Isa.19: 11.

"Gravity" - in Hebrew. massa, which means a) heaviness, a heavy burden and b) vision.

The Russian synodal translation obviously refers to the heavy packs carried by animals going to Egypt with the emissaries of the Jewish king. These packs contain gifts for the Pharaoh, from whom the emissaries of the Jewish king were to ask for help in the struggle against Assyria. But it is most natural to understand the word massa in the sense of "vision", "prophecy" and the expression "animals" to replace the expression "monster", because in Heb. in the text, the number is set here - behemoth - in the sense of indicating the enormity of one animal (cf. Job 40: 10-15). This Hebrew word is very close to the Egyptian name for the hippopotamus - pehe-mau (pegemo) and it is very likely that the prophet here had in mind this very animal, which could seem to him a suitable symbol of the vast and motionless Egyptian kingdom.