Isaiah 30:1

Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord,.... The Jews, who were, by national adoption, and by outward profession of religion, the "children" of God, but were apostates from him, had turned

Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: Jewish ambassadors were now on

ISAIAH CHAPTER 30 The prophet threateneth the people for their confidence in Egypt, , and contempt of God’ s word, ; wherefore they shall be destroyed, . God’ s mercies towards the church, . God’ s wrath and his people’ s joy in the destruction of Assyria, . The rebellious children; the Jews, who call themselves God’ s children, though they are rebellious ones, as was said, . That take counsel; that consult together, and resolve to do what follows, . Not of me; not following nor asking my advice, which they had command and encouragement from me to do. That cover with a covering; that seek protection. Not of my Spirit; not such as by my Spirit, speaking in my word, I have directed and required them to do; but such as I have severely forbidden to them; for the contrary affirmative is frequently implied in the negative; of which I have formerly given many instances. That they may add sin to sin; that unto those sins, by which they have deserved and procured my judgments upon them, they may add distrust of my power and mercy to save them, and confidence in an arm of flesh, which also is rebellion against my express command to the contrary.

Isaiah 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:Ver. 1. Woe to the rebellious children.] Vae filiis desertoribus, vel apostatis, so he boldly calleth the politicians of his time, the counsellors of state, Shebna and others, who gave good Hezekiah ill counsel to send to Egypt for help when Sennacherib invaded him. Well might St Paul say, "Esaias is very bold." Consurgens enim, proceres inquit, quid hoc rei est quod occeptatis? male omnina factum! vae vobls, vae reipublicae toti! Such another bold court preacher was Elias, Amos, John Baptist, Chrysostom, Latimer, Dearing, &c. See Latimer’ s letter to King Henry VIII after the proclamation for abolishing English books, Acts and Mon., fol. 1591, where we may see and marvel at his great boldness and stoutness, saith Mr Foxe, who, as yet being no bishop, so freely and plainly, without all fear of death, adventuring his own life to discharge his conscience so boldly, to so mighty a prince, in such a dangerous case, against the king’ s law and proclamation, set out in such a terrible time, dared take upon him to write and to admonish that which no counsellor dared once speak unto him in defenee of Christ’ s gospel, &c. That take council, but not of me.] Though I am "the wonderful Counsellor," and though they profess to be my children, but unruly, rebellious ones. I must needs say, they are such as, like petty gods within themselves, run on of their own heads, and "lean to their own understanding," as if I were nothing to them, or as if Consilii satis est in me mihi were their motto. See the like folly, Joshua 9:14. That cover with a covering.] But it will not reach. God will make the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack, and the fairest blossoms of human policies to wither. That they may add sin to sin,] i.e., Thereby adding sin to sin. Est species quaedam αποστασιας aliunde quam a Deo auxilium petere. Et ordiremini telam.

XXX. (1) Woe to the rebellious children . . .—The interjection perhaps expresses sorrow rather than indignation, Alas, for . . .! as in Isaiah 1:4. The prophet hears that the intrigues of the palace have at last issued in favour of an alliance with Egypt, and that an embassy has been already sent. That cover with a covering.—Better, that weave a web. The word was fitly chosen then, as now, to describe the subtle intricacies of a double-dealing diplomacy. Some, however, render “form a molten image,” not as referring to actual idolatry, but to the trust in human plans which the prophet condemns.

CHAPTER XXX The Jews reproved for their reliance on Egypt, 1-7. Threatened for their obstinate adherence to this alliance, 8-17. Images the most elegant and lofty, by which the intense gloriousness of Messiah's reign at the period when all Israel shall be added to the Church is beautifully set forth, 18-26. Dreadful fall of Sennacherib's army, an event most manifestly typical of the terrible and sudden overthrow of Antichrist; as, unless this typical reference be admitted, no possible connexion can be imagined between the stupendous events which took place in Hezekiah's reign, and the very remote and inconceivably more glorious displays of Divine vengeance and mercy in the days of the Messiah, 27-33. NOTES ON CHAP. XXX Verse 1. And that cover with a covering - "Who ratify covenants"] Heb. "Who pour out a libation." Sacrifice and libation were ceremonies constantly used, in ancient times by most nations in the ratifying of covenants: a libation therefore is used for a covenant, as in Greek the word σπονδη, for the same reason, stands for both. This seems to be the most easy explication of the Hebrew phrase, and it has the authority of the Septuagint, εποιησατεσυνθηκας.

1–5. The futile alliance with Egypt denounced. Comp. Isaiah 29:15, Isaiah 31:1.

Wo, - (see the note at Isaiah 18:1). To the rebellious children - To those whom he had nourished as children, and who had rebelled against him (see the note at Isaiah 1:23).

THIRD WOE.A few months later, when plans of stricter alliance with Egypt, conceived by the rulers at Jerusalem with the greatest secrecy, (see Isaiah 29:15,) were matured, this prophecy was uttered.1.