The Meaning of Isaiah 30:13 Explained

Isaiah 30:13

KJV: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

YLT: Therefore is this iniquity to you as a breach falling, Swelled out in a wall set on high, Whose destruction suddenly, at an instant cometh.

Darby: therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a towering wall, whose breaking shall come suddenly in an instant.

ASV: therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly in an instant.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore this iniquity  shall be to you as a breach  ready to fall,  swelling out  in a high  wall,  whose breaking  cometh  suddenly  at an instant. 

What does Isaiah 30:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 30:1-17 - Fatal Reliance On Human Aid
Toward the close of the 8th century, b.c. Jerusalem sent ambassadors to seek help from Egypt against Assyria, in distinct defiance of God's repeated warnings. Isaiah denounced this as adding sin to sin. Even though their princes reached Zoan and Hanes, capital cities, and succeeded in their object, it would not help them. The beasts of burden might traverse the deserts with presents and bribes, but all would be in vain. These truths, however, were unpalatable, and the politicians endeavored to silence the prophet, Isaiah 30:9-11. All sin recoils on the sinner. At first his efforts seem to protect him, but soon the wall begins to bulge, then it totters, finally it falls. The true policy, urged by Isaiah in Isaiah 30:15, would be to renounce these efforts for Egyptian help and return to rest in the loving care of God. In returning and rest they would be saved! Oh, that we were more quiet and calm in the face of danger, hushing our fears, stilling our throbbing hearts, and leaning back on the everlasting arms! God cannot fail you, ye fearful saints. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 30

1  The prophet threatens the people for their confidence in Egypt
8  And contempt of God's word
18  God's mercies toward his church
27  God's wrath and the people's joy, in the destruction of Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 30:13 mean?

therefore shall be to you iniquity this Like a breach ready to fall a bulge in a wall high Whose suddenly in an instant comes breaking
לָכֵ֗ן יִֽהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ הֶעָוֺ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה כְּפֶ֣רֶץ נֹפֵ֔ל נִבְעֶ֖ה בְּחוֹמָ֣ה נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־ פִּתְאֹ֥ם לְפֶ֖תַע יָב֥וֹא שִׁבְרָֽהּ

יִֽהְיֶ֤ה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶם֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
הֶעָוֺ֣ן  iniquity 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
כְּפֶ֣רֶץ  Like  a  breach 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּרֶץ  
Sense: breach, gap, bursting forth.
נֹפֵ֔ל  ready  to  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
נִבְעֶ֖ה  a  bulge 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּעָה 
Sense: to seek out, swell, cause to swell, boil up, enquire.
בְּחוֹמָ֣ה  in  a  wall 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
נִשְׂגָּבָ֑ה  high 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: שָׂגַב  
Sense: to be high, be inaccessibly high.
אֲשֶׁר־  Whose 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
פִּתְאֹ֥ם  suddenly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: פִּתְאֹם  
Sense: suddenly, surprisingly subst.
לְפֶ֖תַע  in  an  instant 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adverb
Root: פֶּתַע  
Sense: suddenness, in an instant.
יָב֥וֹא  comes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
שִׁבְרָֽהּ  breaking 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר 
Sense: breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering.