The Meaning of Isaiah 30:16 Explained

Isaiah 30:16

KJV: But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

YLT: And ye say, No, for on a horse we flee? Therefore ye flee, And on the swift we ride! Therefore swift are your pursuers.

Darby: And ye said, No, but we will flee upon horses, therefore shall ye flee; and, We will ride upon the swift, therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

ASV: but ye said, No, for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

Discover Isaiah 30:16

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 30:16?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 30:16 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 30:16 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 30:16?

What is the context of Isaiah 30:16?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

What does Isaiah 30:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Their punishment would be talionic; their punishment would fit their crime. They would flee before their very swift enemy, because they chose to run away on swift horses rather than to rest in the Lord (cf. Matthew 26:52). When we rely on our swiftness and strength, it is only a matter of time before someone faster and stronger comes along and overtakes us.

"The film Chariots of Fire illustrates what this looks like in real life. It tells the story of two men, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. Both are great athletes on the same team, but there is a difference. Abrahams competes out of an inner drivenness. He is deeply insecure. He has a point to prove. It"s all about him. Liddell also competes to win. But he runs out of a sense of God"s goodness. He"s not in bondage to himself. He runs for the glory of God. Two men, two motives, two inner lives- Eric Liddell competing in the Holy Spirit, Harold Abrahams running on sheer adrenaline. It"s the difference between spirituality, even in athletics, and self-absorption." ^[1]

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 30:16 mean?

And you said No for on horses we will flee upon thus you shall flee and on swift [horses] we will ride Therefore] shall be swift those who pursue you

וַתֹּ֨אמְר֥וּ לֹא־ כִ֛י עַל־ ס֥וּס נָנ֖וּס עַל־ כֵּ֣ן ! תְּנוּס֑וּן וְעַל־ קַ֣ל נִרְכָּ֔ב כֵּ֖ן יִקַּ֥לּוּ רֹדְפֵיכֶֽם

וַתֹּ֨אמְר֥וּ	And you said
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֹא־	No
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
ס֥וּס	horses
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: סוּס Sense: swallow, swift.
נָנ֖וּס	we will flee
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural Root: נוּס Sense: to flee, escape.
עַל־	upon
Parse: Preposition Root: עַל Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֵּ֣ן	thus
Parse: Adverb Root: כֵּן Sense: so, therefore, thus.
! תְּנוּס֑וּן	you shall flee
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun Root: נוּס Sense: to flee, escape.
וְעַל־	and on
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition Root: עַל Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
קַ֣ל	swift [horses]
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular Root: קַל Sense: swift, light, fleet.
נִרְכָּ֔ב	we will ride
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural Root: רָכַב Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
יִקַּ֥לּוּ	shall be swift
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: קָלַל Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.
רֹדְפֵיכֶֽם	those who pursue you
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural Root: רָדַף Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 30:16?

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