Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 30

Woe (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).

Who take counsel, but not of me — They look to Egypt and depend on a human arm.

And who cover with a covering — The idea here, according to our translation, is that they seek protection or a covering from the impending calamity. Lowth renders this, "Who ratify covenants," supposing that the reference is to the fact that in ancient times compacts were formed by offering sacrifices and by pouring out libations. The Hebrew, according to Lowth, means, "who pour out a libation." So the Septuagint renders it, Συνθήκας (sunthēkas) — "And you have made covenants." The Syriac renders it, "Who pour out libations." The Hebrew word נסך (nâsak) properly conveys the idea of pouring out, and is applied:

1. to the act of pouring out wine as a drink offering, or as a libation to God (Genesis 35:14; Exodus 30:9; 1 Chronicles 11:18; Hosea 9:4);
2. to the act of pouring out oil, that is, to anointing kings and rulers (Psalms 2:6; Daniel 11:8);
3. to the act of pouring out melted metals, that is, to cast them (Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 44:10).

The word also may have a meaning kindred to סכך (sâkak) and denote "to cover," as in Isaiah 25:7. Various derivatives from the word are rendered "to cover withal" (Numbers 4:7); "the covering" (Isaiah 28:20); "the web," that is, that which is woven for a covering (Judges 16:13–14). The idea, however, which best suits the connection here is probably that suggested by Lowth, in accordance with the Septuagint and the Syriac, and adopted by Rosenmuller, Gesenius, and others, "to make a libation," that is, to ratify a covenant or compact.

But not of my Spirit — It was not such as was suggested by his Spirit, and not such as he would approve.

That they may add sin to sin — They add to the sin of rebellion against God that of forming an alliance. Sins do not usually stand alone. When one is committed, it is often necessary to commit others in order to carry out and complete the plan it contemplated.

That walk to go down to Egypt - Hebrew, ‘Going in the descent to Egypt.’ That is, they do it by their ambassadors (Isaiah 30:4). The journey to Egypt from Palestine is always represented as going down (Genesis 12:10; Genesis 42:3; Genesis 43:15; Numbers 20:15; Deuteronomy 10:22).

To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh - To form an alliance with Pharaoh, so that they might be able to repel the threatened invasion. Pharaoh was the general name of the kings of Egypt, in the same manner as Caesar was the common name of the emperors of Rome.

To trust in the shadow of Egypt - A ‘shadow’ (צל tsêl) is an emblem of protection and defense, as a shade is a protection from the burning rays of the sun (see the note at Isaiah 4:6).

Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame - (see the note at Isaiah 20:5).

Your confusion - Hebrew, ‘For reproach.’ It would either occur that the Egyptians would not enter into an alliance; or that if they did, they could not defend them, and in either case it would be the source of deep regret and shame.

For his princes - The meaning of this verse seems to be this: The prophet is stating the fact that the Jews would be ashamed of their attempted alliance with Egypt. In this verse and the following, he states how they would be made to realize their folly in seeking this alliance. He therefore enumerates several circumstances regarding how the alliance had been sought, and the disappointment that would follow after all their vain confidence.

He therefore states (Isaiah 30:4) that the Jews had employed persons of the highest respectability and honor, even princes, to secure the alliance; that they had gone to Egypt with much difficulty—through a land where lions, vipers, and fiery serpents abounded; that they had, at great risk, taken their treasures down to Egypt to secure the alliance (Isaiah 30:5–6); and that, after all, the Egyptians could not aid them.

The phrase ‘his princes,’ refers to the princes of Judah, the ambassadors whom the Jews sent out. The idea is that they regarded the alliance as so important that they had employed their most honorable men—even their princes—to secure it.

Were at Zoan - They had come to Zoan, or were there on the business of their embassy. On the situation of Zoan, see the notes on Isaiah 19:11 and Isaiah 19:13. It was the residence of the kings in Lower Egypt and would be the place to which the ambassadors would naturally go to negotiate an alliance.

Came to Hanes - Regarding the location of this place, there has been much diversity of opinion among interpreters. The Chaldee renders it with the fuller name “Tahpanhes”; Grotius supposes that the word is contracted from Tahpanhes (Jeremiah 43:7–8), and that the name was sometimes abbreviated and written חנס chânēs. Vitringa supposes that it was Anusis, situated in the Nile Delta, and the residence of the king of the same name. Herodotus (2.137) mentions a city of that name, Ἄνυσίς Anusis.

Anusis was a king of Egypt before the irruption of the Ethiopians, and it was not uncommon for a king to give his own name to a city. Probably Anusis is the city intended here; and the meaning is that they had come to the royal residence for the purpose of negotiating an alliance. It is known that in the time of Jeremiah (588 years before Christ), “Tahpanhes” was the capital of the nation .

They were all ashamed – That is, all the legates or ambassadors. When they came into Egypt, they found them either unwilling to enter into an alliance or unable to render them any aid, and they were ashamed that they had sought their assistance rather than depend on God .