Charles Ellicott Commentary Isaiah 30:6

"The burden of the beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit [them]." — Isaiah 30:6 (ASV)

The burden of the beasts of the south. —It has been suggested that this, which reads like the heading of a new section, was first placed in the margin by a transcriber, as suggested by the mention of the lions, vipers, camels, and donkeys, and then found its way into the text (Cheyne).

There seems no reason, however, why the prophet would not have prefixed it with the sarcasm of an indignant irony. “You ask for an oracle,” he seems to say, “and you will have one; but its very heading will imply condemnation and derision”; and then he continues his picture of the journey of the embassy.

They pass through the Negeb, the south country, which is arid and waste, haunted only by lions, and vipers, and fiery (i.e., venomous) serpents. They had their donkeys and camels with them, laden with the treasures with which they hoped to purchase the Egyptian alliance.