For his princes were at Zoan— When his princes—to Hanes, Isaiah 30:5 they were, &c. Isaiah 30:6 as to the burden of the beasts southward, unto a land—from whence come the lioness and stout lion—ver. 7. Therefore have I called her, Rage to rest; or Pride [Rahab, a name of Egypt] be still. Vitringa. It is plain from these words of the prophet, that the ambassadors of the king Hosea, after they came into Egypt, should find every thing there unprepared, and averse to their wishes; and so, covered with shame, should soon understand from the state of things, that they could receive little or no benefit at all from this alliance, Isaiah 30:4-5. In the next verses the prophet more fully explains this: for, seeing as it were immediately before his eyes the ambassadors of this peoples otherwise sufficiently exhausted, bearing their splendid and sumptuous presents on camels and asses into Egypt, a country of invidious name, to the injury and contempt of the God of Israel, and perceiving that they would reap no advantage from this proud and sumptuous embassy; that the whole would be fruitless, or rather would raise the indignation of the Assyrians, and hasten the destruction of Samaria (as we learn from history was really the case); he cannot refrain, but exhibits to the life the whole scheme of this imprudence, folly, and incredulity, as it was immediately presented to his prophetic sight, with its shameful and sorrowful event; and teaches, in the end, that it should come to pass that Egypt, which is called רהב Rahab—fierceness, pride, rage, should be entirely still, and so rest, as to be unable to help at all. This is the meaning of the passage, as it appears more plainly from the translation given by Vitringa. Egypt, at this time joined to Ethiopia, was of all countries most fertile of every fierce and wild creature which the nature of man abhors, both terrestrial and aquatic. See Boch. Hieroz. p. ii. lib. iii. c. 13. and Leo Africanus, Hist. Afr. c. ii. Vitringa observes, that there can be no doubt but Isaiah 4:6 has a higher and mystical reference, which may be collected from Nahum 2:12-13.
Related Commentaries of Isaiah 30:4
Isaiah 30:4-7
4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.