Isaiah 30 13

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.

Isaiah 30:13 nkjv

Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.

Isaiah 30:13 niv

this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

Isaiah 30:13 esv

therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;

Isaiah 30:13 nlt

calamity will come upon you suddenly ?
like a bulging wall that bursts and falls.
In an instant it will collapse
and come crashing down.

Isaiah 30 verses

Isaiah 30 13 meaning

Isaiah 30:13 warns of the sudden, catastrophic consequence awaiting Judah due to their persistent sin and rebellious spirit. Their iniquity, particularly their reliance on foreign alliances rather than God, is depicted as an irreversible flaw in a seemingly strong wall. This flaw, like a breach or a bulge, quietly intensifies until the entire structure collapses without warning, signifying swift and complete divine judgment.

Isaiah 30 13 Context

Isaiah 30 addresses Judah's stubborn rebellion and unfaithfulness to God, specifically their decision to seek military alliance and aid from Egypt against the rising power of Assyria, rather than trusting in the Lᴏʀᴅ (Isa 30:1-3). God declares a "woe" upon them for forming plans without Him and for pursuing an alliance that would only bring shame and trouble (Isa 30:4-7). The people have consistently refused to listen to God's law and prophetic warnings, preferring "smooth things" and delusions (Isa 30:9-10). They explicitly reject the "Holy One of Israel" as their guide (Isa 30:11-12). This particular verse, 30:13, is a direct consequence, explaining why and how their chosen path of iniquity will lead to sudden, total devastation. It’s an immediate judgment pronounced after their rejection of God’s clear counsel.

Isaiah 30 13 Word analysis

• therefore (לָכֵן - lāḵēn): A consequential conjunction. It links the previous verses describing Judah's iniquity (rejection of God's word, trust in Egypt, Isa 30:9-12) directly to the inevitable judgment that follows. It signals a cause-and-effect relationship, highlighting God's righteous response to human sin.
• this iniquity (הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה - heʿāwōn hazzah): 'āwōn (עָוֹן) means "iniquity," "guilt," "punishment for iniquity." It encapsulates not just the act of sin but its resultant defilement and liability. The definite article "this" refers specifically to the accumulated rebellion, disobedience, and misplaced trust detailed in the preceding verses. It is the specific moral failure and religious transgression of seeking human solutions over divine trust.
• shall be to you (יִהְיֶה לָכֶם - yihyeh lāḵem): "To you" directly implicates the people of Judah. The consequence is personal and inescapable; it is specifically for them, a judgment that affects their existence.
• like a breach (כְּפֶרֶץ - keferaṣ): peraṣ (פֶרֶץ) means "breach," "rupture," or "gap." Here, "like" indicates a simile. It's not a visible hole but an internal weakness, a stress point in a structure. A breach implies a failure point where stability is lost.
• ready to fall (נִפְרָץ - nip̄rāṣ): From paraṣ meaning to break forth, ready to collapse. This intensifies "breach" indicating the impending nature of the downfall. It's not just a flaw, but a flaw that is actively in the process of giving way, signifying a danger that is immediate and irreversible once initiated.
• swelling out (נִתְגָּר - nitgār): From the root garar, related to a bulge, an out-jutting. It describes the dangerous distortion of the wall, an external manifestation of internal stress. It visually portrays the increasing, unseen pressure causing the wall to visibly distort, yet perhaps still seem robust from a distance, fooling those who rely on it. This suggests a dangerous escalation beneath a false exterior.
• in a high wall (בְּחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה - bəḥōmâ niśgāvâ): ḥōmâ (חוֹמָה) is a wall, typically a city wall, often signifying security or defense. niśgāvâ (נִשְׂגָּבָה) means high or exalted, suggesting impressiveness, strength, and perhaps perceived invincibility. This imagery contrasts the perceived strength of their security (e.g., trust in Egypt or their own fortifications) with its actual hidden vulnerability. The irony is that the stronger the wall, the more devastating its collapse.
• whose collapse comes (וְשִׁבְרָהּ בְּרֶגַע פִּתְאֹם - vəšivrāh bəreḡaʿ pit'om): šever (שֶׁבֶר) means "breaking," "ruin," or "collapse." The possessive suffix indicates "its collapse." This highlights the destructive outcome of the internal weakness.
• suddenly (פִּתְאֹם - pit'om): pit'om (פִּתְאֹם) denotes an abrupt, unexpected event. The judgment will not be gradual or preceded by ample warning once the critical point is reached.
• in an instant (בְּרֶגַע - bəreḡaʿ): regaʿ (רֶגַע) signifies a moment, a split-second. This reinforces the instantaneous nature of the collapse, emphasizing its speed and completeness once it begins, leaving no time for escape or reaction.

Isaiah 30 13 Bonus section

The imagery of a collapsing wall holds particular resonance for ancient Israel. City walls were their primary defense, symbolizing security and nationhood. The thought of a high, formidable wall suddenly giving way to rubble without prior attack highlights the unique and devastating nature of God's judgment—it originates from within the system, like a structural failure, rather than from an external foe. This suggests that the real threat to Judah was not Assyria, but their own spiritual decay and rejection of divine wisdom. The passage also alludes to the covenant curses, where disloyalty would result in the loss of security and divine protection. The specific choice of "breach ready to fall" and "swelling out" instead of just "cracked" or "broken" emphasizes the invisible, accumulating internal stress, like a slow-motion catastrophe building towards an ultimate, instantaneous event.

Isaiah 30 13 Commentary

Isaiah 30:13 serves as a vivid metaphor for divine judgment. The "iniquity" of Judah – their determined choice to lean on human power and alliances (Egypt) instead of YHWH – accumulates and quietly corrupts the fabric of their nation, much like a growing, unaddressed fault within a massive wall. Outwardly, the wall (their perceived security or the nation itself) might appear formidable, a "high wall" suggesting strength and grandeur. However, internally, a hidden weakness, a "breach... swelling out," undermines its very foundation. This imagery signifies the deceptive nature of sin; its consequences often develop unseen until a critical point is reached. Once that point is passed, the destruction is not gradual but "suddenly, in an instant" – swift, total, and unavoidable. This verse is a stern warning against false confidence and spiritual blindness, reminding that the seeds of self-destruction sown by disobedience will inevitably blossom into catastrophic collapse at a moment least expected.