Isaiah 30:6
in Isaiah 30This is the burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people of no profit to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 30
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(Verse 6a) The burden of the beasts of the south. In Hebrew it is called Massa Beemoth (Al. Behemoth) of the Negeb, which the Septuagint translated as 'The Vision of the Quadrupeds in the Desert'.
This site's exposition
the burden against the beasts of the Negev
on Isaiah 30:6-7
The caravan crosses a desert "of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent", carrying wealth "on the backs of donkeys". All of it goes "to a people of no profit to them". The LORD calls Egypt’s help "futile and empty" and names her "Rahab Who Sits Still".
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 6, 7.) In the land of trouble and distress there will be a lioness and a lion: there will also be venomous snakes and flying serpents. They will carry their riches on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels to a people who cannot help them. Egypt will be useless and in vain for assistance. LXX: In trouble and distress there will be a lion and a lion's cub: then there will be asps and flying snake offspring. They will carry their riches on donkeys and camels to a nation that will not help them. The Egyptians will be empty and useless for your benefit. For the lion, in Hebrew it is written Leis () (also Lehis), and for the flying ruler, which the Seventy translated as flying asps, in Hebrew it is called ἐμπρηστὴς and flying, which we can call the burner, and in Hebrew it is called Saraph (). Again, in that place where we have translated, carrying on the shoulders of the beasts, they have uniformly translated all the animals as foals, that is, the young of donkeys. But the land of tribulation and anguish signifies the very wide desert, through which the remnants of Jerusalem, along with John the son of Careah and the daughters of King Zedekiah, having taken away all they could have, fled to Egypt. Likewise, understand metaphorically the lioness and the lion cub as Jerusalem and its people, as Balaam says in Numbers: Behold the people shall rise up as a lioness, and shall lift itself up as a lion; it shall not rest until it devour the prey, and drink the blood of the slain (Num. XXIII, 24). In Ezekiel it is also written: Take up a lamentation for the prince of Israel, and say: Why has your mother the lioness lain down among lions, and reared her whelps in the midst of young lions? (Ezek. 19:1-2). […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
670. Third, he describes the carrying away of goods: the burden of the beasts; he threatens first the destruction of Egypt. The burden, of the sons of Judah, beasts, because of their stupidity or because they bore their goods like beasts; of the south, because …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They load the beasts of the south (horses fetched from Egypt, which lay south from Judea) with their riches, fancying, as it is common with people in a fright, that they were safer any where than where they were.
The burden of the beasts of the south,.... Some think this begins a new prophecy, and this the name and inscription of it.
A terrible threatening against those who slighted the good advice which God by his prophets gave them for the repose of their minds in that distress, assuring them that whatever became of others the judgment would certainly overtake them,
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The burden - משא massa seems here to be taken in its proper sense; the load, not the oracle. The same subject is continued; and there seems to be no place here for a new title to a distinct prophecy. Does not burden of the beasts of the South in this place relate to the presents sent by Hoshea king of Israel to the South - to Egypt, which lay south of Judea, to engage the Egyptians to succor him against the king of Assyria?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
burden--the prophecy as to, &c. [MAURER]; so the Septuagint, the fresh inscription here marks emphatically the prediction that follows. Or, rather, Isaiah sees in vision, the ambassador's beasts burdened with rich presents travelling southwards (namely, to Egypt, Da 11:5, 6), and exclaims, Oh, the burden of treasure on the beasts! &c.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The burden of the beasts of the south - The word ‘south’ here refers doubtless to the country to the south of Judea; and particularly to Egypt. Thus it is used in Dan 11:5-6. The phrase ‘beasts of the south,’ here refers to the animals that were traveling to Egypt. Isaiah, in vision, sees the caravan heavily laden with treasures pursuing a southern direction on its way to Egypt. The word ‘burden’ is used in two senses, to denote that which is borne, a heavy burden; or an oracle, a solemn prophetic message (see the notes at Isa 15:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 19:1). Many understand the word here in the latter sense, and regard this as the title of a prophetic message similar to those in Isa 15:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 19:1. But the word is doubtless used here in its ordinary signification, to denote the load which is borne on animals, and here especially the treasures which were borne down to Egypt, for the purpose of securing their friendly alliance. The prophet sees the caravan, or the beasts of the ambassadors heavily laden with rich treasures, traveling southward toward Egypt, and cries out, ‘O the heavy burden, the load of treasures going to the south!’ Into the land of trouble and anguish - Egypt; so called either because it was the land where the Hebrews had formerly suffered so severe oppressions; or because it was a land where the subjects were now grievously oppressed, and borne down with cruel laws; or because it was yet to be a land of trouble, from which the Jews could expect no aid. The general idea is, that Egypt was not a land of liberty and happiness, but a country where cruelty, oppression, and woe abounded. One source of trouble, as emblematic of all, the prophet immediately mentions when he designates that it abounded with venomous reptiles. The viper - (אפעה 'eph‛eh). Septuagint, Ἀσπίδες Aspides ‘asps’ (see Isa 59:5). This is a well-known species of serpent. […]
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַשָּׂ֖א | masa' | [the] oracle of | H4853 → | 66 times |
| בַּהֲמ֣וֹת | bahamot | [the] animals of | H929 → | 190 times |
| נֶ֑גֶב | negev | [the] Negev | H5045 → | |
| בְּאֶרֶץ֩ | beeretz | in a land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| צָרָ֨ה | tzarah | trouble | H6869 → | 73 times |
| וְצוּקָ֜ה | vetzukah | and distress | H6695 → | |
| לָבִ֧יא | lavi' | lioness | H3833 → | |
| וָלַ֣יִשׁ | valayish | and lion | H3918 → | |
| מֵהֶ֗ם | mehem | from them | ||
| אֶפְעֶה֙ | ʾefeh | viper | H660 → | |
| וְשָׂרָ֣ף | vesaraf | and serpent | H8314 → | 7 times |
| מְעוֹפֵ֔ף | meofef | flying | H5774 → | 26 times |
| יִשְׂאוּ֩ | yisu | they carry | H5375 → | 656 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֶּ֨תֶף | ketef | [the] shoulder of | H3802 → | 67 times |
| עֲיָרִ֜ים | ʾayarim | donkeys | H5895 → | |
| חֵֽילֵהֶ֗ם | cheilehem | wealth<s> their | H2428 → | 246 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דַּבֶּ֤שֶׁת | dabeshet | [the] hump of | H1707 → | |
| גְּמַלִּים֙ | gemalim | camels | H1581 → | 54 times |
| אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔ם | ʾotzrotam | treasures their | H214 → | 79 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַ֖ם | ʾam | a people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | [which] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוֹעִֽילוּ׃ | yoilu | they will confer profit | H3276 → | 23 times |
מַשָּׂ֖א[the] oracle of
masa'H4853 →66 times
בַּהֲמ֣וֹת[the] animals of
bahamotH929 →190 times
נֶ֑גֶב[the] Negev
negevH5045 →
בְּאֶרֶץ֩in a land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
צָרָ֨הtrouble
tzarahH6869 →73 times
וְצוּקָ֜הand distress
vetzukahH6695 →
לָבִ֧יאlioness
lavi'H3833 →
וָלַ֣יִשׁand lion
valayishH3918 →
מֵהֶ֗םfrom them
mehem
אֶפְעֶה֙viper
ʾefehH660 →
וְשָׂרָ֣ףand serpent
vesarafH8314 →7 times
מְעוֹפֵ֔ףflying
meofefH5774 →26 times
יִשְׂאוּ֩they carry
yisuH5375 →656 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֶּ֨תֶף[the] shoulder of
ketefH3802 →67 times
עֲיָרִ֜יםdonkeys
ʾayarimH5895 →
חֵֽילֵהֶ֗םwealth<s> their
cheilehemH2428 →246 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
דַּבֶּ֤שֶׁת[the] hump of
dabeshetH1707 →
גְּמַלִּים֙camels
gemalimH1581 →54 times
אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔םtreasures their
ʾotzrotamH214 →79 times
עַל־to
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַ֖םa people
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
לֹ֥א[which] not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יוֹעִֽילוּ׃they will confer profit
yoiluH3276 →23 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 11:4which I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey Me, and do everything I command you, and you will be My…
it leads to
- Leviticus 26:12
I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.
- Deuteronomy 4:20
Yet the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today.
- Jeremiah 7:22–23
For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices,
- Leviticus 26:12
Through
Deuteronomy 4:20Yet the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 8:51
For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace for iron.
- Jeremiah 11:4
which I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey Me, and do everything I command you, and you will be My…
- Deuteronomy 9:29
But they are Your people, Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your great power and outstretched arm.”
- 1 Kings 8:51
Through
Deuteronomy 8:15He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint.
it leads to
- Numbers 21:6
So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.
- Numbers 20:11
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
- Numbers 21:6
Where this verse is studied
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About Isaiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.