Isaiah 30:6-17 - Oracle Regarding The Negev

⁶ THE PROPHESY ABOUT THE BEASTS OF THE NEGEV (southern land): The Negev is a land of distress and anguish. Lions and lionesses live there. Vipers and poisonous snakes live there. They carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels to a nation that cannot help them. ⁷ Egypt's help is completely useless. That is why I call her: Rahab, who sits still. (defamatory word for Egypt) (negative connotation)

⁸ Write this on a tablet for them, and inscribe it in a book so that it will be there in the future as a permanent witness. ⁹ These people are rebellious and deceitful children. They refuse to listen to Jehovah's Law. ¹⁰ They say to the seers: Do not see the future. They say to those who have visions: 'Do not have visions that tell us what is right. Tell us what we want to hear. Prophesy illusions. ¹¹ Get out of our way! Stop blocking our path! Get the Holy One of Israel out of our sight.' ¹² This is what the Holy One of Israel says: You have rejected this warning, trusted oppression and deceit, and you leaned upon them for support. ¹³ For that reason your sin will be like a high wall with a bulging crack, ready to fall. All of a sudden it will fall. ¹⁴ It will break like pottery. It will be smashed. Nothing will be left of it. No piece will be big enough to carry live coals from a fireplace or to dip water from a reservoir. ¹⁵ The Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, says: Return to me and be saved. You can have rest. You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me. But you do not want that! ¹⁶ You have said: No, we will flee on horses. So you flee. You added: We will ride on fast horses. So those who chase you will also be fast. ¹⁷ One thousand people will flee when one person threatens them. You will flee when five threaten you. Then you will be left alone like a flagpole on top of a mountain, like a signpost on a hill.