The Meaning of Isaiah 30:20 Explained

Isaiah 30:20

KJV: And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:

YLT: And the Lord hath given to you bread of adversity, And water of oppression. And thy directors remove no more, And thine eyes have seen thy directors,

Darby: And the Lord will give you the bread of adversity, and the water of oppression; yet thy teachers shall not be hidden any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.

ASV: And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [though] the Lord  give  you the bread  of adversity,  and the water  of affliction,  yet shall not thy teachers  be removed into a corner  any more, but thine eyes  shall see  thy teachers: 

What does Isaiah 30:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 30:18-33 - The Goodness Of God's Severity
Jerusalem refused God's invitation to return to Him and rest; they preferred to trust in Egyptian cavalry. Their Almighty Friend knew that this would end in disappointment, but He said that He would wait till they had exhausted every expedient and returned to Him. Then would He be gracious and have mercy. The results of repentance and forgiveness are set forth with singular beauty: no more tears; great grace; answered prayer; divine teaching; guidance in the right way; no more idols; good harvests and rich pasture-lands; the dumb creation benefiting by man's repentance; and thus, in Isaiah 30:26, we come to the light of the millennial dawn.
In Isaiah 30:27-33 Jehovah is represented as coming to avenge His people and to judge their enemies. Their welcoming gladness is compared in Isaiah 30:29 to the songs of the Hebrew festivals. What a magnificent description in Isaiah 30:30-31 of Jehovah as a man of war! Every stroke He inflicted on the foe would awaken the music of tabrets and harps in the temple at Zion. Tophet, near Jerusalem, was the place where refuse was burnt. The spiritual counterpart of its fire is ever burning up the waste-products of men and nations. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 30

1  The prophet threatens the people for their confidence in Egypt
8  And contempt of God's word
18  God's mercies toward his church
27  God's wrath and the people's joy, in the destruction of Assyria

What do the individual words in Isaiah 30:20 mean?

And [though] gives you the Lord the bread of adversity and the water of affliction and yet not shall be moved into a corner anymore your teachers but will your eyes see - your teachers
וְנָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֧ם אֲדֹנָ֛י לֶ֥חֶם צָ֖ר וּמַ֣יִם לָ֑חַץ וְלֹֽא־ יִכָּנֵ֥ף עוֹד֙ מוֹרֶ֔יךָ וְהָי֥וּ עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֶת־ מוֹרֶֽיךָ

וְנָתַ֨ן  And  [though]  gives 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֲדֹנָ֛י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
לֶ֥חֶם  the  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
צָ֖ר  of  adversity 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
וּמַ֣יִם  and  the  water 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
לָ֑חַץ  of  affliction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַחַץ  
Sense: oppression, distress, pressure.
וְלֹֽא־  and  yet  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִכָּנֵ֥ף  shall  be  moved  into  a  corner 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּנַף  
Sense: (Niphal) to be put or thrust in or into a corner, be hidden from view, be cornered, be thrust aside.
עוֹד֙  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
מוֹרֶ֔יךָ  your  teachers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.
וְהָי֥וּ  but  will 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עֵינֶ֖יךָ  your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
רֹא֥וֹת  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מוֹרֶֽיךָ  your  teachers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.