Isaiah 30:6-7

Isaiah 30:6-7

[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  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  [7] For the Egyptians  shall help  in vain,  and to no purpose:  therefore have I cried  concerning this,  Their  strength  is to sit still. 

What does Isaiah 30:6-7 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

These verses may constitute an original separate oracle that Isaiah added to the preceding one, since it forms a fitting climax to his thought. Alternatively, the title "oracle" (lit. burden) may be wordplay with the objects of this prophetic message, the burden-bearers (beasts) of the Judean ambassadors. The title is very similar to those in Isaiah 21:1; Isaiah 21:11, and Isaiah 22:1.
Rather than going directly to Egypt through Philistia, the Judean ambassadors had taken the circuitous and dangerous route through the Negev, probably to avoid Assyrian detection. They had taken roughly the same route as their ancestors who left Egypt in the Exodus , only traveling in the opposite direction (cf. Numbers 21:6; Deuteronomy 8:15). This irony highlights the folly of returning to Egypt for help. The Lord expressed more concern for the animals that carried the ambassadors, than for the ambassadors themselves, since the ambassadors were rebelling against Him.
"A caravan loaded with treasure struggles through wild terrain infested with lions and snakes, all to buy the help of an old dragon who is in fact helpless. All the cost in effort and wealth will come to nothing, says the prophet." [1]