Bible Strands
Isaiah 30:15
For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, addresses Judah at the moment their alliance with Egypt is condemned as shattered pottery and their fallback plan of military escape is about to be mocked.
The words — שׁוּבָה (shu.Vah), "returning," is the noun form of the shuv root (turning back, repentance); it names the specific posture God requires before any strength can be found.
The thread — The same quiet trust runs through Isaiah 26:3 (perfect peace for the steadfast of mind), Isaiah 32:17 (the work of righteousness is quiet confidence), and Psalm 125:1 (those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, unmoved).
Why it lands — The verse presents a single, unambiguous alternative: stop relying on political alliances and military escape, and trust God in stillness — and it records that Judah refused.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Isaiah 32:17 The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.
- Psalms 125:1 A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be moved; it abides forever.
- Jeremiah 3:22 “Return, O faithless children, and I will heal your faithlessness.” “Here we are. We come to You, for You are the LORD our God.
- 1 Chronicles 5:20 And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.
- John 5:40 yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.
- 2 Chronicles 16:8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.
- Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- 2 Chronicles 32:8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
- Isaiah 7:4 and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.