Isaiah 30:16-18

Good News Translation

¹⁶Instead, you plan to escape from your enemies by riding fast horses. And you are right—escape is what you will have to do! You think your horses are fast enough, but those who pursue you will be faster! ¹⁷A thousand of you will run away when you see one enemy soldier, and five soldiers will be enough to make you all run away. Nothing will be left of your army except a lonely flagpole on the top of a hill. ¹⁸And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.

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Isaiah 30:16-18

New International Version

¹⁶You said, ‘No, we will flee^(A) on horses.’^(B)
    Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
    Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
¹⁷A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five^(C)
    you will all flee^(D) away,
till you are left^(E)
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner^(F) on a hill.”

¹⁸Yet the Lord longs^(G) to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.^(H)
For the Lord is a God of justice.^(I)
Blessed are all who wait for him!^(J)

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Isaiah 30:16-18

King James Version

¹⁶But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

¹⁷One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

¹⁸And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

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