Isaiah 30:8

¶ Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

Now go {H935}, write {H3789} it before them in a table {H3871}, and note {H2710} it in a book {H5612}, that it may be for the time {H3117} to come {H314} for {H5704} ever {H5703} and ever {H5769}:

Now go, inscribe it on a tablet, write it for them in a scroll, so that on the final day it will be a witness forever and ever.

Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the days to come, a witness forever and ever.

Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.

Commentary on Isaiah 30:8 (KJV)

Isaiah 30:8 is a powerful divine command given to the prophet Isaiah, instructing him to record God's message for future generations. This verse underscores the enduring and authoritative nature of God's word.

Context

In Isaiah chapter 30, the prophet Isaiah is delivering a stern warning to the people of Judah. They are seeking an alliance with Egypt for protection against the Assyrian threat, rather than trusting in the Lord. God views this reliance on human strength and foreign powers as an act of rebellion and a rejection of His divine counsel (Isaiah 30:1). Amidst this context of disobedience and impending judgment, God commands Isaiah to formally document His words.

Key Themes

  • Divine Mandate to Record: The phrase "Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book" is a direct instruction from God for His message to be physically inscribed. This emphasizes the importance and authenticity of the prophetic word.
  • Permanence of God's Word: The purpose of this writing is "that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever." This highlights the eternal, unchanging nature of God's truth and His decrees. What God speaks will stand the test of time, serving as a perpetual witness. This echoes the eternal nature of God's word.
  • Witness and Testimony: The written record serves as a lasting testimony, a reminder of God's warnings and promises. It would stand as evidence against Judah's unfaithfulness and as a future instruction for all who would read it. This is similar to God's command to Habakkuk to write his vision plainly.
  • Accountability: By having the message recorded, the people (and future generations) would be held accountable for their response to God's warnings and instructions. Ignorance would not be an excuse.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms used convey a sense of official documentation and permanence:

  • "table" (Hebrew: luach, לוּחַ): Refers to a tablet, often made of stone, wood, or clay, used for inscriptions. This suggests a public, durable record.
  • "book" (Hebrew: sefer, סֵפֶר): Denotes a scroll or written document, implying a more extensive and detailed record, perhaps for preservation in a temple archive or royal library.
  • "for ever and ever" (Hebrew: l'ad ad olam, לָעַד עַד עוֹלָם): This emphatic phrase signifies perpetuity, literally "for a testimony until eternity." It underscores the enduring validity and relevance of God's message across all generations.

Practical Application

Isaiah 30:8 holds profound lessons for believers today:

  • The Authority of Scripture: This verse reinforces that the Bible is not merely human wisdom but the divinely inspired and preserved word of God. Its written form is a testament to its unchanging truth and authority for all times.
  • Enduring Relevance: Just as Isaiah's message was intended for "time to come for ever and ever," so too are the principles and prophecies within the Bible relevant for contemporary life. God's character and His call to trust Him remain consistent.
  • A Call to Heed: The command to write serves as a reminder that God's warnings and instructions are not to be taken lightly. We are called to read, understand, and apply His word, trusting in His sovereignty rather than human solutions.
  • God's Faithfulness: The very existence of the biblical text, preserved through millennia, is a testament to God's faithfulness in ensuring His word reaches humanity, providing guidance, conviction, and hope for all who seek Him.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Habakkuk 2:2

    And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

  • Deuteronomy 31:22

    ¶ Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

  • Isaiah 8:1

    ¶ Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

  • Jeremiah 36:28

    Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

  • Jeremiah 36:32

    Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

  • Job 19:23

    ¶ Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

  • Job 19:25

    For I know [that] my redeemer liveth, and [that] he shall stand at the latter [day] upon the earth:

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