Isaiah 30:15 - Exposition

For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel. As the irreligious party wished to hear no more of "the Holy One of Israel" ( Isaiah 30:11 ), Isaiah takes care to keep him constantly before their minds (comp. Isaiah 31:1 ). In returning and rest shall ye be saved ; rather, should ye be saved , or might ye be saved . The conditions are put forward, not as now capable of being realized, but as those which might have been realized at an earlier date. The "returning" spoken of is an abandonment of the course hitherto pursued, which was reckless provocation of Assyria and trust in Egypt. The "rest" is staying upon God—renunciation of trust on any arm of flesh, and simple reliance on the Divine aid, as sure to be sufficient when the need came. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength ; rather, should be . The clause is a mere iteration in other words of the preceding one. Ye would not . They had practically rejected the policy of quiescence and patient waiting upon God, when they sent the embassy into Egypt.