Yeshayahu 29-30

The first section of perek 29 laments Yerushalayim: it describes the debased state of the city and then shifts to a description of the enemy’s sudden defeat. It is suggested that this prophecy refers to the defeat of Sancherev’s army at Yerushalayim’s gates, an event that appears multiple times throughout the book of Yeshayahu. The second half of the perek (9-14) describes the blindness of the nation’s leaders and prophets. The perek concludes with words of rebuke addressing sinners who believe that God is ignorant of their sins.

The prophecies in perakim 30 and 31 deal with the fear of an Assyrian attack on Yehuda and Yerushalayim during the reign of Chizkiyahu. Yeshayahu, who strongly opposed dependence on Egyptian aid during the reign of Achaz (perek 7), prophesies Egypt’s failure and urges the officers of Yehuda to trust in God and bury their worries regarding the Assyrians (1-11). However, like Achaz, the officers of Yehuda refuse to listen to Yeshayahu. This perek describes the resulting crisis (12-18) which will ultimately transform into a miraculous salvation, a seeming reference to the fall of Sancherev (19-33).