1 Woe to you who destroy, but you weren't destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed. 2 Yahweh, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. 3 At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered. 4 Your spoil will be gathered as the caterpillar gathers. Men will leap on it as locusts leap. 5 Yahweh is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure. 7 Behold, their valiant ones cry outside; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly. 8 The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn't respect man. 9 The land mourns and languishes. Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare. 10 "Now I will arise," says Yahweh; "Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted. 11 You will conceive chaff. You will bring forth stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you. 12 The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire. 13 Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might." 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning? 15 He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil - 16 he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure. 17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. They will see a distant land. 18 Your heart will meditate on the terror. Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed? Where is he who counted the towers? 19 You will no longer see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that you can't comprehend, with a strange language that you can't understand. 20 Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won't be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken. 21 But there Yahweh will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, neither will any gallant ship pass by there. 22 For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will save us. 23 Your rigging is untied. They couldn't strengthen the foot of their mast. They couldn't spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil was divided. The lame took the prey. 24 The inhabitant won't say, "I am sick." The people who dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity.
This chapter comprises a new and distinct prophecy, though manifestly relating to the same general subject as the preceding. In Isaiah 33:19 of the previous chapter, the prophet had foretold the destruction of the army of Sennacherib and this chapter is designed still further to set forth the circumstances and the effects of that destruction. That it refers to Sennacherib is apparent front the whole structure of the prophecy. So it is understood by Lowth, Rosenmuller, Grotius, and Calvin, though Vitringa supposes that it refers to the destruction of the Syrians, instead of the Assyrians, and particularly after the time, and for the crimes of Antiochus Epiphanes. All the circumstances, as well as the connection, however, agree with the invasion by Sennacherib, and agree far better with that than either with the destruction of Babylon, or the judgments that came upon the Syrians. The design of the prophecy is to assure the Jews that their nation and city would be safe notwithstanding the invasion of the Assyrian, and that Yahweh would be to them a source of constant protection and consolation Isaiah 33:21. The object of the prophecy, therefore, is to comfort them in this threatened invasion, and to lead them to look up to God.
The prophecy, or poem, is one of uncommon beauty in its structure, and is especially elegant in its expressions. It abounds, indeed, in transitions; but they are easily seen, and can be distinctly marked. The structure and design of the poem may be seen in the following analysis:
I. Woe is denounced against the Assyrian; who had invaded Judea without provocation, and who was spreading desolation over a nation that had not injured him Isaiah 33:1. This contains the general scope and purport of the chapter.
II. The Jews are introduced Isaiah 33:2 as offering up supplications to Yahweh in view of the threatened invasion, and beseeching him to be mercifull to them, and expressing their confidence in him.
III. God himself is introduced declaring the overthrow of Sennacherib Isaiah 33:3-4. This he represents Isaiah 33:3 under the image of the people - that is, the people in his army - fleeing at the noise of the tumult caused by the desolating tempest that should sweep them away, and at the act of God's lilting up himself to scatter the nations.
IV. A chorus of Jews is introduced Isaiah 33:5-6 extolling the greatness and mercy of God Isaiah 33:5; and also celebrating the wisdom and piety of Hezekiah, who had put his confidence in God Isaiah 33:6.
V. In Isaiah 33:7-9, the despair and alarm of the Jews are described on the approach of Sennacherib. This is exhibited in the following manner:
1. The messengers whom Hezekiah had sent to Sennacherib with three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold, to propitiate his favor 2-Kings 18:14-16, return without success and weeping bitterly Isaiah 33:7.
2. The desolation is described that attended the march of Sennacherib - a desolation that extended to the highways, the cities, and to the most beautiful and fertile places, represented by hewing down Lebanon, and turning Cannel into a wilderness, Isaiah 33:8-9).
VI. God is now introduced Isaiah 33:10-13 as saying that he would take the work of the destruction of the Assyrian into his own hand, and showing that he would be himself exalted Isaiah 33:10; that he would disappoint their expectations Isaiah 33:11; that they should be totally destroyed as if by fire Isaiah 33:12, and calling on the nations near and remote to hear what he had done Isaiah 33:13.
VII. The various effects of the invasion on the inhabitants of Jerusalem are described Isaiah 33:14-19.
1. The effect on the hypocrites, producing consternation and alarm of the highest degree Isaiah 33:14.
2. This is finely contrasted with the confidence and security of the righteous in that time. They would confide in God Isaiah 33:15-16; they would see the king in his beauty Isaiah 33:17; and they would see their foe completely destroyed Isaiah 33:18-19.
VIII. The whole account is closed with a statement of the fact that Jerusalem was safe, and that the enemy would be completely destroyed Isaiah 33:20-24.
This chapter contains the sequel of the prophecy respecting Sennacherib. The prophet addresses himself to the Assyrian monarch, Isaiah 33:1-4. The mercy and power of God acknowledged by the Jews, Isaiah 33:5, Isaiah 33:6. Distress and despair of the Jews at the approach of Sennacherib, Isaiah 33:7-9. Gracious promise of deliverance, Isaiah 33:10-13. Dreadful apprehensions of the wicked, and security of the righteous, Isaiah 33:14-17. The security of the Jews under the reign of Hezekiah, and the wretched condition of Sennacherib and his army, Isaiah 33:18-24.
The plan of the prophecy continued in this chapter, and which is manifestly distinct from the foregoing, is peculiarly elegant. To set it in a proper light, it will be necessary to mark the transitions from one part of it to another.
In Isaiah 33:1, the prophet addresses himself to Sennacherib, briefly, but strongly and elegantly, expressing the injustice of his ambitious designs, and the sudden disappointments of them.
In Isaiah 33:2, the Jews are introduced offering up their earnest supplications to God in their present distressful condition; with expressions of their trust and confidence in his protection.
In Isaiah 33:3 and Isaiah 33:4 the prophet in the name of God, or rather God himself, is introduced addressing himself to Sennacherib, and threatening him that, notwithstanding the terror which he had occasioned in the invaded countries, yet he should fall, and become an easy prey to those whom he had intended to subdue.
In Isaiah 33:5 and Isaiah 33:6, a chorus of Jews is introduced, acknowledging the mercy and power of God, who had undertaken to protect them; extolling it with direct opposition to the boasted power of their enemies, and celebrating the wisdom and piety of their king Hezekiah, who had placed his confidence in the favor of God.
Then follows, in Isaiah 33:7, Isaiah 33:8, and Isaiah 33:9, a description of the distress and despair of the Jews, upon the king of Assyria's marching against Jerusalem, and sending his summons to them to surrender, after the treaty he had made with Hezekiah on the conditions of his paying, as he actually did pay to him, three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 2-Kings 18:14-16.
In Isaiah 33:10, God himself is again introduced, declaring that he will interpose in this critical situation of affairs, and disappoint the vain designs of the enemies of his people, by discomfiting and utterly consuming them.
Then follows, Isaiah 33:11-22, still in the person of God, which however falls at last into that of the prophet, a description of the dreadful apprehensions of the wicked in those times of distress and imminent danger; finely contrasted with the confidence and security of the righteous, and their trust in the promises of God that he will be their never-failing strength and protector.
The whole concludes, in the person of the prophet, with a description of the security of the Jews under the protection of God, and of the wretched state of Sennacherib and his army, wholly discomfited, and exposed to be plundered even by the weakest of the enemy.
Much of the beauty of this passage depends on the explanation above given of Isaiah 33:3 and Isaiah 33:4, as addressed by the prophet, or by God himself, to Sennacherib; not as it is usually taken, as addressed by the Jews to God, Isaiah 33:3, and then Isaiah 33:4, as addressed to the Assyrians. To set this in a clear light, it may be of use to compare it with a passage of the Prophet Joel; where, speaking of the destruction caused by the locusts, he sets in the same strong light of opposition as Isaiah does here, the power of the enemy, and the power of Jehovah, who would destroy that enemy. Thus Isaiah to Sennacherib: -
"When thou didst raise thyself up, the nations were dispersed" -
Isaiah 33:3.
"But now will I arise, saith Jehovah; Now will I be exalted."
Isaiah 33:10.
And thus Joel, Joel 2:20, Joel 2:21 : -
"His stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall ascend; Though he hath done great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; For Jehovah will do great things." - L.
INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 33
This chapter contains an account of God's judgments upon the enemies of his people, and of the peaceable, comfortable, and happy state of the church in the latter day. The judgment denounced, Isaiah 33:1 a prayer of the church for safety and protection, which it promises itself from what God had heretofore done, Isaiah 33:2 an answer to it, declaring the spoil of the enemy, and the happy times the people of God should enjoy through his appearance for them, Isaiah 33:4 though previous thereunto there would be very distressing ones, Isaiah 33:7 when the Lord resolves to arise and exert his power in the destruction of the people, who should be burnt up like stubble, thorns, and lime, Isaiah 33:10 persons far and near are called upon to take notice of this, Isaiah 33:13 which would issue in a different manner, in the surprise and terror of hypocrites, and in the safety and plenty of provisions for good men, who are described, Isaiah 33:14 and then follow promises to them, of seeing the King in his beauty, and beholding a distant country of reflecting on past terror with pleasure, being freed from it, and in no danger of a foreign enemy, Isaiah 33:17 and the chapter is concluded with a famous prophecy of the peace, prosperity, and safety of the church, and of the healthfulness of its inhabitants, under the protection of Christ, its King and Lawgiver, its enemies being also an easy prey to it, Isaiah 33:20.
(Isaiah 33:1-14) God's judgments against the enemies of his church.
(Isaiah 33:15-24) The happiness of his people.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.