10 Now will I rise, H6965 saith H559 the LORD; H3068 now will I be exalted; H7426 now will I lift up H5375 myself.
The enemy H341 said, H559 I will pursue, H7291 I will overtake, H5381 I will divide H2505 the spoil; H7998 my lust H5315 shall be satisfied H4390 upon them; I will draw H7324 my sword, H2719 my hand H3027 shall destroy H3423 them. Thou didst blow H5398 with thy wind, H7307 the sea H3220 covered H3680 them: they sank H6749 as lead H5777 in the mighty H117 waters. H4325 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the gods? H410 who is like thee, glorious H142 in holiness, H6944 fearful H3372 in praises, H8416 doing H6213 wonders? H6382 Thou stretchedst out H5186 thy right hand, H3225 the earth H776 swallowed H1104 them.
For the LORD H3068 shall judge H1777 his people, H5971 and repent H5162 himself for his servants, H5650 when he seeth H7200 that their power H3027 is gone, H235 and there is none H657 shut up, H6113 or left. H5800 And he shall say, H559 Where are their gods, H430 their rock H6697 in whom they trusted, H2620 Which did eat H398 the fat H2459 of their sacrifices, H2077 and drank H8354 the wine H3196 of their drink offerings? H5257 let them rise up H6965 and help H5826 you, and be your protection. H5643 See H7200 now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god H430 with me: I kill, H4191 and I make alive; H2421 I wound, H4272 and I heal: H7495 neither is there any that can deliver H5337 out of my hand. H3027 For I lift up H5375 my hand H3027 to heaven, H8064 and say, H559 I live H2416 for ever. H5769 If I whet H8150 my glittering H1300 sword, H2719 and mine hand H3027 take hold H270 on judgment; H4941 I will render H7725 vengeance H5359 to mine enemies, H6862 and will reward H7999 them that hate H8130 me. I will make mine arrows H2671 drunk H7937 with blood, H1818 and my sword H2719 shall devour H398 flesh; H1320 and that with the blood H1818 of the slain H2491 and of the captives, H7633 from the beginning H7218 of revenges H6546 upon the enemy. H341 Rejoice, H7442 O ye nations, H1471 with his people: H5971 for he will avenge H5358 the blood H1818 of his servants, H5650 and will render H7725 vengeance H5359 to his adversaries, H6862 and will be merciful H3722 unto his land, H127 and to his people. H5971
Thou shalt arise, H6965 and have mercy H7355 upon Zion: H6726 for the time H6256 to favour H2603 her, yea, the set time, H4150 is come. H935 For thy servants H5650 take pleasure H7521 in her stones, H68 and favour H2603 the dust H6083 thereof. So the heathen H1471 shall fear H3372 the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 and all the kings H4428 of the earth H776 thy glory. H3519 When the LORD H3068 shall build up H1129 Zion, H6726 he shall appear H7200 in his glory. H3519 He will regard H6437 the prayer H8605 of the destitute, H6199 and not despise H959 their prayer. H8605 This shall be written H3789 for the generation H1755 to come: H314 and the people H5971 which shall be created H1254 shall praise H1984 the LORD. H3050
One H259 thousand H505 shall flee at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of one; H259 at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of five H2568 shall ye flee: H5127 till ye be left H3498 as a beacon H8650 upon the top H7218 of a mountain, H2022 and as an ensign H5251 on an hill. H1389 And therefore will the LORD H3068 wait, H2442 that he may be gracious H2603 unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, H7311 that he may have mercy H7355 upon you: for the LORD H3068 is a God H430 of judgment: H4941 blessed H835 are all they that wait H2442 for him.
The LORD H3068 shall go forth H3318 as a mighty man, H1368 he shall stir up H5782 jealousy H7068 like a man H376 of war: H4421 he shall cry, H7321 yea, roar; H6873 he shall prevail H1396 against his enemies. H341 I have long time H5769 holden my peace; H2814 I have been still, H2790 and refrained H662 myself: now will I cry H6463 like a travailing woman; H3205 I will destroy H5395 H8074 and devour H7602 at once. H3162
And he saw H7200 that there was no man, H376 and wondered H8074 that there was no intercessor: H6293 therefore his arm H2220 brought salvation H3467 unto him; and his righteousness, H6666 it sustained H5564 him. For he put on H3847 righteousness H6666 as a breastplate, H8302 and an helmet H3553 of salvation H3444 upon his head; H7218 and he put on H3847 the garments H899 of vengeance H5359 for clothing, H8516 and was clad H5844 with zeal H7068 as a cloke. H4598
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 33
Commentary on Isaiah 33 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 33
Isa 33:1-24. The Last of Isaiah's Prophecies as to Sennacherib's Overthrow.
Isa 33:1, 8, 9, describe the Assyrian spoiler; strong as he is, he shall fall before Jehovah who is stronger (Isa 33:2-6, 10-12). The time is the autumn of 713 B.C.
1. and thou—that is, though thou wast not spoiled—though thou wast not dealt treacherously with (see on Isa 24:16), thy spoiling and treachery are therefore without excuse, being unprovoked.
cease—When God has let thee do thy worst, in execution of His plans, thine own turn shall come (compare Isa 10:12; 14:2; Hab 2:8; Re 13:10).
2. us; we … their … our—He speaks interceding for His people, separating himself in thought for a moment from them, and immediately returns to his natural identification with them in the word "our."
every morning—each day as it dawns, especially during our danger, as the parallel "time of trouble" shows.
3. the tumult—the approach of Jehovah is likened to an advancing thunderstorm (Isa 29:6; 30:27), which is His voice (Re 1:15), causing the people to "flee."
nation—the Assyrian levies.
4. The invaders' "spoil" shall be left behind by them in their flight, and the Jews shall gather it.
caterpillar—rather, "the wingless locust"; as it gathers; the Hebrew word for "gathers" is properly used of the gathering of the fruits of harvest (Isa 32:10).
running to and fro—namely, in gathering harvest fruits.
he—rather, "they."
them—rather, "it," that is, the prey.
6. wisdom—sacred; that is, piety.
thy—Hezekiah's; or rather, "Judea's." "His" refers to the same; such changes from the pronoun possessive of the second person to that of the third are common in Hebrew poetry.
treasure—Not so much material wealth as piety shall constitute the riches of the nation (Pr 10:22; 15:16).
7-9. From the vision of future glory Isaiah returns to the disastrous present; the grief of "the valiant ones" (parallel to, and identical with, "the ambassadors of peace"), men of rank, sent with presents to sue for peace, but standing "without" the enemy's camp, their suit being rejected (2Ki 18:14, 18, 37). The highways deserted through fear, the cities insulted, the lands devastated.
cry—(Isa 15:4).
8. broken … covenant—When Sennacherib invaded Judea, Hezekiah paid him a large sum to leave the land; Sennacherib received the money and yet sent his army against Jerusalem (2Ki 18:14, 17).
despised—make slight of as unable to resist him (Isa 10:9; 36:19); easily captures them.
9. (Isa 24:4).
Lebanon—personified; the allusion may be to the Assyrian cutting down its choice trees (Isa 14:8; 37:24).
Sharon—south of Carmel, along the Mediterranean, proverbial for fertility (Isa 35:2).
Bashan—afterwards called Batanea (Isa 2:13).
fruits—rather, understand "leaves"; they lie as desolate as in winter.
10. The sight of His people's misery arouses Jehovah; He has let the enemy go far enough.
I—emphatic; God Himself will do what man could not.
11. Ye—the enemy.
conceive chaff—(Isa 26:18; 59:4).
your breath—rather, your own spirit of anger and ambition [Maurer], (Isa 30:28).
12. (Isa 9:19; Am 2:1). Perhaps alluding to their being about to be burnt on the funeral pyre (Isa 30:33).
thorns—the wicked (2Sa 23:6, 7).
13. far off—distant nations.
near—the Jews and adjoining peoples (Isa 49:1).
14. sinners in Zion—false professors of religion among the elect people (Mt 22:12).
hypocrites—rather, "the profane"; "the abandoned" [Horsley].
who, &c.—If Jehovah's wrath could thus consume such a host in one night, who could abide it, if continued for ever (Mr 9:46-48)? Fire is a common image for the divine judgments (Isa 29:6; 30:30).
among us—If such awful judgments have fallen on those who knew not the true God, how infinitely worse shall fall on us who, amid religious privileges and profession, sin against God, (Lu 12:47, 48; Jas 4:17)?
15. In contrast to the trembling "sinners in Zion" (Isa 33:14), the righteous shall be secure amid all judgments; they are described according to the Old Testament standpoint of righteousness (Ps 15:2; 24:4).
stoppeth … ears … eyes—"Rejoiceth not in iniquity" (1Co 13:6; contrast Isa 29:20; Ps 10:3; Ro 1:32). The senses are avenues for the entrance of sin (Ps 119:37).
16. on high—heights inaccessible to the foe (Isa 26:1).
bread … waters—image from the expected siege by Sennacherib; however besieged by trials without, the godly shall have literal and spiritual food, as God sees good for them (Isa 41:17; Ps 37:25; 34:10; 132:15).
17. Thine—the saints'.
king in … beauty—not as now, Hezekiah in sackcloth, oppressed by the enemy, but King Messiah (Isa 32:1) "in His beauty" (So 5:10, 16; Re 4:3).
land … very far off—rather, "the land in its remotest extent" (no longer pent up as Hezekiah was with the siege); see Margin. For Jerusalem is made the scene of the king's glory (Isa 33:20, &c.), and it could not be said to be "very far off," unless the far-off land be heaven, the Jerusalem above, which is to follow the earthly reign of Messiah at literal Jerusalem (Isa 65:17-19; Jer 3:17; Re 21:1, 2, 10).
18. meditate—on the "terror" caused by the enemy, but now past.
where, &c.—the language of the Jews exulting over their escape from danger.
scribe—who enrolled the army [Maurer]; or, who prescribed the tribute to be paid [Rosenmuller]; or, who kept an account of the spoil. "The principal scribe of the host" (2Ki 25:19; Jer 52:25). The Assyrian records are free from the exaggerations of Egyptian records. Two scribes are seen in every Assyrian bas-relief, writing down the various objects brought to them, the heads of the slain, prisoners, cattle, sheep, &c.
receiver—"weigher," Margin. Layard mentions, among the Assyrian inscriptions, "a pair a scales for weighing the spoils."
counted … towers—he whose duty it was to reconnoitre and report the strength of the city to be besieged.
19. fierce people—The Assyrians shall not be allowed to enter Jerusalem (2Ki 19:32). Or, thou shalt not any longer see fierce enemies threatening thee as previously; such as the Assyrians, Romans, and the last Antichristian host that is yet to assail Jerusalem (De 28:49, 50; Jer 5:15; Zec 14:2).
stammering—barbarous; so "deeper," &c., that is, unintelligible. The Assyrian tongue differed only in dialect from the Hebrew, but in the Assyrian levies were many of non-Semitic race and language, as the Medes, Elamites, &c. (see on Isa 28:11).
20. solemnities—solemn assemblies at the great feasts (see on Isa 30:29; Ps 42:4; Ps 48:12).
not … taken down … removed—image from captives "removed" from their land (Isa 36:17). There shall be no more "taking away" to an enemy's land. Or else, from nomads living in shifting tents. The saints, who sojourned once in tabernacles as pilgrims, shall have a "building of God—eternal in the heavens" (2Co 5:1; Heb 11:9, 10; compare Isa 54:2).
stakes—driven into the ground; to these the "cords" were fastened. Christ's Church shall never fall (Mt 16:18). So individual believers (Re 3:12).
21. there—namely, in Jerusalem.
will be … rivers—Jehovah will be as a broad river surrounding our city (compare Isa 19:6; Na 3:8), and this, too, a river of such a kind as no ship of war can pass (compare Isa 26:1). Jerusalem had not the advantage of a river; Jehovah will be as one to it, affording all the advantages, without any of the disadvantages of one.
galley with oars—war vessels of a long shape, and propelled by oars; merchant vessels were broader and carried sail.
gallant—same Hebrew word as for "glorious," previously; "mighty" will suit both places; a ship of war is meant. No "mighty vessel" will dare to pass where the "mighty Lord" stands as our defense.
22. Lord—thrice repeated, as often: the Trinity (Nu 6:24-26).
judge … lawgiver … king—perfect ideal of the theocracy, to be realized under Messiah alone; the judicial, legislative, and administrative functions as king to be exercised by Him in person (Isa 11:4; 32:1; Jas 4:12).
23. tacklings—Continuing the allegory in Isa 33:21, he compares the enemies' host to a war galley which is deprived of the tacklings or cords by which the mast is sustained and the sail is spread; and which therefore is sure to be wrecked on "the broad river" (Isa 33:21), and become the prey of Israel.
they—the tacklings, "hold not firm the base of the mast."
then—when the Assyrian host shall have been discomfited. Hezekiah had given Sennacherib three hundred talents of silver, and thirty of gold (2Ki 18:14-16), and had stripped the temple of its gold to give it to him; this treasure was probably part of the prey found in the foe's camp. After the invasion, Hezekiah had so much wealth that he made an improper display of it (2Ki 20:13-15); this wealth, probably, was in part got from the Assyrian.
the lame—Even the most feeble shall spoil the Assyrian camp (compare Isa 35:6; 2Sa 5:6).
24. sick—Smith thinks the allusion is to the beginning of the pestilence by which the Assyrians were destroyed, and which, while sparing the righteous, affected some within the city ("sinners in Zion"); it may have been the sickness that visited Hezekiah (Isa 38:1-22). In the Jerusalem to come there shall be no "sickness," because there will be no "iniquity," it being forgiven (Ps 103:3). The latter clause of the verse contains the cause of the former (Mr 2:5-9).