Isaiah 33
33
Zion Restored
1Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed.
Woe to you, traitor, you who have not been betrayed.
When you have finished your work of destroying,
you will be destroyed,
and when you have completed your betrayal,
you will be betrayed. # 33:1 This refers to Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. When Assyria was finished destroying Jerusalem, God would destroy Assyria. See 2 Kings 19:35–37.
2Yahweh, be gracious to us,
for we wait for you. # 33:2 The Hebrew concept of waiting is not passive but includes joining our hearts to God and looking to him alone to help us.
Be our strength # 33:2 Or “arm,” a metaphor for strength. every morning
and rescue us when troubles come.
3The nations retreat at the sound of your roaring voice.
The nations scatter as you arise in your majesty.
4Their # 33:4 Or “Your.” spoil will be harvested,
carried away like locusts that strip a field bare.
And like leaping locusts, men will leap upon the spoils.
5Yahweh is high and lifted up; he dwells # 33:5 The Hebrew uses the word shakan, the word from which we get “shekinah [glory].” We could say, “Yahweh is shekinah’d on high.” on high!
He lavished his justice and righteousness on Zion!
6He will be your constant source of stability in changing times,
and out of his abundant love he gives you
the riches of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
Yes, the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure!
7Listen! The valiant ones # 33:7 Or “the Arielites [lions of God].” Others translate it “priests.” cry in the streets
and envoys of peace weep bitterly.
8The highways are deserted
and the travelers have disappeared.
Covenants are broken and witnesses # 33:8 As translated from Dead Sea scroll 1QIsaa. Some manuscripts have “cities.” rejected,
and no one is respected.
9The land mourns and languishes.
Lebanon is disgraced and withered.
The fields of Sharon are like a desert.
The lands of Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
10“Now I will arise,” says the Lord.
“Now I will exalt myself; now I will unveil my majesty!
11Assyria, your plans are worthless, as useless as chaff. # 33:11 Or “You conceive straw and are pregnant with chaff.”
My breath # 33:11 Or “Your breath.” will be a fire that consumes you.
12As a thorn bush is cut down and thrown into the fire,
your nation will be burned to ashes of lime.”
The Righteous King
13“You who are far away, listen to what I have done,
and you who draw near to me,
acknowledge my power and strength!
14Sinners in Zion are afraid,
and the godless are gripped with panic,
saying, ‘Who can dwell with such an all-consuming fire?
Who can live in the presence of the never-ending flame?’
15Only those who walk with integrity and speak what is true, # 33:15 See Ps. 15.
who despise even the thought of cheating the poor,
and do not accept a bribe, nor plot violence,
nor contemplate doing evil # 33:15 Or “[who] shut their eyes from seeing evil [harming others].” —
16they will live safely on the heights
and make their safe place the mountain strongholds,
with bread in steady supply and water assured.” # 33:16 This verse refers to those who are enthroned with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly realm (see Eph. 2:6; Rev. 3:21). They receive a supernatural supply of revelation-bread and living water. Their eyes are fixed on their beautiful King, not on themselves or their ministries.
17In this high place, your eyes will see
the king # 33:17 This is the King of Glory, the King of kings. No earthly king is in view here. See Song. 2:10–13; Eph. 1:3; 2:6; 2 Peter 1:3–4. in his stunning beauty
and gaze upon his broad domain. # 33:17 Or “land of distances.”
18You will look back on the fears of your past and say,
“Now, where is the scholar? # 33:18 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “Where is the counter?” Where is the adviser? # 33:18 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “Where is the one who weighs the money [tribute]?”
Where is the one who numbers those who are maturing?” # 33:18 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “Where is the one who counts the towers?”
19You will no longer see the defiant foreigner
who speaks a strange, incomprehensible language.
20Set your gaze on Zion,
the city where we gather for Yahweh’s feasts. # 33:20 See Lev. 23; Deut. 16.
Your eyes will see Jerusalem as a quiet, pleasant place.
It is a secure dwelling, permanent and unmovable,
not like a tabernacle that must be taken down,
its pegs pulled up, and transported.
21Glorious Yahweh will be there for us
in a land with broad rivers and life-giving streams, # 33:21 This points to a restoration of Eden’s paradise. See Gen. 2:10; Ezek. 47:1–12; Acts 3:21.
where the hostile, majestic ships will not sail. # 33:21 The Hebrew of this clause is uncertain.
22The Lord Yahweh is our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King; # 33:22 Isaiah referred to the three forms of government in Israel’s history: the law of Moses, the judges, and the kings.
he will save us completely! # 33:22 See 1 Thess. 5:23.
23Your ropes hang loose,
your mast is not secure, and your sail is not unfurled. # 33:23 Their “cords” (of faith) were not tightly fastened to Yahweh, their “mast” (human strength) was not secure, and their “sail” (to move forward by the Spirit-wind of God) was not unfurled, yet God would be faithful to them.
Then there will be a great plunder,
such an abundant treasure divided # 33:23 These are the spoils of the great victory of Christ, won for us through his death, resurrection, and ascension. See Eph. 1:3; 4:8; Col. 2:13–15.
that even the lame will seize their rich share. # 33:23 The “lame [feeble]” are those who worship with a limp (see Gen. 32:24–32).
24No one living in Zion will say, “I am sick,”
for all who live there will have their sin forgiven.
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Isaiah 33: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationIsaiah 33
33
A Message about Assyria
1What sorrow awaits you Assyrians, who have destroyed others#33:1 Hebrew What sorrow awaits you, O destroyer. The Hebrew text does not specifically name Assyria as the object of the prophecy in this chapter.
but have never been destroyed yourselves.
You betray others,
but you have never been betrayed.
When you are done destroying,
you will be destroyed.
When you are done betraying,
you will be betrayed.
2But Lord, be merciful to us,
for we have waited for you.
Be our strong arm each day
and our salvation in times of trouble.
3The enemy runs at the sound of your voice.
When you stand up, the nations flee!
4Just as caterpillars and locusts strip the fields and vines,
so the fallen army of Assyria will be stripped!
5Though the Lord is very great and lives in heaven,
he will make Jerusalem#33:5 Hebrew Zion; also in 33:14. his home of justice and righteousness.
6In that day he will be your sure foundation,
providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.
7But now your brave warriors weep in public.
Your ambassadors of peace cry in bitter disappointment.
8Your roads are deserted;
no one travels them anymore.
The Assyrians have broken their peace treaty
and care nothing for the promises they made before witnesses.#33:8 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads care nothing for the cities.
They have no respect for anyone.
9The land of Israel wilts in mourning.
Lebanon withers with shame.
The plain of Sharon is now a wilderness.
Bashan and Carmel have been plundered.
10But the Lord says: “Now I will stand up.
Now I will show my power and might.
11You Assyrians produce nothing but dry grass and stubble.
Your own breath will turn to fire and consume you.
12Your people will be burned up completely,
like thornbushes cut down and tossed in a fire.
13Listen to what I have done, you nations far away!
And you that are near, acknowledge my might!”
14The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear.
Terror seizes the godless.
“Who can live with this devouring fire?” they cry.
“Who can survive this all-consuming fire?”
15Those who are honest and fair,
who refuse to profit by fraud,
who stay far away from bribes,
who refuse to listen to those who plot murder,
who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong—
16these are the ones who will dwell on high.
The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress.
Food will be supplied to them,
and they will have water in abundance.
17Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor,
and you will see a land that stretches into the distance.
18You will think back to this time of terror, asking,
“Where are the Assyrian officers
who counted our towers?
Where are the bookkeepers
who recorded the plunder taken from our fallen city?”
19You will no longer see these fierce, violent people
with their strange, unknown language.
20Instead, you will see Zion as a place of holy festivals.
You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure.
It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut
and whose stakes are firmly fixed.
21The Lord will be our Mighty One.
He will be like a wide river of protection
that no enemy can cross,
that no enemy ship can sail upon.
22For the Lord is our judge,
our lawgiver, and our king.
He will care for us and save us.
23The enemies’ sails hang loose
on broken masts with useless tackle.
Their treasure will be divided by the people of God.
Even the lame will take their share!
24The people of Israel will no longer say,
“We are sick and helpless,”
for the Lord will forgive their sins.
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