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
Jerusalem Will Be Safe
1You defeated my people.
Now you're in for trouble!
You've never been destroyed,
but you will be destroyed;
you've never been betrayed,
but you will be betrayed.
When you have finished
destroying and betraying,
you will be destroyed
and betrayed in return.
2Please, Lord, be kind to us!
We depend on you.
Make us strong each morning,
and come to save us
when we are in trouble.
3Nations scatter when you roar
and show your greatness.#33.3 greatness: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 3.
4We attack our enemies
like swarms of locusts;#33.4 locusts: Insects like grasshoppers that travel in swarms and cause great damage to crops.
we take everything
that belongs to them.#33.4 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4.
5You, Lord, are above all others,
and you live in the heavens.
You have brought justice
and fairness to Jerusalem;
6you are the foundation
on which we stand today.
You always save us and give
true wisdom and knowledge.
Nothing means more to us#33.6 Nothing … us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
than obeying you.
The Lord Will Do Something
7Listen! Our bravest soldiers
are running through the streets,
screaming for help.#33.7 Listen … help: Or “The Lord heard our shouts and will come to help us.”
Our messengers hoped for peace,
but came home crying.
8No one travels anymore;
every road is empty.
Treaties are broken,
and no respect is shown
to any who keep promises.#33.8 to any … promises: The Dead Sea Scrolls; the Standard Hebrew Text “to those in the cities.”
9Fields are dry and barren;
Mount Lebanon wilts
with shame.
Sharon Valley is a desert;
the forests of Bashan and Carmel
have lost their leaves.
10But the Lord says,
“Now I will do something
and be greatly praised.
11Your deeds are straw
that will be set on fire
by your very own breath.
12You will be burned to ashes
like thorns in a fire.
13Everyone, both far and near,
come look at what I have done.
See my mighty power!”
Punishment and Rewards
14Those terrible sinners
on Mount Zion tremble
as they ask in fear,
“How can we possibly live
where a raging fire
never stops burning?”
15But there will be rewards
for those who live right
and tell the truth,
for those who refuse
to take money by force
or accept bribes,
for all who hate murder
and violent crimes.
16They will live in a fortress
high on a rocky cliff,
where they will have food
and plenty of water.
The Lord Is Our King
17With your own eyes
you will see the glorious King;
you will see his kingdom
reaching far and wide.
18Then you will ask yourself,
“Where are those officials
who terrified us and forced us
to pay such heavy taxes?”
19You will never again have to see
the proud people who spoke
a strange and foreign language
you could not understand.
20Look to Mount Zion
where we celebrate
our religious festivals.
You will see Jerusalem,
secure as a tent with pegs
that cannot be pulled up
and fastened with ropes
that can never be broken.
21Our wonderful Lord
will be with us!
There will be deep rivers
and wide streams
safe from enemy ships.#33.21 safe … ships: This probably means that Jerusalem will have a lot of water, without the danger of attacks from enemy ships.
The Lord Is Our Judge
22The Lord is our judge
and our ruler;
the Lord is our king
and will keep us safe.
23But your nation#33.23 your nation: Possibly Judah or Assyria. is a ship
with its rigging loose,
its mast shaky,
and its sail not spread.
Someday even you that are lame
will take everything you want
from your enemies.
24The Lord will forgive your sins,
and none of you will say,
“I feel sick.”
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.