33:1 Woe
to thee that a layest waste, and thou [wast]
not laid waste; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with
thee! when thou shalt b cease to lay
waste, thou shalt be wasted; [and] when thou shalt make an end of dealing
treacherously, c they shall deal
treacherously with thee.
(a) Meaning, the enemies of the Church, as were
the Chaldeans and Assyrians, but chiefly of Sennacherib, but not only.
(b) When your appointed time will come that God
will take away your power: and that which you have wrongfully gained, will be
given to others, as in (Amos
5:11).
(c) The Chaldeans will do the same to the
Assyrians, as the Assyrians did to Israel, and the Medes and Persians will do
the same to the Chaldeans.
33:2d O
LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for thee: be thou e
their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
(d) He declares by this what is the chief refuge
of the faithful, when troubles come, to pray, and seek help from God.
(e) Which helped our fathers as soon as they
called on you.
33:3 At the noise of the tumult the f
people fled; at the g lifting up of
thyself the nations were scattered.
(f) That is, the Assyrians fled before the army
of the Chaldeans, or the Chaldeans for fear of the Medes and Persians.
(g) When you, O Lord, lifted up your arm to
punish your enemies.
33:4 And your spoil shall be gathered [like] the
gathering of the h caterpiller: as the
running to and fro of locusts shall i he
run upon them.
(h) You who as caterpillars destroyed with your
number the whole world, will have no strength to resist your enemies the
Chaldeans: but will be gathered on a heap and destroyed.
(i) Meaning, the Medes and Persians against the
Chaldeans.
33:6 And wisdom and knowledge
shall be the stability of k thy times,
[and] strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD [is] his treasure.
(k) That is, in the days of Hezekiah.
33:7 Behold, l
their valiant ones shall cry outside: the m
ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
(l) Sent from Sennacherib.
(m) Whom they of Jerusalem sent to intreat of
peace.
33:8 The n
highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he
hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
(n) These are the words of the ambassadors, when
they returned from Sennacherib.
33:9 The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon
is ashamed [and] hewn down: o Sharon is
like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].
(o) Which was a plentiful country, meaning, that
Sennacherib would destroy all.
33:10 Now will I p
rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
(p) To help and deliver my Church.
33:11q Ye
shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, [as] fire,
shall devour you.
(q) This is spoken against the enemies, who
thought all was their own, but he shows that their enterprise will be in vain,
and that the fire which they had kindled for others would consume them.
33:13 Ye [that are] r
far off, hear what I have done; and, ye [that are] near, acknowledge my might.
(r) His vengeance will be so great that all the
world will talk of it.
33:14 The s
sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among
us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with
everlasting burnings?
(s) Which do not believe the words of the
prophet, and the assurance of their deliverance.
33:16 He shall dwell on t
high: his place of defence [shall be] the strong holds of rocks: bread shall be
given him; his waters [shall be] sure.
(t) Meaning, that God will be a sure defence to
all them that live according to his word.
33:17 Thy eyes shall u
see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the x
land that is very far off.
(u) They will see Hezekiah delivered from his
enemies and restored to honour and glory.
(x) They will be no more shut in as they were by
Sennacherib, but go where it pleases them.
33:18 Thy heart y
shall meditate terror. Where [is] the scribe? where [is] the receiver? where
[is] he that counted the towers?
(y) Before this liberty comes you will think that
you are in great danger: for the enemy will so sharply assail you that one
will cry "Where is the clerk that writes the names of them who are
taxed?" another, "Where is the receiver?" another will cry for
him that values the rich houses, but God will deliver you from this fear.
33:21
But there the glorious LORD [will be] to us a place z
of broad rivers [and] streams; in which shall go no galley with oars, neither
shall gallant ship pass through it.
(z) Let us be content with this small river of
Shiloah and not desire the great streams and rivers, by which the enemies may
bring in ships and destroy us.
33:23 Thy a
tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not
spread the sail: then is the b prey of a
great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
(a) He derides the Assyrians and enemies of the
Church, declaring their destruction as they who perish by shipwreck.
(b) He comforts the Church, and shows that they
will be enriched with all benefits both of body and soul.
Isaiah 33 Bible Commentary
The Geneva Study Bible
(a) Meaning, the enemies of the Church, as were the Chaldeans and Assyrians, but chiefly of Sennacherib, but not only.
(b) When your appointed time will come that God will take away your power: and that which you have wrongfully gained, will be given to others, as in (Amos 5:11).
(c) The Chaldeans will do the same to the Assyrians, as the Assyrians did to Israel, and the Medes and Persians will do the same to the Chaldeans.
33:2 d O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for thee: be thou e their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
(d) He declares by this what is the chief refuge of the faithful, when troubles come, to pray, and seek help from God.
(e) Which helped our fathers as soon as they called on you.
33:3 At the noise of the tumult the f people fled; at the g lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
(f) That is, the Assyrians fled before the army of the Chaldeans, or the Chaldeans for fear of the Medes and Persians.
(g) When you, O Lord, lifted up your arm to punish your enemies.
33:4 And your spoil shall be gathered [like] the gathering of the h caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall i he run upon them.
(h) You who as caterpillars destroyed with your number the whole world, will have no strength to resist your enemies the Chaldeans: but will be gathered on a heap and destroyed.
(i) Meaning, the Medes and Persians against the Chaldeans.
33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of k thy times, [and] strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD [is] his treasure.
(k) That is, in the days of Hezekiah.
33:7 Behold, l their valiant ones shall cry outside: the m ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
(l) Sent from Sennacherib.
(m) Whom they of Jerusalem sent to intreat of peace.
33:8 The n highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
(n) These are the words of the ambassadors, when they returned from Sennacherib.
33:9 The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: o Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].
(o) Which was a plentiful country, meaning, that Sennacherib would destroy all.
33:10 Now will I p rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
(p) To help and deliver my Church.
33:11 q Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, [as] fire, shall devour you.
(q) This is spoken against the enemies, who thought all was their own, but he shows that their enterprise will be in vain, and that the fire which they had kindled for others would consume them.
33:13 Ye [that are] r far off, hear what I have done; and, ye [that are] near, acknowledge my might.
(r) His vengeance will be so great that all the world will talk of it.
33:14 The s sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
(s) Which do not believe the words of the prophet, and the assurance of their deliverance.
33:16 He shall dwell on t high: his place of defence [shall be] the strong holds of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters [shall be] sure.
(t) Meaning, that God will be a sure defence to all them that live according to his word.
33:17 Thy eyes shall u see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the x land that is very far off.
(u) They will see Hezekiah delivered from his enemies and restored to honour and glory.
(x) They will be no more shut in as they were by Sennacherib, but go where it pleases them.
33:18 Thy heart y shall meditate terror. Where [is] the scribe? where [is] the receiver? where [is] he that counted the towers?
(y) Before this liberty comes you will think that you are in great danger: for the enemy will so sharply assail you that one will cry "Where is the clerk that writes the names of them who are taxed?" another, "Where is the receiver?" another will cry for him that values the rich houses, but God will deliver you from this fear.
33:21 But there the glorious LORD [will be] to us a place z of broad rivers [and] streams; in which shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass through it.
(z) Let us be content with this small river of Shiloah and not desire the great streams and rivers, by which the enemies may bring in ships and destroy us.
33:23 Thy a tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the b prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
(a) He derides the Assyrians and enemies of the Church, declaring their destruction as they who perish by shipwreck.
(b) He comforts the Church, and shows that they will be enriched with all benefits both of body and soul.