A Prayer in Deep Distress

33 Woe to you (A)who plunder, though you have not been plundered;
And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you!
(B)When you cease plundering,
You will be (C)plundered;
When you make an end of dealing treacherously,
They will deal treacherously with you.

O Lord, be gracious to us;
(D)We have waited for You.
Be [a]their arm every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of trouble.
At the noise of the tumult the people (E)shall flee;
When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered;
And Your plunder shall be gathered
Like the gathering of the caterpillar;
As the running to and fro of locusts,
He shall run upon them.

(F)The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times,
And the strength of salvation;
The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside,
(G)The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
(H)The highways lie waste,
The traveling man ceases.
(I)He has broken the covenant,
[b]He has despised the [c]cities,
He regards no man.
(J)The earth mourns and languishes,
Lebanon is shamed and shriveled;
Sharon is like a wilderness,
And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

Impending Judgment on Zion

10 “Now(K) I will rise,” says the Lord;
“Now I will be exalted,
Now I will lift Myself up.
11 (L)You shall conceive chaff,
You shall bring forth stubble;
Your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime;
(M)Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.
13 Hear, (N)you who are afar off, what I have done;
And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid;
Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:
“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring (O)fire?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
15 He who (P)walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
He who despises the gain of oppressions,
Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes,
Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed,
And (Q)shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16 He will dwell on [d]high;
His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks;
Bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.

The Land of the Majestic King

17 Your eyes will see the King in His (R)beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off.
18 Your heart will meditate on terror:
(S)“Where is the scribe?
Where is he who weighs?
Where is he who counts the towers?”
19 (T)You will not see a fierce people,
(U)A people of obscure speech, beyond perception,
Of a [e]stammering tongue that you cannot understand.

20 (V)Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;
Your eyes will see (W)Jerusalem, a quiet home,
A tabernacle that will not be taken down;
(X)Not one of (Y)its stakes will ever be removed,
Nor will any of its cords be broken.
21 But there the majestic Lord will be for us
A place of broad rivers and streams,
In which no [f]galley with oars will sail,
Nor majestic ships pass by
22 (For the Lord is our (Z)Judge,
The Lord is our (AA)Lawgiver,
(AB)The Lord is our King;
He will save us);
23 Your tackle is loosed,
They could not strengthen their mast,
They could not spread the sail.

Then the prey of great plunder is divided;
The lame take the prey.
24 And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”;
(AC)The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 33:2 LXX omits their; Syr., Tg., Vg. our
  2. Isaiah 33:8 Tg. They have been removed from their cities
  3. Isaiah 33:8 So with MT, Vg.; DSS witnesses; LXX omits cities
  4. Isaiah 33:16 Lit. heights
  5. Isaiah 33:19 Unintelligible speech
  6. Isaiah 33:21 ship

The Judgment of God

33 Woe (A)to you, destroyer,
While you were not destroyed;
And he (B)who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him.
As soon as you finish destroying, (C)you will be destroyed;
As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will (D)deal treacherously with you.
Lord, (E)be gracious to us; we have (F)waited for You.
Be [a]their [b](G)strength every morning,
Our salvation also in the (H)time of distress.
At the sound of a roar, (I)peoples flee;
At the (J)lifting up of Yourself, nations disperse.
Your plunder is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
Like an infestation of locusts, people storm it.
The Lord is (K)exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has (L)filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
And He will be the [c](M)stability of your times,
A (N)wealth of salvation, wisdom, and (O)knowledge;
The (P)fear of the Lord is his treasure.
Behold, their brave men cry out [d]in the streets,
The [e](Q)ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
The highways are desolate, [f]the (R)traveler has ceased,
He has (S)broken the covenant, he has despised the cities,
He has no regard for mankind.
(T)The land mourns and wastes away,
(U)Lebanon is shamed and withers;
(V)Sharon is like a desert plain,
And Bashan and Carmel [g]lose their foliage.
10 “Now (W)I will arise,” says the Lord,
“Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.
11 You have (X)conceived [h]chaff, you will give birth to stubble;
[i]My (Y)breath will consume you like a fire.
12 The peoples will be burned to lime,
(Z)Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

13 “You who are far away, (AA)hear what I have done;
And you who are near, [j]acknowledge My might.”
14 (AB)Sinners in Zion are terrified;
(AC)Trembling has seized the godless.
“Who among us can live with (AD)the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with everlasting (AE)burning?”
15 One who (AF)walks righteously and speaks with integrity,
One who rejects [k]unjust gain
And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;
One who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And (AG)shuts his eyes from looking at evil;
16 He will dwell on the heights,
(AH)His refuge will be the [l]impregnable rock;
(AI)His bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.

17 Your eyes will see (AJ)the King in His beauty;
They will see (AK)a distant land.
18 Your heart will meditate on (AL)terror:
“Where is (AM)one who counts?
Where is one who weighs?
Where is one who counts the towers?”
19 You will no longer see a fierce people,
A people of [m](AN)unintelligible speech [n]which no one comprehends,
Of a stammering tongue [o]which no one understands.
20 (AO)Look at Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an (AP)undisturbed settlement,
(AQ)A tent which will not be folded;
Its stakes will never be pulled up,
Nor any of its ropes be torn apart.
21 But there the majestic One, the Lord, will be for us
A place of (AR)rivers and wide canals
On which no boat with oars will go,
And on which no mighty ship will pass—
22 For the Lord is our (AS)judge,
The Lord is (AT)our lawgiver,
The Lord is (AU)our king;
(AV)He will save us—
23 Your ship’s tackle hangs slack;
It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly,
Nor spread out the sail.
Then the (AW)prey of an abundant spoil will be divided;
(AX)Those who limp will take the plunder.
24 And no resident will say, “I am (AY)sick”;
The people who live [p]there will be (AZ)forgiven their wrongdoing.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 33:2 Some ancient versions our
  2. Isaiah 33:2 Lit arm
  3. Isaiah 33:6 Or faithfulness
  4. Isaiah 33:7 Lit outside
  5. Isaiah 33:7 Lit messengers
  6. Isaiah 33:8 Lit one who passes along the way
  7. Isaiah 33:9 Lit shake off
  8. Isaiah 33:11 Lit dry grass
  9. Isaiah 33:11 One ancient version; MT Your breath will
  10. Isaiah 33:13 Lit know
  11. Isaiah 33:15 Lit gain of extortioners
  12. Isaiah 33:16 Lit stronghold of rock
  13. Isaiah 33:19 Lit deepness of lip
  14. Isaiah 33:19 Lit from hearing
  15. Isaiah 33:19 Lit there is no understanding
  16. Isaiah 33:24 Lit in it

The Judgment of God

33 Woe (judgment is coming) to you, O destroyer,
You who were not destroyed,
And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him.
As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed;
As soon as you stop dealing treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you.

O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited [expectantly] for You.
Be the arm of Your servants every morning [that is, their strength and their defense],
Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

At the sound of the tumult, the peoples flee;
At the lifting up of Yourself nations scatter.

Your spoil [of Israel’s foe] is gathered [by the people of Jerusalem] as the caterpillar gathers;
As locusts swarming so people swarm on it.

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

And He will be the security and stability of your times,
A treasure of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the Lord is your treasure.

Now look, their brave men shout outside;
The ambassadors [seeking a treaty] of peace weep bitterly.

The highways are deserted, the traveler has ceased [to appear].
The enemy has broken the covenant, he has rejected the [a]cities,
He has no regard for [any] man.

The land mourns and dries out,
Lebanon is shamed and [its lush foliage] withers;
[b]Sharon is like a desert plain,
And [c]Bashan and [Mount] Carmel shake off their leaves.
10 
“Now I will arise,” says the Lord.
“Now I will be exalted; now I will be lifted up.
11 
“You have conceived dried grass, you will give birth to stubble;
My breath is a fire that will consume you.
12 
“The peoples will be burned to lime,
Like thorns cut down which are burned in the fire.

13 
“You who are far away, hear what I have done;
And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
14 
The sinners in Zion are terrified;
Trembling has seized the godless.
[They cry] “Who among us can live with the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with everlasting burning?”
15 
He who walks righteously and speaks with integrity,
Who rejects gain from fraud and from oppression,
Who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes,
Who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil;
16 
He will dwell on the heights,
His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks,
His bread will be given him;
His water will be permanent.

17 
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see a far-distant land.
18 
Your mind will meditate on the terror [asking]:
“Where is he who counts?
Where is he who weighs [the tribute]?
Where is he who counts the towers?”
19 
You will no longer see the fierce and insolent people,
A people of unintelligible speech which no one comprehends,
Of a strange and stammering tongue which no one understands.
20 
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts and observances;
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a undisturbed settlement,
A tent which will not be taken down;
Not one of its stakes will ever be pulled up,
Nor any of its ropes be severed.
21 
But there the mighty and magnificent Lord will be for us
A place of broad rivers and streams,
Where no oar-driven boat will go,
And on which no mighty and stately ship will pass.
22 
For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Ruler,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us.(A)
23 
Your ship’s ropes (tackle) hang loose;
They cannot hold the base of their mast firmly,
Nor spread out the sail.
Then an abundance of spoil and plunder will be divided;
Even the lame will take the plunder.
24 
And no inhabitant [of Zion] will say, “I am sick”;
The people who dwell there will be forgiven their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing].

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 33:8 The DSS read witnesses.
  2. Isaiah 33:9 The fertile pasture region south of Mt. Carmel.
  3. Isaiah 33:9 The fertile plateau east of the Jordan River.

33 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

10 Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

11 Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.

12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

14 The 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?

15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.

20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

21 But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.

23 Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.

24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.