Isaiah 33:3

3 At the sound of the tumult, the peoples wander off; when you exalt yourself, the nations are scattered.

Isaiah 33:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 33:3

At the noise of the tumult the people fled
The Vulgate Latin Version renders it, "at the voice of the angel"; and Jerom reports it as the opinion of the Jews, that it was Gabriel; and many interpret the words either of the noise the angel made in the air, or was made in the Assyrian camp, when the angel descended, and smote such a vast number of them, at which the remnant, being frightened, fled, ( 2 Kings 19:35 2 Kings 19:36 ) but either this is to be understood as expressing what had been done in time past, and therefore the church took encouragement that it might and would be so again; or as a continuance of her prayer, thus, "at the noise of the tumult", or multitude ^F20, "let the people flee" ^F21; or as a prediction, "they shall flee" ^F23; that is, at the noise of the multitude of saints, the faithful, called, and chosen armies of heaven, that follow Christ on white horses, and clothed in white; when he shall go forth to battle with the kings of the earth, beast, and false prophet, let the people under them flee, or they shall flee, and not be able to stand before so puissant a General, and so powerful an army; see ( Revelation 17:14 ) ( 19:14 ) : at the lifting up of thyself, the nations were scattered;
so it has been in times past, when the Lord has lifted up himself, and appeared on behalf of his people, and has exerted himself, and displayed his power; and so it will be again; or so let it be: "let the nations be scattered"; the antichristian nations, as they will be, when the Lord shall lift up his hand, and pour out the vials of his wrath upon them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (Nwmh lwqm) "a voce multitudinis", Pagninus; "a voce turbae", Montanus, Cocceius.
F21 Fugiant, so some in Gataker.
F23 Profugient, Piscator.

Isaiah 33:3 In-Context

1 Woe, destroyer, yourself undestroyed! Woe, betrayer, yourself unbetrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you tire of betraying, they will betray you.

2 ADONAI, show us mercy; we have waited for you. Be their arm every morning, and our salvation in time of trouble.

3 At the sound of the tumult, the peoples wander off; when you exalt yourself, the nations are scattered.

4 Your spoil is gathered as if stripped by shearer-worms; they run over it like a swarm of locusts.

5 ADONAI is exalted, for he dwells on high; he has filled Tziyon with justice and right.