Isaiah 33:17-24

17 1Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; 2they will see a land that stretches afar.
18 3Your heart will muse on the terror: "Where is he who counted, where is 4he who weighed the tribute? Where is 5he who counted the towers?"
19 6You will see no more the insolent people, the people 7of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend, stammering in a tongue that you cannot understand.
20 Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! 8Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an 9immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
21 But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of 10broad rivers and streams, 11where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass.
22 For the LORD is our 12judge; the LORD is our 13lawgiver; the LORD is our 14king; he will save us.
23 Your cords hang loose; they cannot hold the mast firm in its place or keep the sail spread out. 15Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided; even 16the lame will take the prey.
24 And no inhabitant will say, 17"I am sick"; 18the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.

Isaiah 33:17-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 33

This chapter contains an account of God's judgments upon the enemies of his people, and of the peaceable, comfortable, and happy state of the church in the latter day. The judgment denounced, Isa 33:1 a prayer of the church for safety and protection, which it promises itself from what God had heretofore done, Isa 33:2,3 an answer to it, declaring the spoil of the enemy, and the happy times the people of God should enjoy through his appearance for them, Isa 33:4-6 though previous thereunto there would be very distressing ones, Isa 33:7-9 when the Lord resolves to arise and exert his power in the destruction of the people, who should be burnt up like stubble, thorns, and lime, Isa 33:10-12 persons far and near are called upon to take notice of this, Isa 33:13 which would issue in a different manner, in the surprise and terror of hypocrites, and in the safety and plenty of provisions for good men, who are described, Isa 33:14-16 and then follow promises to them, of seeing the King in his beauty, and beholding a distant country of reflecting on past terror with pleasure, being freed from it, and in no danger of a foreign enemy, Isa 33:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with a famous prophecy of the peace, prosperity, and safety of the church, and of the healthfulness of its inhabitants, under the protection of Christ, its King and Lawgiver, its enemies being also an easy prey to it, Isa 33:20-24.

Cross References 18

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.