Isaiah 33:15

15 You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things.

Isaiah 33:15 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 33:15

He that walketh righteously
These are the words of the prophet, in answer to those of the hypocrites. So the Targum,

``the prophet said, the righteous shall dwell in it;''
not in the devouring fire and everlasting burnings, but in Zion, in Jerusalem, on high, in the munition of rocks, safe from those burnings; for these words are to be connected not with the preceding, but with the following verse ( Isaiah 33:16 ) , "thus, he that walketh righteously" "he shall dwell on high"; and such an one is he that walks by faith on Christ as his righteousness; that walks after the Spirit, and not after the flesh; that walks uprightly, according to the rule of the Gospel, and as becomes it; that walks in the ways of judgment and righteousness, in which Christ leads his people, and lives soberly, righteously, and godly: and speaketh uprightly;
or "uprightnesses" F2; upright things, what is in his heart, what is agreeable to the word of God, the standard of truth; who makes mention continually of the righteousness of Christ, and that only as his justifying one: and whose tongue talks of judgment, just and righteous things, and not what is corrupt, profane, impure, and impious: he that despiseth the gain of oppressions;
that which is got by oppression and rapine; the mammon of iniquity, as the Targum calls it; but reckons the gain of wisdom, and of godliness, exceeding preferable to it: that shaketh his hand from holding of bribes;
that will not receive any, but when they are put into his hands shakes them out, and will not retain them; expressing his abhorrence of such practices, and declaring that he is not to be influenced by such methods from speaking truth, and doing justice: that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood;
or "bloods" F3; from hearing those that shed innocent blood, as the Targum; who will not hearken to any solicitations to shed blood; will not converse with men about it, or enter into schemes in order to it, much less join them in shedding it: and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
done by others; he abhors it in himself, and dislikes it in others; turns his eyes from beholding it, so far from taking pleasure in it, and in those that do it: all this is opposed to the hypocrisy, impiety, profaneness, rapine, bribery, murders, and wickedness of the church of Rome; see ( Revelation 9:21 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Myrvym rbd) "qui loquitur recta", Piscator; "loquens recta", Cocceius; "loquens aequitates", Montanus.
F3 (Mymd emvm) "ab audiendo sanquines", Montanus; "ne audiat sanquines", Cocceius.

Isaiah 33:15 In-Context

13 Let everyone near and far hear what I have done and acknowledge my power."
14 The sinful people of Zion are trembling with fright. They say, "God's judgment is like a fire that burns forever. Can any of us survive a fire like that?"
15 You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things.
16 Then you will be safe; you will be as secure as if in a strong fortress. You will have food to eat and water to drink.
17 Once again you will see a king ruling in splendor over a land that stretches in all directions.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.