Isaiah 10:33

33 But now watch this: The Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, swings his ax and lops the branches, Chops down the giant trees, lays flat the towering forest-on-the-march.

Isaiah 10:33 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 10:33

Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough
with terror
Cut off the king of Assyria and his army, in a most terrible manner; "the glory" of it, as in ( Isaiah 10:18 ) the word signifies that which is the ornament, the beauty and glory, of the tree. The Septuagint render it, "the glorious ones"; and the Arabic version, "the nobles", the generals, and principal officers of the army; the Targum is,

``behold, the Lord of the world, the Lord of hosts, shall cast forth the slain in his camp, as grapes that are trod in a winepress.''

And the high ones of stature [shall] be hewn down;
the princes of Assyria, so boasted of as kings, ( Isaiah 10:8 ) comparable to tall trees, to oaks and cedars:

and the haughty shall be humbled;
who, like their monarch, boasted of their wisdom and strength, ( Isaiah 10:12-14 ) but now both he and they will be brought very low.

Isaiah 10:33 In-Context

31 Madmenah takes to the hills. The people of Gebim flee in panic.
32 The enemy's soon at Nob - nearly there! In sight of the city he shakes his fist At the mount of dear daughter Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 But now watch this: The Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, swings his ax and lops the branches, Chops down the giant trees, lays flat the towering forest-on-the-march.
34 His ax will make toothpicks of that forest, that Lebanon-like army reduced to kindling.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.