Isaiah 33:6-16

6 And He will be the ¹stability of your times, A ²wealth of salvation, wisdom and ³knowledge; The ⁴fear of the LORD is his treasure.

7 Behold, their brave men cry in the streets, The ⁵ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

8 The highways are desolate, the ⁶traveler has ceased, He has ⁷broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, He has no regard for man.

9 ⁸The land mourns and pines away, ⁹Lebanon is shamed and withers; ¹⁰Sharon is like a desert plain, And Bashan and Carmel lose their foliage.

10 "Now ¹¹I will arise," says the LORD, "Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.

11 "You have ¹²conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble; My ¹³breath will consume you like a fire.

12 "The peoples will be burned to lime, ¹⁴Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

13 "You who are far away, ¹⁵hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might."

14 ¹⁶Sinners in Zion are terrified; ¹⁷Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with ¹⁸the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual ¹⁹burning?"

15 He who ²⁰walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust * gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And ²¹shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;

16 He will dwell on the heights, ²²His refuge will be the impregnable rock; ²³His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.

Isaiah 33:6-16 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

• 1. Isaiah 33:20
• 2. Isaiah 45:17; Isaiah 51:6
• 3. Isaiah 11:9
• 4. 2 Kings 18:7; Psalms 112:1-3; Isaiah 11:3; Matthew 6:33
• 5. 2 Kings 18:18, 37
• 6. Isaiah 35:8
• 7. Isaiah 24:5
• 8. Isaiah 3:26; Isaiah 24:4; Isaiah 29:2
• 9. Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 10:34
• 10. Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah 65:10
• 11. Psalms 12:5; Isaiah 2:19, 21
• 12. Psalms 7:14; Isaiah 26:18; Isaiah 59:4; James 1:15
• 13. Isaiah 1:31
• 14. 2 Samuel 23:6, 7; Isaiah 10:17; Isaiah 27:4
• 15. Psalms 48:10; Isaiah 49:1
• 16. Isaiah 1:28
• 17. Isaiah 32:11
• 18. Isaiah 30:27, 30; Hebrews 12:29
• 19. Isaiah 9:18, 19; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 47:14
• 20. Psalms 15:2; Psalms 24:4; Isaiah 58:6-11
• 21. Psalms 119:37
• 22. Isaiah 25:4
• 23. Isaiah 49:10

Footnotes

• [a] Or "faithfulness"
• [b] Lit "the outside"
• [c] Lit "messengers"
• [d] Lit "he who passes along the way"
• [e] Lit "shake off"
• [f] Lit "dry grass"
• [g] So one ancient version; M.T. reads "Your breath will"
• [h] Lit "know"
• [i] Lit "everlasting"
• [j] Lit "gain of extortioners"
• [k] Lit "stronghold of rock"