Isaiah 33

Isaiah 33 concludes a section, beginning in chapter 28, of oracles introduced by "Woe." Chapter 32 celebrated a king who reigns in righteousness, and chapter 33 closes the section with the downfall of the enemy and the restoration of Zion.

Outline

• Verse 1 A woe is pronounced on the one who spoils though he was not spoiled, and who deals treacherously though no one dealt treacherously with him.
• Verses 2–6 A prayer asks the LORD for grace and salvation. The passage then declares that the LORD fills Zion with judgment and righteousness and that the fear of the LORD is a treasure.
• Verses 7–9 The valiant ones cry out, and the ambassadors of peace weep. The highways lie waste, the enemy breaks the covenant, and Lebanon, Sharon, Bashan, and Carmel wither.
• Verses 10–12 The LORD declares that He will now rise up. The enemies, like chaff and stubble, are devoured by the fire of their own breath.
• Verses 13–16 The LORD calls to those who are far off and to those who are near. When the sinners in Zion ask, "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?" the answer follows that the one who walks righteously and refuses bribes shall dwell on high.
• Verses 17–19 The people will see the king in his beauty, and they will no longer see those who counted the tribute or the fierce people of an unintelligible tongue.
• Verses 20–24 Jerusalem becomes a tabernacle that shall not be taken down. The LORD is judge, lawgiver, and king. Even the lame take the prey, and the people who dwell there are forgiven their iniquity.

Key Verses

• Isaiah 33:6 "The fear of the LORD is his treasure": identifies the true treasure of restored Zion.
• Isaiah 33:15–16 "He that walketh righteously … He shall dwell on high": describes concretely the life of the person who can stand before God.
• Isaiah 33:22 "For the LORD is our judge … the LORD is our king": confesses that judging, lawgiving, and ruling all belong to the LORD.

People and Places

• The LORD: the one who receives the prayer in this chapter and carries out both judgment and salvation.
• Zion and Jerusalem: portrayed as a restored dwelling place that will not be shaken.
• Lebanon: a northern mountain region famous for its cedars.
• Sharon: a fertile plain along the Mediterranean coast.
• Bashan: pastureland northeast of the Jordan River.
• Carmel: a mountain range on the northern coast.

Interpretive Considerations

• The text does not name "the destroyer." Many commentaries identify this figure as Assyria and read the chapter against the background of the invasion during the reign of Hezekiah recounted in chapters 36–37. Other interpreters, by contrast, read the chapter as a picture of eschatological restoration.
• Interpretations of "the king in his beauty" in verse 17 differ. Some take it to refer to the LORD Himself, others to an ideal king of David's line, while Christian tradition reads it as a prophecy of Christ.
• The question-and-answer exchange in verses 14–16 is often compared with the "Who shall ascend?" form found in Psalm 15 and Psalm 24.
• Some commentaries suggest that "Where is the wise?" in 1 Corinthians 1:20 recalls verse 18.