Focused Passage

Isaiah 33:1-12

The LORD Is Our Judge, Lawgiver, King, and Savior

Isaiah 33 moves from a woe against the treacherous destroyer, to a prayer for the LORD’s gracious intervention, to the collapse of human agreements and the LORD’s exaltation, to the terror of sinners in Zion, to the profile of the righteous who dwell with consuming fire, and finally to the vision of the King in His beauty and Zion’s secure salvation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.

2O LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.

3The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.

4Your spoil, O nations, is gathered as by locusts; like a swarm of locusts men sweep over it.

5The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

6He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.

7Behold, their valiant ones cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly.

8The highways are deserted; travel has ceased. The treaty has been broken, the witnesses are despised, and human life is disregarded.

9The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is ashamed and decayed. Sharon is like a desert; Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

10“Now I will arise,” says the LORD. “Now I will lift Myself up. Now I will be exalted.

11You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you.

12The peoples will be burned to ashes, like thorns cut down and set ablaze.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Woeה֣וֹיH1945Interjectionto youוְאַתָּה֙H859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularO destroyerשׁוֹדֵ֗דH7703Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularneverלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particledestroyedשָׁד֔וּדH7703Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularO traitorוּבוֹגֵ֖דH898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularneverוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebetrayedבָ֣גְדוּH898Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralWhen you have finishedכַּהֲתִֽמְךָ֤H8552Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singulardestroyingשׁוֹדֵד֙H7703Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularyou will be destroyedתּוּשַּׁ֔דH7703Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - second person masculine singularWhen you have finishedכַּנְּלֹתְךָ֥H5239Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularbetrayingלִבְגֹּ֖דH898Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyou will be betrayedיִבְגְּדוּ־H898Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

O LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbe gracious to usחָנֵּ֖נוּH2603Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common pluralWe waitקִוִּ֑ינוּH6960Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common pluralfor Youלְךָ֣Preposition | second person masculine singularBeהֱיֵ֤הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularour strengthזְרֹעָם֙H2220Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralevery morningלַבְּקָרִ֔יםH1242Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralandאַף־H637Conjunctionour salvationיְשׁוּעָתֵ֖נוּH3444Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common pluralin timeבְּעֵ֥תH6256Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof troubleצָרָֽה׃H6869Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

The peoplesעַמִּ֑יםH5971Noun - masculine pluralfleeנָדְד֖וּH5074Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe thunderהָמ֔וֹןH1995Noun - masculine singularof Your voiceמִקּ֣וֹלH6963Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructthe nationsגּוֹיִֽם׃H1471Noun - masculine pluralscatterנָפְצ֖וּH5310Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwhen You riseמֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָH7427Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Your spoil, [O nations,]שְׁלַלְכֶ֔םH7998Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralis gatheredוְאֻסַּ֣ףH622Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularas by locustsהֶֽחָסִ֑ילH2625Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .אֹ֖סֶףH625Noun - masculine singular constructlike a swarmכְּמַשַּׁ֥קH4944Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof locustsגֵּבִ֖יםH1357Noun - masculine pluralmen sweepשׁוֹקֵ֥קH8264Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularover itבּֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • O nations is added for clarity.
Verse 5

Original words

The LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularis exaltedנִשְׂגָּ֣בH7682Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularforכִּ֥יH3588ConjunctionHe dwellsשֹׁכֵ֖ןH7931Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularon highמָר֑וֹםH4791Noun - masculine singularHe has filledמִלֵּ֣אH4390Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularZionצִיּ֔וֹןH6726Noun - proper - feminine singularwith justiceמִשְׁפָּ֖טH4941Noun - masculine singularand righteousnessוּצְדָקָֽה׃H6666Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

He will beוְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe sure foundationאֱמוּנַ֣תH530Noun - feminine singular constructfor your timesעִתֶּ֔יךָH6256Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singulara storehouseחֹ֥סֶןH2633Noun - masculine singular constructof salvationיְשׁוּעֹ֖תH3444Noun - feminine pluralwisdomחָכְמַ֣תH2451Noun - feminine singular constructand knowledgeוָדָ֑עַתH1847Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularThe fearיִרְאַ֥תH3374Noun - feminine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .הִ֥יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis [Zion’s] treasureאוֹצָרֽוֹ׃סH214Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Beholdהֵ֚ןH2005Interjectiontheir valiant onesאֶרְאֶלָּ֔םH691Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralcry aloudצָעֲק֖וּH6817Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralin the streetsחֻ֑צָהH2351Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularthe envoysמַלְאֲכֵ֣יH4397Noun - masculine plural constructof peaceשָׁל֔וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singularweepיִבְכָּיֽוּן׃H1058Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nunbitterlyמַ֖רH4751Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

The highwaysמְסִלּ֔וֹתH4546Noun - feminine pluralare desertedנָשַׁ֣מּוּH8074Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluraltravelעֹבֵ֣רH5674Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct. . .אֹ֑רַחH734Noun - common singularhas ceasedשָׁבַ֖תH7673Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularThe treatyבְּרִית֙H1285Noun - feminine singularhas been brokenהֵפֵ֤רH6565Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe witnessesעָרִ֔יםH5892Noun - feminine pluralare despisedמָאַ֣סH3988Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand human lifeלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleis disregardedחָשַׁ֖בH2803Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃H582Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew berit are translated in most passages as covenant.
  • DSS; MT the cities
Verse 9

Original words

The landאָ֔רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularmournsאָבַ֤לH56Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular[and] languishesאֻמְלְלָה֙H535Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singularLebanonלְבָנ֖וֹןH3844Noun - proper - feminine singularis ashamedהֶחְפִּ֥ירH2659Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularand decayedקָמַ֑לH7060Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularSharonהַשָּׁרוֹן֙H8289Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularisהָיָ֤הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularlike a desertכָּֽעֲרָבָ֔הH6160Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singularBashanבָּשָׁ֖ןH1316Noun - proper - feminine singularand Carmelוְכַרְמֶֽל׃H3760Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singularshake off their leavesוְנֹעֵ֥רH5287Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Nowעַתָּ֥הH6258AdverbI will ariseאָק֖וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularsaysיֹאמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularNowעַתָּה֙H6258AdverbI will lift Myself upאֵֽרוֹמָ֔םH7311Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singularNowעַתָּ֖הH6258AdverbI will be exaltedאֶנָּשֵֽׂא׃H5375Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Verse 11

Original words

You conceiveתַּהֲר֥וּH2029Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralchaffחֲשַׁ֖שׁH2842Noun - masculine singularyou give birth toתֵּ֣לְדוּH3205Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralstubbleקַ֑שׁH7179Noun - masculine singularYour breathרוּחֲכֶ֕םH7307Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralis a fireאֵ֖שׁH784Noun - common singularthat will consume youתֹּאכַלְכֶֽם׃H398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine plural
Verse 12

Original words

The peoplesעַמִּ֖יםH5971Noun - masculine pluralwill beוְהָי֥וּH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralburnedמִשְׂרְפ֣וֹתH4955Noun - feminine plural constructto ashesשִׂ֑ידH7875Noun - masculine singularlike thornsקוֹצִ֥יםH6975Noun - masculine pluralcut downכְּסוּחִ֖יםH3683Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluraland setיִצַּֽתּוּ׃סH3341Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralablazeבָּאֵ֥שׁH784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.