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

1 Woe 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9 The 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.

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

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Woe ה֣וֹי H1945 Interjection to you וְאַתָּה֙ H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular O destroyer שׁוֹדֵ֗ד H7703 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular never לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle destroyed שָׁד֔וּד H7703 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular O traitor וּבוֹגֵ֖ד H898 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular never וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle betrayed בָ֣גְדוּ H898 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural When you have finished כַּהֲתִֽמְךָ֤ H8552 Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular destroying שׁוֹדֵד֙ H7703 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you will be destroyed תּוּשַּׁ֔ד H7703 Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - second person masculine singular When you have finished כַּנְּלֹתְךָ֥ H5239 Preposition-k | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular betraying לִבְגֹּ֖ד H898 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct you will be betrayed יִבְגְּדוּ־ H898 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

O LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular be gracious to us חָנֵּ֖נוּ H2603 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common plural We wait קִוִּ֑ינוּ H6960 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural for You לְךָ֣ Preposition | second person masculine singular Be הֱיֵ֤ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular our strength זְרֹעָם֙ H2220 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural every morning לַבְּקָרִ֔ים H1242 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural and אַף־ H637 Conjunction our salvation יְשׁוּעָתֵ֖נוּ H3444 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural in time בְּעֵ֥ת H6256 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct of trouble צָרָֽה׃ H6869 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

The peoples עַמִּ֑ים H5971 Noun - masculine plural flee נָדְד֖וּ H5074 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural the thunder הָמ֔וֹן H1995 Noun - masculine singular of Your voice מִקּ֣וֹל H6963 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct the nations גּוֹיִֽם׃ H1471 Noun - masculine plural scatter נָפְצ֖וּ H5310 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural when You rise מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ H7427 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Your spoil, [O nations,] שְׁלַלְכֶ֔ם H7998 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural is gathered וְאֻסַּ֣ף H622 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular as by locusts הֶֽחָסִ֑יל H2625 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . אֹ֖סֶף H625 Noun - masculine singular construct like a swarm כְּמַשַּׁ֥ק H4944 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct of locusts גֵּבִ֖ים H1357 Noun - masculine plural men sweep שׁוֹקֵ֥ק H8264 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular over it בּֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • O nations is added for clarity.
Verse 5

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular is exalted נִשְׂגָּ֣ב H7682 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction He dwells שֹׁכֵ֖ן H7931 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular on high מָר֑וֹם H4791 Noun - masculine singular He has filled מִלֵּ֣א H4390 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Zion צִיּ֔וֹן H6726 Noun - proper - feminine singular with justice מִשְׁפָּ֖ט H4941 Noun - masculine singular and righteousness וּצְדָקָֽה׃ H6666 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

He will be וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular the sure foundation אֱמוּנַ֣ת H530 Noun - feminine singular construct for your times עִתֶּ֔יךָ H6256 Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular a storehouse חֹ֥סֶן H2633 Noun - masculine singular construct of salvation יְשׁוּעֹ֖ת H3444 Noun - feminine plural wisdom חָכְמַ֣ת H2451 Noun - feminine singular construct and knowledge וָדָ֑עַת H1847 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular The fear יִרְאַ֥ת H3374 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הִ֥יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is [Zion’s] treasure אוֹצָרֽוֹ׃ס H214 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Behold הֵ֚ן H2005 Interjection their valiant ones אֶרְאֶלָּ֔ם H691 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural cry aloud צָעֲק֖וּ H6817 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural in the streets חֻ֑צָה H2351 Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular the envoys מַלְאֲכֵ֣י H4397 Noun - masculine plural construct of peace שָׁל֔וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular weep יִבְכָּיֽוּן׃ H1058 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun bitterly מַ֖ר H4751 Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

The highways מְסִלּ֔וֹת H4546 Noun - feminine plural are deserted נָשַׁ֣מּוּ H8074 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural travel עֹבֵ֣ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct . . . אֹ֑רַח H734 Noun - common singular has ceased שָׁבַ֖ת H7673 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular The treaty בְּרִית֙ H1285 Noun - feminine singular has been broken הֵפֵ֤ר H6565 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular the witnesses עָרִ֔ים H5892 Noun - feminine plural are despised מָאַ֣ס H3988 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and human life לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle is disregarded חָשַׁ֖ב H2803 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ H582 Noun - 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 land אָ֔רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular mourns אָבַ֤ל H56 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular [and] languishes אֻמְלְלָה֙ H535 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular Lebanon לְבָנ֖וֹן H3844 Noun - proper - feminine singular is ashamed הֶחְפִּ֥יר H2659 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular and decayed קָמַ֑ל H7060 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Sharon הַשָּׁרוֹן֙ H8289 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular is הָיָ֤ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular like a desert כָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה H6160 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singular Bashan בָּשָׁ֖ן H1316 Noun - proper - feminine singular and Carmel וְכַרְמֶֽל׃ H3760 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular shake off their leaves וְנֹעֵ֥ר H5287 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Now עַתָּ֥ה H6258 Adverb I will arise אָק֖וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular says יֹאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Now עַתָּה֙ H6258 Adverb I will lift Myself up אֵֽרוֹמָ֔ם H7311 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular Now עַתָּ֖ה H6258 Adverb I will be exalted אֶנָּשֵֽׂא׃ H5375 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Verse 11

Original words

You conceive תַּהֲר֥וּ H2029 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural chaff חֲשַׁ֖שׁ H2842 Noun - masculine singular you give birth to תֵּ֣לְדוּ H3205 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural stubble קַ֑שׁ H7179 Noun - masculine singular Your breath רוּחֲכֶ֕ם H7307 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural is a fire אֵ֖שׁ H784 Noun - common singular that will consume you תֹּאכַלְכֶֽם׃ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine plural
Verse 12

Original words

The peoples עַמִּ֖ים H5971 Noun - masculine plural will be וְהָי֥וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural burned מִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת H4955 Noun - feminine plural construct to ashes שִׂ֑יד H7875 Noun - masculine singular like thorns קוֹצִ֥ים H6975 Noun - masculine plural cut down כְּסוּחִ֖ים H3683 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural and set יִצַּֽתּוּ׃ס H3341 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural ablaze בָּאֵ֥שׁ H784 Preposition-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.