Isaiah 33

Isaiah 33:1

Isaiah: God controls the nations God defends *Jerusalem An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Isaiah chapters 31 to 39 www.easyenglish.info Norman Hillyer This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

Words in boxes are from the Bible.

Tap the * before a word to show an explanation.

Chapter 33 A prayer for help v1 *Woe to our enemies! They ruined and cheated other people. Although nobody had ruined or cheated them. But the time will come when they themselves will suffer. Other people will ruin them and cheat them.

v2 *Lord, please be kind to us! We wait for you to help us. Be like a strong arm that protects us each day. Rescue us when we are in trouble. v3 When people hear the roar of your loud voice, they will run. Nations will scatter when you rise in your royal power. v4 When an enemy scatters, the winners *seize the enemy’s goods. They take everything. They are like a cloud (mass) of locusts (insects) that destroys every plant.

v5 How very great is the *Lord! In fact, he is over all. He will establish true judgements and right behaviour everywhere in *Jerusalem. v6 And in your times the *Lord will give the nation a firm base. He will make your real wealth secure. That real wealth means the plentiful gifts that he gives to you. Those plentiful gifts consist of wisdom and knowledge. And those gifts include great honour for the *Lord.

v7 But look! Brave soldiers are crying in the street. *Messengers are weeping bitterly, because they have failed to obtain peace from the enemy. v8 Main roads become empty. It is too dangerous to travel on them, because the enemy is about. People do not keep agreements. Judges cannot trust witnesses to tell the truth. Nobody cares about anybody else. v9 Fields are dry and they are empty of crops. The great forests in Lebanon are dry. The beautiful plain called Sharon has become like a desert. The trees in Bashan and Carmel have no water. So the trees lose their leaves.

Verse 1

This verse does not identify the enemy. But it is probably the *Babylonians, because there is a relationship between this chapter and Isaiah chapter 21. The original language uses some words that appear together only in 21:2 and here, in 33:1.

 The nation that is attacking God’s people is very strong. And it has never suffered defeat.

Verse 8

Society has broken down.

Verse 9

Nature itself suffers when human society breaks down (see Genesis 3:17-18). God warns his enemies v10 (The *Lord speaks to the nations.) Now I am going to act. Now I shall show how powerful I am. v11 Your plans are like dry grass that is ready to burn. Your own breath will be like the fire. You will ruin yourselves. v12 Fire will reduce the people’s bones to chalk. They will be like dry *thorn-bushes that someone throws in the fire. v13 You may be living in this land or in a distant country. You may be near or far away. But recognise what I have done. Realise that my actions are very powerful. v14 People in *Jerusalem who practise evil deeds are rightly afraid. People who are not holy tremble greatly. Nobody can live with a holy God, because he is like a fierce fire. Nobody can even remain alive near his *altar, because it is always burning fiercely.

Verse 14

To do ‘evil deeds’ probably refers to God’s people who have turned to *worship *Assyrian gods. And those who are ‘not holy’ no longer *worship the *Lord. All such people have good reason to be afraid of God, because he is so holy. So they do not dare to go to the place where he is present. They compare him to a fire that is fierce and terrible.

v15 But there are other people who behave rightly. They speak honestly. They will not accept unfair profit. They will not take bribes (secret gifts). They will not listen to cruel plots. They refuse to do evil deeds. v16 Such people safely live with the *Lord, as if they were in a very strong castle. They will always have bread to eat and water to drink.

Verse 15

Those who truly *worship the *Lord will follow God’s principles (moral rules) in their lives.

Verse 16

For people who live rightly, ‘bread and water’ will always be available. That is, God will provide their necessary food for each day. A happy future for *Jerusalem v17 You will see God the King in all his great *glory. You will see a lovely land that reaches far and wide. v18 You will remember past terrors. Now you will wonder what happened to those foreign officials. They were once so powerful. They weighed everything. They counted everything. v19 You will no longer see those proud foreigners.

They spoke some peculiar language that you could not understand. v20 Now look at *Zion, the city where we gather for our special sacred ceremonies. It is a peaceful place in which to live. It will be like a tent that a strong wind cannot blow down. Nobody can pull the pegs (sticks) of the tent out of the ground. Nor can anyone break the ropes (strings) of the tent. v21 In fact, the *Lord himself will be present in all his great *glory and power. And we shall benefit.

We shall live by broad rivers and by peaceful streams. No enemy ships of war with oars or with sails will be on those waters. v22 The *Lord is our judge. The *Lord is our ruler. The *Lord is our king. The *Lord will rescue us from any enemy. v23 The sails of the enemy’s ships will hang loose on broken masts (poles). And God’s people will *seize the enemy’s goods.

Even weak people will have a share. v24 No inhabitants in *Jerusalem will feel miserable. The *Lord has lifted the weight of punishment from those who live there. (In other words, the *Lord has forgiven the evil deeds of the inhabitants.)

Verses 17-24

Perhaps Isaiah is not describing any particular occasion. These verses are to encourage God’s people in any times of trouble. Whatever happens, God does not change. Live rightly. And he will provide all that you need (see Philippians 4:19).

© 2007, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

February 2007

Visit our website: www.easyenglish.info

var w7 = new Array;w7[0]=’<b%3EJerusalem</b%3E ~ at the time of David and Solomon, capital of the country called Israel. During the time of Isaiah, Jerusalem was the capital of the country called Judah.’;w7[1]=’<b%3Ewoe</b%3E ~ a very sad cry because there is much pain to come.’;w7[2]=’<b%3ELord</b%3E ~ God’s name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s name ‘Lord’ means ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’.’;w7[3]=’<b%3Eseize</b%3E ~ to take a person’s possessions away from that person, either by law, or in a war. Or, to overcome a city or nation in order to rule it. Or, to take a person as a prisoner or a slave.’;w7[4]=’<b%3Emessenger</b%3E ~ someone who delivers a message.’;w7[5]=’<b%3EBabylonian</b%3E ~ a person from the country called Babylon; or anything that has a relationship with the country called Babylon.’;w7[6]=’<b%3Ethorn-bush</b%3E ~ a bush with sharp points.’;w7[7]=’<b%3Ealtar</b%3E ~ special stone where priests burned animals as gifts to God.’;w7[8]=’<b%3Eworship</b%3E ~ to praise God and to pray to him; or, to praise and to pray to a false god.’;w7[9]=’<b%3EAssyrian</b%3E ~ a person from the country called Assyria; or anything that has a relationship with the country called Assyria.’;w7[10]=’<b%3Eglory</b%3E ~ the splendid beauty and wonderful light of God’s most holy character.’;w7[11]=’<b%3EZion</b%3E ~ the mountain in Jerusalem where God’s holy Temple was.