Isa 33:13-24 | NETfull | STEP | You who are far away, listen to what I have done! You who are close by, recognize my strength!”

Isaiah 33:13-24

13 You who are far away, listen to what I have done!
You who are close by, recognize my strength!”
14 Sinners are afraid in Zion;
panic ^{▼▼ Or “trembling” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “shake with fear.”} grips the godless. ^{▼▼ Or “the defiled”; TEV “The sinful people of Zion”; NLT “The sinners in Jerusalem.”}
They say, ^{▼▼ The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} ‘Who among us can coexist with destructive fire?
Who among us can coexist with unquenchable ^{▼▼ Or “perpetual”; or “everlasting” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).} fire?’
15 The one who lives ^{▼▼ Heb “walks” (so NASB, NIV).} uprightly ^{▼▼ Or, possibly, “justly”; NAB “who practices virtue.”}
and speaks honestly;
the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures
and rejects a bribe; ^{▼▼ Heb “[who] shakes off his hands from grabbing hold of a bribe.”}
the one who does not plot violent crimes ^{▼▼ Heb “[who] shuts his ear from listening to bloodshed.”}
and does not seek to harm others ^{▼▼ Heb “[who] closes his eyes from seeing evil.”} –
16 This is the person who will live in a secure place; ^{▼▼ Heb “he [in the] exalted places will live.”}
he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds; ^{▼▼ Heb “mountain strongholds, cliffs [will be] his elevated place.”}
he will have food
and a constant supply of water.
17 You will see a king in his splendor; ^{▼▼ Heb “your eyes will see a king in his beauty”; NIV, NRSV “the king.”}
you will see a wide land. ^{▼▼ Heb “a land of distances,” i.e., an extensive land.}
18 Your mind will recall the terror you experienced, ^{▼▼ Heb “your heart will meditate on terror.”}
and you will ask yourselves, ^{▼▼ The words “and you will ask yourselves” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.} “Where is the scribe?
Where is the one who weighs the money?
Where is the one who counts the towers?” ^{▼▼ The people refer to various Assyrian officials who were responsible for determining the amount of taxation or tribute Judah must pay to the Assyrian king.}
19 You will no longer see a defiant ^{▼▼ The Hebrew form נוֹעָז (no’az) is a Niphal participle derived from יָעַז (ya’az, an otherwise unattested verb) or from עָזָז (’azaz, “be strong,” unattested elsewhere in the Niphal). Some prefer to emend the form to לוֹעֵז (lo’ez) which occurs in Ps 114:1 with the meaning “speak a foreign language.” See HALOT 809 s.v. עזז, 533 s.v. לעז. In this case, one might translate “people who speak a foreign language.”} people
whose language you do not comprehend, ^{▼▼ Heb “a people too deep of lip to hear.” The phrase “deep of lip” must be an idiom meaning “lips that speak words that are unfathomable [i.e., incomprehensible].”}
whose derisive speech you do not understand. ^{▼▼ Heb “derision of tongue there is no understanding.” The Niphal of לָעַג (la’ag) occurs only here. In the Qal and Hiphil the verb means “to deride, mock.” A related noun is used in 28:11.}
20 Look at Zion, the city where we hold religious festivals!
You ^{▼▼ Heb “your eyes” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).} will see Jerusalem, ^{▼▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.}
a peaceful settlement,
a tent that stays put; ^{▼▼ Or “that does not travel”; NASB “which shall not be folded.”}
its stakes will never be pulled up;
none of its ropes will snap in two.
21 Instead the Lord will rule there as our mighty king. ^{▼▼ Heb “But there [as] a mighty one [will be] the Lord for us.”}
Rivers and wide streams will flow through it; ^{▼▼ Heb “a place of rivers, streams wide of hands [i.e., on both sides].”}
no war galley will enter; ^{▼▼ Heb “a ship of rowing will not go into it.”}
no large ships will sail through. ^{▼▼ Heb “and a mighty ship will not pass through it.”}
22 For the Lord, our ruler,
the Lord, our commander,
the Lord, our king –
he will deliver us.
23 Though at this time your ropes are slack, ^{▼▼ The words “though at this time” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The first half of the verse is addressed to Judah and contrasts the nation’s present weakness with its future prosperity. Judah is compared to a ship that is incapable of sailing.}
the mast is not secured, ^{▼▼ Heb “they do not fasten the base of their mast.” On כֵּן (ken, “base”) see BDB 487 s.v. III כֵּן and HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן.}
and the sail ^{▼▼ Or perhaps, “flag.”} is not unfurled,
at that time you will divide up a great quantity of loot; ^{▼▼ Heb “then there will be divided up loot of plunder [in] abundance.”}
even the lame will drag off plunder. ^{▼▼ Judah’s victory over its enemies will be so thorough there will be more than enough plunder for everyone, even slow-moving lame men who would normally get left out in the rush to gather the loot.}
24 No resident of Zion ^{▼▼ The words “of Zion” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} will say, “I am ill”;
the people who live there will have their sin forgiven.