Isaiah 33

Isaiah · Chapter 33

Isaiah 33:23

1Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.2O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.3At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.4And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.5The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.6And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.7Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.8The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.9The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.10Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.11Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.12And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.13Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.14The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?15He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;16He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.17Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.18Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?19Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.20Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.21But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.22For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.23Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.24And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
23Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.Your ropes are slack; they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided, and even the lame will carry off plunder.Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not strengthen the foot of their mast, they could not spread the sail: then was the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame took the prey.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
they are looseנִטְּשׁ֖וּni-te-SHUH5203
to leave

נָטַשׁ (na.tash) 1) to leave, permit, forsake, cast off or away, reject, suffer, join, spread out or abroad, be loosed, cease, abandon, quit, hang loose, cast down, make a raid, lie fallow, let fall, forgo, draw 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to leave, let alone, lie fallow, entrust to 1a2) to forsake, abandon 1a3) to permit 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be forsaken 1b2) to be loosened, be loose 1b3) to be let go, spread abroad 1c) (Pual) to be abandoned, be deserted

ropes yourחֲבָלָ֑יִךְcha-va-LA-yikhH2256M
cord

חֶ֫בֶל (che.vel) 1) a cord, rope, territory, band, company 1a) a rope, cord 1b) a measuring-cord or line 1c) a measured portion, lot, part, region 1d) a band or company § destruction

notבַּל־bal-H1077
not

בַּל (bal) not, hardly, else

they make firmיְחַזְּק֤וּye-cha-ze-KUH2388H
to strengthen: strengthen

חָזַק (cha.zaq) : strengthen/support/encourage 1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be strong, grow strong 1a1a) to prevail, prevail upon 1a1b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure 1a1c) to press, be urgent 1a1d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense) 1a1e) to be severe, be grievous 1a2) to strengthen 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make strong 1b2) to restore to strength, give strength 1b3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage 1b4) to make strong, make bold, encourage 1b5) to make firm 1b6) to make rigid, make hard …

[the] base ofכֵן־khen-H3653
stand

כֵּן (ken) 1) base, stand, pedestal, office, foot, place, estate 1a) base, pedestal 1b) office, place

mast theirתָּרְנָם֙ta-re-NAMH8650
mast

תֹּ֫רֶן (to.ren) beacon, mast, flagpole

notבַּל־bal-H1077
not

בַּל (bal) not, hardly, else

they have spread outפָּ֣רְשׂוּPA-re-suH6566
to spread

פָּרַשׂ (pa.ra.s) 1) to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to spread out, display 1a2) to spread over 1b) (Niphal) to be scattered, be spread out 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to spread out 1c1) to scatter

[the] sailנֵ֔סNesH5251H
ensign

נֵס (nes) 1) something lifted up, standard, signal, signal pole, ensign, banner, sign, sail 1a) standard (as rallying point), signal 1b) standard (pole) 1c) ensign, signal

thenאָ֣ז'azH0227A
then

אֱדַ֫יִן (e.da.yin) then, afterwards, thereupon, from that time Aramaic of az (אָז "then" H0227A)

it will be dividedחֻלַּ֤קchu-LAKH2505A
to divide

חָלַק (cha.laq) 1) to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to divide, apportion 1a2) to assign, distribute 1a3) to assign, impart 1a4) to share 1a5) to divide up, plunder 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to divide oneself 1b2) to be divided 1b3) to assign, distribute 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to divide, apportion 1c2) to assign, distribute 1c3) to scatter 1d) (Pual) to be divided 1e) (Hiphil) to receive a portion or part 1f) (Hithpael) to divide among themselves

booty ofעַֽד־'ad-H5706
prey

עַד (ad) booty, prey

plunderשָׁלָל֙sha-LALH7998
spoil

שָׁלָל (sha.lal) 1) prey, plunder, spoil, booty 1a) prey 1b) booty, spoil, plunder (of war) 1c) plunder (private) 1d) gain (meaning uncertain)

in abundanceמַרְבֶּ֔הmar-BEHH4766
abundance

מַרְבֶה (mar.veh) 1) abundance, increase 1a) abundance 1b) increase

lame [people]פִּסְחִ֖יםpis-CHIMH6455
lame

פִּסֵּחַ (pis.se.ach) lame

they will take as spoilבָּ֥זְזוּBA-ze-zuH0962
to plunder

בָּזַז (ba.zaz) 1) to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize 1a) (Qal) to spoil, plunder, despoil 1b) (Niphal) to be spoiled, plundered 1c) (Pual) to be taken as spoil

spoilבַֽז׃VazH0957
spoil

בַּג (bag) spoil, booty Another spelling of baz (בַּז "plunder" H0957)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.