The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

33:7 “brave men” This is possibly related to the root ariel, (NJB, cf. 29:1,2,7; 31:9).33:8NASB, NKJV,Peshitta “cities”NRSV, DSS “oaths”NJB, RSV “witnesses”REB“treaties”TEV“agreements”The MT has “cities” (.*93, BDB 746), but because of the parallelism, “witnesses” (.*$3, BDB729) fits better. This could be another “R” – “D” confusion. The UBS Hebrew Text Project gives“witness” a C rating (i.e., considerable doubt).33:9 This verse uses agricultural metaphors for the problems involved in the Assyrian siege ofJerusalem in 701 B.C. These types of agricultural metaphors are common in Isaiah (cf. 16:8; 24:4,7).YHWH controls the weather for His purposes (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28). There is no distinction betweenthe “natural” and “supernatural” in the Bible, as in the ANE. Deity is intimately involved in Hiscreation. Be careful of your modern, scientific worldview placing a theological grid over Scripture!33:10-12 These possibly relate to Assyria as in v. 1.33:11-12 The imagery of “chaff” and “fire” are common in Isaiah (cf. 1:7; 5:24; 9:18-19; 10:16-19;26:11; 29:6; 30:27-28; 33:11-14; 47:14, also Joel 2:3). See Special Topic: Fire at 1:31.Isaiah uses imagery from human reproduction.1. here, conception, BDB 247 I, KB 255, Qal IMPERFECT, 8:3; 26:18; 59:4,132. giving birth, 9:6; 13:8; 21:3; 23:4; 26:17,18; 39:7; 51:18; 54:1; 59:4; 66:7,9} “My breath” This is the term ruah (BDB 924) used as an anthropomorphic metaphor for the wind ofjudgment from YHWH’s nostrils (see Special Topic at 6:1). It is obviously a metaphor of YHWH’spersonal participation (cf. Exodus 15:18; II Sam. 22:16; Ps. 18:15) in judgment (cf. 11:4; 30:28; 40:7).NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 33:13-1613"You who are far away, hear what I have done;And you who are near, acknowledge My might."14Sinners in Zion are terrified;Trembling has seized the godless."Who among us can live with the consuming fire?Who among us can live with continual burning?"15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity,He who rejects unjust gainAnd shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshedAnd shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;16He will dwell on the heights,His refuge will be the impregnable rock;His bread will be given him,His water will be sure.328