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

Nor any of its cords be torn apart.21But there the majestic One, the LORD, will be for usA place of rivers and wide canalsOn which no boat with oars will go,And on which no mighty ship will pass —22For the LORD is our judge,The LORD is our lawgiver,The LORD is our king;He will save us —23Your tackle hangs slack;It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly,Nor spread out the sail.Then the prey of an abundant spoil will be divided;The lame will take the plunder.24And no resident will say, "I am sick";The people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.33:17 “Your eyes will see” This VERB (BDB 302, KB 301) is often used to refer to spiritual insight (cf.26:11; 33:17,20; 48:6; Job 23:8-9; Ps. 46:8; 63:2). Humans were created to function in two realms.1. the physical (i.e., nephesh, this planet)2. the spiritual (i.e., ruah, fellowship with God)The Fall of Genesis 3 has disrupted both!} “the King and his beauty” This is a purposeful ambiguity, much like 32:1, where the context fitsboth Hezekiah in his day and the coming Messiah of 7:14.33:18 “Where is he who counts” This refers to Assyrian scouts reconnoitering Jerusalem for thecoming siege.33:19 “unintelligible speech” This refers to the Assyrian language (cf. 28:11).33:20 This is Isaiah’s theology that Jerusalem will never fall (cf. Isaiah 36-37). For a full discussion of“city” see notes at 24:10 and the chart at the Introduction to chapter 26, D. This prophecy must beunderstood in context because in Jeremiah’s day, God gave exactly the opposite prophecy.The imagery of “a tent” is an anachronistic allusion back to the Exodus. It may also denote “thetabernacle” built as a portable tent. The same allusion (i.e., tent) is used in 54:2 for a worldwideexpansion.33:21 The metaphor of “rivers and sailing ships” seems to be a play on their alliances with Egypt (cf. v.23). Instead of Egypt, YHWH (the Majestic One) will be their provider and protector (cf. v. 22).33:22 Jerusalem (cf. v. 20) is again the city of the Great King (YHWH Himself) as represented in Hisrighteous surrogate (the Davidic Messiah).33:23 Poetry is ambiguous. This could refer to1. the destruction of Assyria2. the empowering of Jerusalem330