Open English Translation ISA Chapter 33

33 The destroyer won’t end well, but you haven’t been destroyed.

≈ The one who acts treacherously hasn’t been dealt with treacherously.

When you finish destroying, that’s when you’ll be destroyed.

≈ When you’ve stopped dealing treacherously, that’s when people will deal treacherously with you.

2 Yahweh, show your favour to us because we’ve waited for your help.

Be our strength each morning as well as our rescuer when trouble comes.

3 The peoples flee when they hear the commotion.

When you took action, the nations were scattered.

4 You all gather the plunder like locusts—

≈ like locusts swarming in over it.

5 Yahweh is praised because he lives in a high place.

He will rule Tsiyyon (Zion) by doing what’s both right and fair.

6 He will be your constant source of stability—

a large supply of security, wisdom, and knowledge.

Respect and honour for Yahweh will be its treasure.

7 Look, their warriors have cried outside—

the messengers of peace weep bitterly.

8 The highways are deserted—

≈ no one is going past on the paths.

Agreements are broken, people avoid cities, no one values people.

9 The land has dried up and become unproductive.

Lebanon is ashamed and has withered.

The Sharon plain is like the desert,

and Bashan and Karmel are losing their leaves.

10 “Now I’ll take action” says Yahweh.

“Now I’ll be praised.

≈ Now I’ll be elevated.

11 You’ll all conceive chaff and give birth to stubble.

≈ Your breath is a fire that will devour you all.

12 The people will be burnt down into ashes,

like thorn bushes cut down and burnt in a heap.

13 You who are far away, listen to what I’ve done.

^ and you all who are nearby, feel my strength.”

14 The sinners in Tsiyyon (Zion) are very afraid—

≈ trembling has seized the godless.

“How can we stay in this place with a devouring fire?

≈ Which of us can live with continual burning?”

15 The one who does what’s right,

≈ and is honest in what they say,

who rejects dishonest gain from extortion,

≈ and who avoids shaking hands on a deal involving a bribe,

who refuses to listen to ideas of murder,

and who won’t let his eyes look into evil schemes,

16 that person will live in high places—

the mountain fortress will be their refuge.

They’ll have a reliable source of food and water.

17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty.

They’ll see a distant land.

18 Your heart will recall the terror.

“Where’s the taxation accountant? Where’s the one doing the weighing?

≈ Where’s the one who counted the towers?”

19 You’ll no longer see those fierce people

whose language is too confusing to comprehend

≈ and whose sounds are too foreign to understand.

20 Look at Tsiyyon (Zion), the town of our festivals.

≈ Your eyes will see Yerushalem—a place to live undisturbed.

No tents will be packed up and no tent pegs will ever be pulled out,

and none of its ropes will be snapped.

21 Yahweh the majestic one will be there with us—

a place with rivers and wide canals.

No ship that’s rowed will be able to go over it,

and no huge sailing ships will pass along it.

22 Yes, Yahweh is our judge—he’s our commander.

Yahweh is our king—he’ll rescue us.

23 Your ropes are coming undone—they can’t secure the base of the mast.

They can’t spread the sail out.

Then the large booty onboard will be divided as plunder—

even lame people will take some spoil.

24 None of the residents will say that they’re sick—

the people who live there will be forgiven for their disobedience.