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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 33:1-12

Here we have, I. The proud and false Assyrian justly reckoned with for all his fraud and violence, and laid under a woe, Isa. 33:1. Observe, 1. The sin which the enemy had been guilty of. He had spoiled the people of God, and made a prey of them, and herein had broken his treaty of peace with them, and dealt treacherously. Truth and mercy are two such sacred things, and have so much of God in them, that those cannot but be under the wrath of God that make conscience of neither, but are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 33:1

Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled ,.... Which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar; others of Sennacherib, which is more probable; it seems best to interpret it of the Romish antichrist. Kimchi thinks that, if it respects the times of Hezekiah, Sennacherib is meant; but if the times of the Messiah, then the king of nations that shall be in those days; and he adds, this is the kingdom of Persia, in the vision of Daniel. Vatringa applies this to Antiochus Epiphanes, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 33:2

O Lord, be gracious unto us ,.... This is a prayer of the church under the persecutions of antichrist, imploring the grace and favour of God in their miserable and distressed circumstances; desiring his gracious help, assistance, and deliverance; pleading not any merits of their own, but casting themselves upon the mercy and kindness of God: we have waited for thee ; time after time, year after year, in the use of means; hoping for the manifestations of thyself, and kind appearance for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 33:3

At the noise of the tumult the people fled ,.... The Vulgate Latin Version renders it, "at the voice of the angel"; and Jerom reports it as the opinion of the Jews, that it was Gabriel; and many interpret the words either of the noise the angel made in the air, or was made in the Assyrian camp, when the angel descended, and smote such a vast number of them, at which the remnant, being frightened, fled, 2 Kings 19:35 but either this is to be understood as expressing what had been done in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 33:4

And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar ,.... This is the answer of the Lord to the prayer of his church, signifying that their enemies should flee, be scattered, and perish, and that they should be victorious, and enjoy the spoils of them; which they should gather as easily as the caterpillar or locust, as some render it, gathers and consumes herbs, and every green thing; or as easily as they are gathered, and laid on heaps, being weak and unable to defend... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 33:1

And deadest treacherously "Thou plunderer" - See note on Isaiah 21:2 ; (note). When thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously "When thou art weary of plundering" - " כנלתך cannelothecha , alibi non extat in s. s. nisi f. Job 15:29 ; - simplicius est legere ככלתך kechallothecha . Vid. Capell.; nec repugnat Vitringa. Vid. Daniel 9:24 . כלה calah התים hatim ." - Secker. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 33:2

Be thou their arm every morning "Be thou our strength every morning" - For זרעם zeroam , their arm, the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate read זרענו zeroenu , our arm, in the first person of the pronoun, not the third: the edition of Felix Pratensis has זרעתינו zerootheynu in the margin. The prophet is here praying against the enemies of God's people; and yet this part of the prayer seems to be in their behalf: but from the above authorities it appears that Our arm is the true... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 33:3

At the noise of the tumult "From thy terrible voice" - For המון hamon , "multitude," the Septuagint and Syriac read אמיך amica , "terrible," whom I follow. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 33:1

Woe to thee that spoilest . The "spoiler" is here, evidently, Assyria—the world-power of this entire group of prophecies (see especially Isaiah 30:31 ; Isaiah 31:8 ), and the greatest "spoiler" of Isaiah's time. Thou wast not spoiled ; i.e. "that hast not yet been spoiled thyself." A covert threat is conveyed in the words. And dealest treacherously ; rather, usest violence (compare the comment on Isaiah 21:2 ). When thou shalt cease to spoil , etc. Conquering nations cannot... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 33:1

Aggravated evil. I. THAT SIN IS OFTEN FOUND IN AN AGGRAVATED FORM . It may take the forms of which the prophet here complains. 1. Unprovoked aggression . "Thou spoilest, and (though) thou wast not spoiled." Men may go so far as to assail their fellow-men without the slightest justification; this may be in the shape of open war, or of brutal individual assault, or of unlawful appropriation, or of shameful slander. 2. Inexcusable treachery . "And dealeth... read more

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