Isaiah 33:23

Isaiah 33:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thy 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Your rigging hangs loose: The mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Your cords hang loose; they cannot hold the mast firm in its place or keep the sail spread out. Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided; even the lame will take the prey.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The enemies’ sails hang loose on broken masts with useless tackle. Their treasure will be divided by the people of God. Even the lame will take their share!

Context of Isaiah 33:23

21But there the majestic Lord will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by 22(For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us); Your tackle is loosed, They could not strengthen their mast, They could not spread the sail. Then the prey of great plunder is divided; The lame take the prey. 24And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.

Isaiah 33:23 word by word

נִטְּשׁ֖וּ חֲבָלָ֑יִךְ בַּל־יְחַזְּק֤וּ כֵן־תָּרְנָם֙ בַּל־פָּ֣רְשׂוּ נֵ֔ס אָ֣ז חֻלַּ֤ק עַֽד־שָׁלָל֙ מַרְבֶּ֔ה פִּסְחִ֖ים בָּ֥זְזוּ בַֽז׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thy tacklingsחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
• are loosedנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
• they could not wellכֵּןkên · standH3653
• strengthenחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• their mastתֹּ֫רֶןtôren · mastH8650
• they could not spreadפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
• the sailנֵסnês · ensignH5251
• then is the preyעַד‛ad · preyH5706
• of a greatמַרְבֶהmarbeh · abundanceH4766
• spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
• dividedחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
• the lameפִּסֵּחַpissêach · lameH6455
• takeבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962
• the preyבַּזbaz · plunderH957

Cross-references for Isaiah 33:23

• Isaiah 33:21But there the majestic Lord will be for us A place of broad rivers and streams, In which no galley with oars will sail, Nor majestic ships pass by
• Ezekiel 27:26Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
• Acts 27:19On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.
• Isaiah 33:1Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, You will be plundered; When you make an end of dealing treacherously, They will deal treacherously with you.
• 2 Chronicles 20:25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.
• 1 Samuel 30:10But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.
• 2 Kings 7:8And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.
• Psalms 68:12“Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home divides the spoil.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

Commentaries on Isaiah 33:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Thy tacklings are loosed - Here the Assyrians are represented under the figure of a ship wrecked by a violent storm; and the people on the beach, young, old, feeble, and diseased, gathering the spoil without any to hinder them. Kimchi, who understands the whole of this chapter of Hezekiah and the king of Assyria, says, "There are others of our rabbins who apply it all to the days of the Messiah." Their mast "Thy mast" - For תרנם tornam, "their mast, "the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Thy tacklings - This is evidently an address to Sennacherib. The mention of the war-galley and the ship seems to have suggested the application of the figure to the enemies of the Jews, and particularly to Sennacherib. The prophet, therefore, compares the Assyrian to a ship that was rendered unserviceable; whose sails were unfastened, and whose mast could not be made firm, and which was therefore at the mercy of winds and waves. The Hebrew which is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-24Verses 15-24 The true believer watches against all occasions of sin. The Divine power will keep him safe, and his faith in that power will keep him easy. He shall want nothing needful for him. Every blessing of salvation is freely bestowed on all that ask with humble, believing prayer; and the believer is safe in time and for ever. Those that walk uprightly shall not only have bread given, and their water sure, but they shall, by faith, see the King of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-24This vision is about God’s reign in Zion.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. tacklings--Continuing the allegory in Is 33:21, he compares the enemies' host to a war galley which is deprived of the tacklings or cords by which the mast is sustained and the sail is spread; and which therefore is sure to be wrecked on "the broad river" (Is 33:21), and become the prey of Israel. they--the tacklings, "hold not firm the base of the mast." then--when the Assyrian host shall have been discomfited. Hezekiah had given Sennacherib three…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 33:23

• Church
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Ship

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Beacon
• Deep
• Fearfulness
• Fire
• Gallant
• Tackling
• Cord
• Hezekiah (2)
• Isaiah

Commentaries on Isaiah 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings