Глава 33

“Woe to the plunderer! Do not plunder; and if you wish to plunder, you yourself will be plundered” (Is. 33:1). The Prophet warns the Jews not to indulge in theft, although the Assyrians plundered them. “If you wish to deceive, you yourself will be deceived.” The Prophet says that if you do not remain in covenant with God, then you yourself will be deceived by those deceivers who want your resettlement to Egypt. “Lord, have mercy on us, for we have trusted in You” (Is. 33:2). This is the prayer of the Jewish people. “The nations were terrified by the voice of Your fear, and because of Your greatness... they were scattered” (Is. 33:3). Thus speak with cheerful spirit the very same ones who formerly asked for an end to their misfortunes. “Today your gain will be gathered together... the Zion will be filled with judgment and righteousness” (Isaiah 33:4–5). Everything that the Assyrians stole from them will be collected. The Jews will not only return theirs, but will even take the property of the Assyrians. “If I appear to them, they will weep bitterly,” that is, tears will flow from the Assyrians when they feel My power. “The messengers... of peace... the mountaineers are crying” (Is. 33:7). The peace messengers sent by Hezekiah to the king of Assyria will mourn because he did not give them the peace messages they desired; they will weep when they see the fall that threatens their brothers. “The way is deserted; there are no more people passing by” (Is. 33:8). There are no people going to Jerusalem for the holidays, because the whole country is occupied by Assyrian hordes, and there are no people passing along the roads. “And Lebanon was put to shame, Bashan and Carmel were devastated” (Is. 33:9) during the invasion of the Assyrians, who plundered and devastated the entire country. But perhaps the Assyrians themselves are represented here in the image of devastated Lebanon and Carmel, for the Lord put the king of Assyria to shame. “You will conceive thorns and bring forth shoots in your spirit.” And this is what the prophet says about the Assyrians. For in explanation of this he adds: “And the nations will be burned into lime, like thorns gathered to be burned... those who are far off will hear what I have done” (Is. 33:11-13). By the will of God, it happened that some of the peoples gathered by Sennacherib were delivered from the general extermination of the Assyrian armies. And the goodness of the Merciful One sent them through the cities they passed through to proclaim what had befallen the Assyrians at the city of God. “Those who draw near will take away my strength” (Is. 33:13), that is, you Jews, who were closer to God before other nations, because you had knowledge of God. “They are terrified in Zion, the wicked,” that is, the Assyrians are terrified by the wrath of God and the sword of the Lord that struck them, as well as those Israelites who despaired of salvation, which is why fear and great horror fell upon them. “The wicked will receive the trembling,” that is, idolaters and those deviating from the true faith, who during this war blasphemed God Jews: “Which of us will dwell with fire against those who eat? Which of us will dwell with fire that consumes our eyelids?” (Isa.33:14). Who will dwell with God, Who is called in Scripture a consuming fire? (Isa.30:27). Who will come close to this fire? If only Hezekiah, “walk in righteousness, speak the right way... bread will be given to him, and his water will be faithful” (Is. 33:15-16). For his sincere piety and uprightness of morals, God blessed Hezekiah with the fruits of the earth and an endless abundance of water. “His eyes will see the land from afar” (Is. 33:17). The prophet says this about the hordes that came to Judea from distant lands. He will only see, as he says, and will be amazed that they are destroyed and trampled upon, like the land. “Where is the essence of bookishness? where is the determining weight...? where... and read the pillars of a strong people? (Isa.33:18). The Prophet here mocks the Assyrians, who invaded the property of the Jews and in their pride decided that Israel had been conquered by them and they were already dividing its spoils among themselves. “He will not look upon a people who are hard of hearing and speechless” (Is. 33:19), that is, Hezekiah will not imitate a people who are deaf and unintelligent. "Behold Zion, the city of our festivals." The prophet praises the city of God, because only in it alone did the Jews, according to the law, celebrate holidays and make sacrifices. “Your eyes look towards Jerusalem, a rich city, a tabernacle that will not be shaken” (Is. 33:20), if only You will that it not be shaken. “For the name of the Lord is great for us” (Is. 33:21), because He has made us an abundant salvation. “It is brightness and breadth,” because His commandments and teachings are for us a vast bright area. “Let not the dominion of rulers reign over us,” that is, the dominion of the princes of the Assyrians. “And the mighty, whoever he is, will not pass through it,” that is, no other people, after the terrible disasters that befell the Assyrians will not pass through the land of Jerusalem. “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our king: He will save us, because you are not strong.” The speech is addressed to Jerusalem, whose inhabitants gave themselves up to flight and did not have strength in themselves. signs,” because they did not see the miracle. “Until the division or the spoils,” that is, your princes, Jerusalem, trembled and were in fear until they knew what a wonderful war the Lord had raised against their enemies. When they strengthened themselves, they entered the enemy camp and, not finding anyone in it, began to divide the spoils. “Many chromites will create captivity” (Isa. 33:22–23). The prophet calls lame those Jews who were within the city walls, who, having got rid of the siege, came out and took as prey the mules and all the beasts of burden that remained after the killing of the Assyrians. “And not one of the residents will say: I am sick.” The inhabitants of Jerusalem will not say: “We are afraid of the king of Assyria; we are sick." “The people who besieged him bore sin” (Is. 33:24), since they accepted the judgment pronounced against the sinner. For the Assyrians who attacked Jerusalem were punished because they blasphemed and reviled the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their God. You might be interested in: