Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 33:10
Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
10 13. Jehovah’s answer to the complaint and prayer of His people.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now – This verse commences another transition. In the previous verses, the desolation of the land had been described, and the hopelessness of obtaining any terms of favor from Sennacherib, or of binding him to any compact, bad been stated. In this state of things, when inevitable ruin seemed to be coming upon the nation, God said that he would interpose.
Will I rise – To vengeance; or to punish the invading host. The emphasis in this passage should be placed on I, indicating that Yahweh would himself do what could not be effected by people.
Now will I be exalted – That is, God would so interpose that it should be manifest that it was his hand that brought deliverance.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
In this extremity, I will appear on the behalf of my people and land.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. The sight of His people’smisery arouses Jehovah; He has let the enemy go far enough.
Iemphatic; God Himselfwill do what man could not.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now will I rise, saith the Lord,…. At the last extremity, when things are come to a crisis; his interest at the lowest, and the kingdom of antichrist at its highest pitch; the whore of Rome triumphing over the slain witnesses, and boasting she was a queen, and knew no sorrow: this will be God’s fit time to exert himself, and get him honour and glory: he before was as one lain down and asleep, as if quite negligent and careless about his honour and interest; but now he determines to arise, and show himself strong on the behalf of it; see Ps 12:5:
now will I be exalted; that is, in his power, by the destruction of the enemies of his church; and in the hearts and mouths of his people, on account of their deliverance and salvation:
now will I lift up myself; show himself above his enemies, higher and greater than they, and reduce them to a low estate and condition. The repetition of the word “now” has its emphasis; and is designed to observe the time of God’s appearing in the cause of his people, and the fitness and propriety of it; and to quicken their attention to it, as well as to express the certainty of it, and the firmness of his resolution to do it without delay, and the vehemence and ardour with which he would set about it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. Now will I rise. There is great force in the particle now, and likewise in the repetition which is added, “I shall be exalted, I shall be lifted up on high.” We ought to observe the time to which these statements relate, that is, when the Church appeared to be utterly ruined; for God declares that he will judge that to be the most suitable time for rendering assistance. This is, therefore, a comparison of things which are contrary to each other; for he exhibits to believers the heavy and grievous calamities by which they should be oppressed, and under which they would easily sink, if they were not upheld by some consolation. As if he had said, “The Lord will suffer you to be brought very low, but when your affairs shall be at the worst, and when you shall have in vain tried every remedy, the Lord will arise and succor you.” Thus even when we are afflicted and brought very low, we ought to acknowledge that our safety cometh from God alone.
Accordingly, the word now denotes a period of the deepest distress. Men might think it exceedingly strange, but we plainly see the best reason why God thus delays to render assistance. It is, because it is useful to exercise the patience of the godly, to try their faith, to subdue the desires of the flesh, to excite to earnestness in prayer, and to strengthen the hope of a future life; and, therefore, he lays a restraint, that they may not with headlong eagerness anticipate that period which God has already marked out for them. The repetition is very emphatic, and is added for the purpose of confirming the statement; for when our affairs are desperate, we think that we are ruined, but at that very time we ought especially to hope, because the Lord generally selects it for giving a display of his power. For this reason, by extolling his loftiness, he arouses believers to the exercise of courage, that they may boldly defy the insolence of their enemies. (10)
(10) “The emphasis is not upon the pronoun (Barnes), which in that case would have been expressed in Hebrew, but upon the adverb now, which is twice repeated to imply that the time for the divine interposition is arrived, and that there shall be no more delay.” — Alexander.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Now will I rise . . .We note the emphatic iteration of the adverb of time. Mans necessity was, as ever, to be Gods opportunity. He had been, as it were, waiting for this crisis, and would at once arise in His might.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10-12. This iniquity is now full. The day of judgment to Assyria has come. As though indifferently sitting still, Jehovah has looked on long enough, and says,
Now will I rise now be exalted; now lift up myself The thrice repeated “now” denotes earnest business. On hearing this the prophet knows what is to come, and cries out as if to the enemy, Ye conceive chaff, ye bring forth stubble Your vainglorious swell and threat amounts to utter nothing. Your furious, snorting menace is turned back to you, an inward, self-consuming flame. God’s purpose is to make the nations here represented in this your devouring army to become utterly consumed, as the burnings of lime; speedily consumed, as thorns, or dead brushwood, cut and dried for immediate heating.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 33:10-12. Now will I rise, saith the Lord We are taught in this period, that when the calamity of the people, as well as the insolence of their enemies, should be full, God would interpose, and severely punish the oppressors; for that this was the true and proper time wherein he had determined to exalt his glory before the eyes of the nations. When this time should come, he would no longer delay, or endure the pride and arrogance of his enemies; on the contrary, all their counsels should vanish into smoke, and they themselves should shortly be consumed by the divine judgment. The last clause in the 11th verse may be rendered, Your breath shall be the fire that shall consume you: the meaning of it is, that the arrogance, pride, rage, and blasphemies which they vented against God, should be their destruction. The people shall be as the burnings of lime, Isa 33:12 means, that they should be reduced to nothing, or burned by the wrath of God, like stone burned in a lime-kiln. The metaphor is expressive of that severe indignation of God which should utterly destroy them, as the fire of a burning furnace reduces a stone, and entirely changes its form.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 33:10 Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
Ver. 10. Now will I rise, saith the Lord, now. ] Now, now, now. Emphasin habet ingeminatio vocis “nunc.” This “now,” thrice repeated, importeth both the opportunity of time and God’s readiness to relieve. Cum duplicantur lateres, venit Moses, When things are at worst, they will mend, we say.
Now will I lift up myself.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
saith the LORD = may Jehovah say. See note on Isa 1:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Now will I rise: Isa 10:16, Isa 10:33, Isa 42:13, Isa 42:14, Isa 59:16, Isa 59:17, Deu 32:36-43, Psa 12:5, Psa 78:65, Psa 102:13-18, Zep 3:8
now will I be exalted: Isa 30:17, Isa 30:18, Exo 14:18, Exo 15:9-12, Psa 46:10, Amo 6:1
will I lift: Psa 7:6
Reciprocal: 2Ch 32:21 – the leaders Psa 10:12 – lift Isa 30:28 – to sift Isa 33:5 – The Lord Isa 37:7 – I will Isa 37:36 – the angel Eze 39:8 – it is come Dan 5:23 – lifted Mic 5:9 – hand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 33:10-13. Now will I rise In this extremity I will appear on the behalf of my people and land. Ye shall bring forth stubble Instead of solid corn. Your great hopes and designs, O ye Assyrians, shall be utterly disappointed. Your breath, as fire, shall devour you Your rage against my people shall bring ruin upon yourselves. Or, the arrogance, pride, wrath, and blasphemies which you vent against God shall be your destruction. Dr. Waterland renders the clause, Your breath shall be the fire that shall consume you. The people shall be as the burnings of lime Shall be perfectly consumed, as when chalk-stones are reduced to lime; calcining, or reducing to ashes, being one of the last effects of fire. Thus we learn from this period, that when the calamity of the people, as well as the insolence of their enemies, should be come to the height, God would delay no longer, but immediately interpose and severely punish the oppressors, and thereby exalt his glory before the eyes of the nations, whom he calls upon, in the next words, to consider his doings. Hear, ye afar off, &c. So remarkable a judgment as this deserves to be known, and laid to heart, by all men, both far and near.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
33:10 Now will I {p} rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
(p) To help and deliver my Church.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God’s people having been punished in measure, it was time for the Lord to arise in their defense. The critical moment for Him to act had arrived, and He would now exalt Himself by delivering them.