The Meaning of Isaiah 33:23 Explained

Isaiah 33:23

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.

YLT: Left have been thy ropes, They strengthen not rightly their mast, They have not spread out a sail, Then apportioned hath been a prey of much spoil, The lame have taken spoil.

Darby: Thy tacklings are loosed; they strengthen not the socket of their mast, they cannot spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.

ASV: Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not strengthen the foot of their mast, they could not spread the sail: then was the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame took the prey.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 33:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The enemy of Israel, represented here as a disabled ship, would not be able to overcome other cities or pursue trade by normal means. [1] Some interpreters believe the ship refers to Israel or Jerusalem, [2] but this seems less likely. Zion would take the spoil of a conquest that her king had gained that was now past. The physically weak would take the plunder of the strong (cf. Matthew 5:5). Assyrian kings boasted of the spoil that they took in war, but even the lame among God"s people will take plunder.

Context Summary

Isaiah 33:13-24 - The Reward Of The Righteous
The devouring fire and everlasting burnings of Isaiah 33:14 are clearly the emblems of the divine presence. The righteous dwell in God as the bush which was baptized in the Shekinah-glory and was not consumed. The fire of His holy presence makes them holy at the same time that it protects them from their enemies. Compare with Psalms 15:1-5. They are characterized by their walk, speech, the closed fist, the stopped ears, and the shut eyes. They dwell in heights which are inaccessible to the foe, and no oppressor can cut off their supplies of hidden manna or water of life. Hezekiah, Isaiah predicts in Isaiah 33:17, would soon put off his sackcloth, and the citizens would cease to be penned up in a beleaguered city. They should recall the terror of that hour as a bad dream, recalled to be dismissed and forgotten. Zion had no river, but God would be all that a river was to other cities, without the disadvantages of navigable water which might serve for the passage of a hostile fleet. Be sure to make God your judge, lawgiver, and king. Then, notwithstanding that you limp in weakness, you shall gather your share in the great spoils of victory. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 33

1  God's judgments against the enemies of the church
13  The consternation of sinners, and privileges of the godly

What do the individual words in Isaiah 33:23 mean?

Is loosed Your tackle not they could strengthen of its their mast they could spread the sail Then is divided the prey of plunder great the lame take the prey
נִטְּשׁ֖וּ חֲבָלָ֑יִךְ בַּל־ יְחַזְּק֤וּ כֵן־ תָּרְנָם֙ פָּ֣רְשׂוּ נֵ֔ס אָ֣ז חֻלַּ֤ק עַֽד־ שָׁלָל֙ מַרְבֶּ֔ה פִּסְחִ֖ים בָּ֥זְזוּ בַֽז

נִטְּשׁ֖וּ  Is  loosed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָטַשׁ  
Sense: to leave, permit, forsake, cast off or away, reject, suffer, join, spread out or abroad, be loosed, cease, abandon, quit, hang loose, cast down, make a raid, lie fallow, let fall, forgo, draw.
חֲבָלָ֑יִךְ  Your  tackle 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: חֶבֶל 
Sense: a cord, rope, territory, band, company.
יְחַזְּק֤וּ  they  could  strengthen 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
כֵן־  of  its 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
תָּרְנָם֙  their  mast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תֹּרֶן  
Sense: beacon, mast, flagpole.
פָּ֣רְשׂוּ  they  could  spread 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
נֵ֔ס  the  sail 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵס  
Sense: something lifted up, standard, signal, signal pole, ensign, banner, sign, sail.
חֻלַּ֤ק  is  divided 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
עַֽד־  the  prey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַד  
Sense: booty, prey.
שָׁלָל֙  of  plunder 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
מַרְבֶּ֔ה  great 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מַרְבֶּה  
Sense: abundance, increase.
פִּסְחִ֖ים  the  lame 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: פִּסֵּחַ  
Sense: lame.
בָּ֥זְזוּ  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.
בַֽז  the  prey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּז  
Sense: spoil, booty, robbery, spoiling.