Isaiah 33:1–13

Warnings to Assyria and Promises to God’s People

33How terrible it will be for you who destroy others

but have not been destroyed yet.

How terrible it will be for you, traitor,

whom no one has turned against yet.

When you stop destroying,

others will destroy you.

When you stop turning against others,

they will turn against you.

²Lord, be kind to us.

We have waited for your help.

Give us strength every morning.

Save us when we are in trouble.

³Your powerful voice makes people run away in fear;

your greatness causes the nations to run away.

⁴Like locusts, your enemies will take away the things you stole in war.

Like locusts rushing about, they will take your wealth.

⁵The Lord is very great, and he lives in a high place.

He fills Jerusalem with fairness and justice.

⁶He will be your safety.

He is full of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.

Respect for the Lord is the greatest treasure.

⁷See, brave people are crying out in the streets;

those who tried to bring peace are weeping loudly.

⁸There is no one on the roads,

no one walking in the paths.

People have broken the agreements they made.

They refuse to believe the proof from witnesses.

No one respects other people.

⁹The land is sick and dying;

Lebanon is ashamed and dying.

The Plain of Sharon is dry like the desert,

and the trees of Bashan and Carmel are dying.

¹⁰The Lord says, “Now, I will stand up

and show my greatness.

Now, I will become important to the people.

¹¹You people do useless things

that are like hay and straw.

A destructive wind will burn you like fire.

¹²People will be burned until their bones become like lime;

they will burn quickly like dry thornbushes.”

¹³You people in faraway lands, hear what I have done.

You people who are near me, learn about my power.