---
title: "Commentary on Isaiah, Volume 3"
author: "John Calvin"
translator: "William Pringle"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 40 of 56
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-isaiah-volume-3/40/
cite: "John Calvin, tr. William Pringle, Commentary on Isaiah, Volume 3, section 40. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-isaiah-volume-3/40/"
---

# Commentary on Isaiah, Volume 3

*John Calvin, tr. William Pringle*

Calvin on the prophet Isaiah, volume 3 of 4.

## 40. Chapter 33

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-isaiah-volume-3/40/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-isaiah-volume-3/40/#p-N

[¶0] 1 Wo to thee that spoilest, And was not spoiled; Who dealest wickedly, And they dealt not wickedly with thee! When thou shalt have ceased to spoil, Thou shalt be spoiled; When thou shalt have ceased to deal wickedly, They shall deal wickedly with thee.

[¶1] 2 O Jehovah, have pity upon us; We have hoped in thee; Be thou, who hast been their arm in the morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

[¶2] 3 At the voice of the tumult the people fled; At thy exaltation the nations were dispersed.

[¶3] 4 And your prey shall be gathered by your gathering of cater-pillars, Advancing thither, according to the running of locusts.

[¶4] 5 Jehovah is exalted, who dwelleth on high; He hath filled Zion with judgment And righteousness.

[¶5] 6 And the stability of thy times shall be Strength, salvation, wisdom, And knowledge; The fear of Jehovah is his treasure.

[¶6] 7 Behold, their messengers shall cry without; The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

[¶7] 8 The roads are deserted, The traveler hath ceased; He hath violated the treaty, He hath despised the cities, He hath paid no regard to any man.

[¶8] 9 The earth hath mourned And languished; Lebanon is ashamed And hewn down; Sharon hath been made like a wilderness; Bashan And Carmel have been shaken.

[¶9] 10 Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; Now will I be exalted; Now will I lift up myself.

[¶10] 11 Ye shall conceive chaff; Ye shall bring forth stubble; The fire of your breath shall devour you.

[¶11] 12 And the peoples shall be the burnings of lime; As thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire.

[¶12] 13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; Ye that are near, acknowledge my power.

[¶13] 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Terror hath seized the hypocrites. Which of us shall dwell with devouring fire? Which of us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

[¶14] 15 He who walketh in righteousnesses And speaketh what is right; Who despiseth the gain from violence And calumny; Who shaketh his hands from accepting a bribe; Who stoppeth his ear, that he may not hear blood; Who shutteth his eyes, that he may not see evil.

[¶15] 16 He shall dwell in high places; Fortifications of rocks shall be his refuge; Bread shall be given to him, And his waters (shall be) sure.

[¶16] 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty; They shall behold the land (that is) very far off.

[¶17] 18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the weigher? Where is he who singleth out the principal houses?

[¶18] 19 The fierce people thou shalt not see, The people of a confused lip, so that thou canst not understand; Of a stammering tongue, so that thou canst not comprehend.

[¶19] 20 Look at Zion, the city of our solemnities; Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a peaceful habitation, A tent which shall not be carried away, The stakes of which shall never be removed, And of which none of the ropes shall be broken:

[¶20] 21 Thus, shall the mighty Jehovah there be to us, A place of streams, of broad rivers, Through which there shall not pass a ship with oars, And through which a splendid ship shall not pass.

[¶21] 22 For Jehovah is our Judge; Jehovah is our Lawgiver; Jehovah is our King; He himself will save us.

[¶22] 23 Thy cords were loosed, So that they did not fasten their mast, Nor spread the sail; Then was the prey of much spoil divided; The lame also seized the prey.

[¶23] 24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; The people that dwell in it have been freed from iniquity.