The Meaning of Isaiah 33:21 Explained

Isaiah 33:21

KJV: But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

YLT: But there mighty is Jehovah for us, A place of rivers -- streams broad of sides, No ship with oars doth go into it, And a mighty ship doth not pass over it.

Darby: but there Jehovah is unto us glorious, a place of rivers, of broad streams: no galley with oars shall go there, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

ASV: But there Jehovah will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But there the glorious  LORD  [will be] unto us a place  of broad  rivers  [and] streams;  wherein shall go  no  galley  with oars,  neither shall gallant  ship  pass  thereby. 

What does Isaiah 33:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The mighty king over this Zion will be Yahweh Himself, a divine ruler-even Messiah (cf. Isaiah 53:11).
"The meaning Isaiah , that, by virtue of Jehovah"s dwelling there, Jerusalem had become a place, or equivalent to a place, of broad streams, like those which in other instances defended the cities they surrounded (e.g. Babylon, the "twisted snake," ch. xxvii1), and of broad canals, which kept off the enemy, like moats around a fortification." [1]

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 33:21 mean?

For but there majestic Yahweh [will be] for us a place of rivers [and] streams wide broad no will sail in which ship with oars and ships majestic nor pass by
כִּ֣י אִם־ שָׁ֞ם אַדִּ֤יר יְהוָה֙ לָ֔נוּ מְקוֹם־ נְהָרִ֥ים יְאֹרִ֖ים רַחֲבֵ֣י יָדָ֑יִם בַּל־ תֵּ֤לֶךְ בּוֹ֙ אֳנִי־ שַׁ֔יִט וְצִ֥י אַדִּ֖יר לֹ֥א יַעַבְרֶֽנּוּ

אַדִּ֤יר  majestic 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: אַדִּיר  
Sense: great, majestic.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh  [will  be] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָ֔נוּ  for  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
מְקוֹם־  a  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
נְהָרִ֥ים  of  rivers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
יְאֹרִ֖ים  [and]  streams 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְאֹר  
Sense: river, stream, canal, Nile, Nile-canal.
רַחֲבֵ֣י  wide 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: רָחָב  
Sense: broad, wide.
יָדָ֑יִם  broad 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
בַּל־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: בַּל 
Sense: not, hardly, else.
תֵּ֤לֶךְ  will  sail 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בּוֹ֙  in  which 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אֳנִי־  ship 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֳנִי  
Sense: fleet, ships.
שַׁ֔יִט  with  oars 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁיִט  
Sense: rowing.
וְצִ֥י  and  ships 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צִי  
Sense: ship.
אַדִּ֖יר  majestic 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אַדִּיר  
Sense: great, majestic.
לֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעַבְרֶֽנּוּ  pass  by 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.