The Meaning of Isaiah 33:3 Explained

Isaiah 33:3

KJV: At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

YLT: From the voice of a multitude fled have peoples, From thine exaltation scattered have been nations.

Darby: At the noise of the tumult the peoples fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

ASV: At the noise of the tumult the peoples are fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations are scattered.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

At the noise  of the tumult  the people  fled;  at the lifting up  of thyself the nations  were scattered. 

What does Isaiah 33:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prayer continues as the remnant anticipated the Lord creating a tumult and rising up to defend His people. When He would do that, enemies would flee and their nations disperse.

Context Summary

Isaiah 33:1-12 - God Exalted In Judgment
Here we have the final prediction against Sennacherib. He had dealt very treacherously by returning against Jerusalem, though he had taken a heavy ransom to leave it unmolested, 2 Kings 18:16. In Isaiah 33:2 Isaiah recalls the daily prayer offered by the priests in the Temple, when they heard of the steady advance of the foe. It was quite true that nations had fled before the dreaded Assyrian, Isaiah 33:3; but in this case those precedents would be reversed, Isaiah 33:4, because the Lord would appear for His people, Isaiah 33:5. That was a sweet assurance that the prophet gave to Hezekiah in Isaiah 33:6 -to sustain his spirit through the strain of the invasion described in Isaiah 33:7-8. God always gives us a promise on the eve of trial. He victuals His ships ere He exposes them to the storm. Though God sometimes seems to sleep yet when the hour strikes for the deliverance of His people, He will not tarry for a single moment. Be of good cheer; He will ride upon the wings of the wind to succor you! [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 33:3 mean?

At the noise of the tumult shall flee the people when You lift Yourself up shall be scattered the nations
מִקּ֣וֹל הָמ֔וֹן נָדְד֖וּ עַמִּ֑ים מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ נָפְצ֖וּ גּוֹיִֽם

מִקּ֣וֹל  At  the  noise 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
הָמ֔וֹן  of  the  tumult 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
נָדְד֖וּ  shall  flee 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָדַד  
Sense: to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter.
עַמִּ֑ים  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ  when  You  lift  Yourself  up 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֹומֵמֻת  
Sense: uplifting, arising, lifting up of self (participle).
נָפְצ֖וּ  shall  be  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָפַץ 
Sense: to shatter, break, dash, beat in pieces.
גּוֹיִֽם  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.