Isaiah 33 18

Isaiah 33:18 kjv

Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

Isaiah 33:18 nkjv

Your heart will meditate on terror: "Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?"

Isaiah 33:18 niv

In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: "Where is that chief officer? Where is the one who took the revenue? Where is the officer in charge of the towers?"

Isaiah 33:18 esv

Your heart will muse on the terror: "Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute? Where is he who counted the towers?"

Isaiah 33:18 nlt

You will think back to this time of terror, asking,
"Where are the Assyrian officers
who counted our towers?
Where are the bookkeepers
who recorded the plunder taken from our fallen city?"

Isaiah 33 verses

Isaiah 33 18 Meaning

The verse describes a future state of security and prosperity where oppressive neighbors and foreign threats are eliminated. It speaks of a peaceful homeland where citizens are free from exploitation and live in a tranquil environment. This assurance of safety and stability comes from divine intervention and the cessation of external hostility.

Isaiah 33 18 Context

Isaiah 33 takes place during a time of severe crisis for Jerusalem, likely relating to Sennacherib's invasion in 701 BC. The Assyrian army had conquered many Judean cities and was threatening the capital. Chapter 32 sets the stage by describing the corrupt leadership and the resulting desolation of the land. Isaiah 33 pivots to a prophecy of future deliverance and restoration. It contrasts the present terror and oppression with a coming era of peace and security that God will establish. The verse in question speaks directly to this future hope, assuring the people that the oppressors will be gone, their wealth plundered, and Jerusalem will become a secure and prosperous city. This prophecy served as a powerful message of encouragement and faith to the people facing imminent danger.

Isaiah 33 18 Word Analysis

• "Your": Refers to the people of Judah/Jerusalem.
• "heart": Signifies the inner self, mind, and seat of understanding and contemplation.
• "shall meditate": Implies serious, consistent, and joyful reflection.
• "on trembling": Refers to past fear, anxiety, and the distress experienced due to the enemy's threats and destruction.
• "will muse": Suggests deep, internal thought and planning, often related to peaceful occupation.
• "on iniquity": Points to past sinfulness, either their own or that of the enemy, which caused the distress. However, the context here suggests reflection on the past terror caused by sin (the enemy's wickedness).
• "in former times": Indicates a looking back to the period before the current devastation and fear.
• "no object of fear": Assures that the former terrors will be gone and replaced by peace.
• "shall the eye see": Implies the absence of visible signs of destruction or oppression.
• "for the voice of persecutors": The sounds of violent people are gone.
• "drove": A forceful taking away or displacement, implying active aggression and plunder.
• "driveth away": Continuous action of removal or oppression.
• "not": A definitive negation of past or present aggressive forces.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Your heart shall meditate on trembling": This phrase captures a retrospective analysis of fear. The people will remember the terror they experienced, but not with ongoing dread. Instead, they will contemplate the past fear, understanding its source and its resolution.
• "on iniquity; in former times": This signifies a looking back at the wickedness that led to the current distress. It includes their own sin that brought judgment and the sin of the oppressors who attacked them. The contemplation is in a context where that wickedness is no longer a present threat.
• "no object of fear shall the eye see": This describes the complete absence of visible signs of oppression and threat. The environment will be peaceful and secure, free from the visible manifestations of hostile forces.
• "for the voice of persecutors drove": This refers to the end of the oppressive sounds and actions of those who tormented them. The aggressive voices and the actions they drove are no longer present.

Isaiah 33 18 Bonus Section

This verse can be understood in light of Jesus Christ, the "King in His beauty" mentioned in the preceding verse (Isa 33:17). His reign brings about the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy. His coming ushers in an era where the causes of fear – sin, death, and the oppressors of God's people – are conquered. The meditation on past suffering, transformed by God's victory, reflects how believers can look back at trials with an understanding of God's faithfulness and provision, knowing that present suffering cannot compare to the glory to be revealed (Rom 8:18). The peace described here finds its fullest expression in the eternal kingdom where there is no more crying or pain (Rev 21:4).

Isaiah 33 18 Commentary

Isaiah 33:18 presents a vivid picture of post-tribulation peace and security. It’s not that the memory of suffering vanishes, but rather the terror associated with it does. The people will recall past anxieties and the iniquities that caused them, but with a settled perspective that assures them these things are over. Their reflection will be a form of remembrance that leads to contentment and gratitude, rather than ongoing fear. The assurance that "no object of fear shall the eye see" emphasizes a complete absence of threats, a visible peace that underpins the internal tranquility. The cessation of "the voice of persecutors" signifies the silencing of all aggression and the removal of those who caused destruction and distress. This future state is a direct result of God’s intervention and His establishment of justice.