Isaiah 33:4 kjv
And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.
Isaiah 33:4 nkjv
And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them.
Isaiah 33:4 niv
Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.
Isaiah 33:4 esv
and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; as locusts leap, it is leapt upon.
Isaiah 33:4 nlt
Just as caterpillars and locusts strip the fields and vines,
so the fallen army of Assyria will be stripped!
Isaiah 33 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 33:15 | Who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; who despises gain from oppression; who shakes his hands, refusing a bribe; who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil. | Cross-reference - righteousness leads to deliverance |
| Psalm 49:6-10 | Those who trust in their wealth and glory in the abundance of their riches, yet man cannot by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him—for the redemption of their life is costly, and can never suffice—that he might live forever and never see the pit. For man sees that the wise also die; the fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their riches to others. | Parallels the futility of wealth for eternal life |
| Proverbs 10:2 | Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. | Reinforces the main theme of the verse |
| Luke 12:15 | And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." | Warns against the deceptive nature of wealth |
| Mark 8:36 | For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? | Questions the ultimate value of worldly possessions |
| Matthew 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be." | Contrasts earthly wealth with heavenly treasures |
| Jeremiah 17:11 | Like the partridge that hatches young it did not hatch, so is he who gets riches by unjust means. In the middle of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool. | Highlights the temporary and ill-gotten nature of such riches |
| Hosea 12:7-8 | He dealt as a merchant, holding the balances of deceit in his hand. He loves to oppress. Ephraim has said, "Ah, but I have become rich; I have found for myself success. All my earnings are among the people who sin." | Describes similar deceitful practices and their ultimate failure |
| Psalm 17:13-14 | Rise, O LORD! Confront them, subjugate them! Deliver my life from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD— from men whose portion is in this life, whose hand fills their stores. | Contrasts the fate of the wicked with the righteous |
| Ezekiel 7:19 | "They will cast their silver into the streets, and their gold will be rejected. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath. It will not satisfy them or fill their stomachs, for it was the cause of their iniquity." | A very direct parallel with the Isaiah passage |
| Revelation 6:15-17 | Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the mighty, and everyone slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" | Depicts the futility of worldly status and possessions during judgment |
| Job 20:28-29 | The increase of his house will depart, and his goods will flow away on the day of his wrath. This is the portion that God allots to the wicked; this is the inheritance decreed for them by God. | Describes the downfall of the wicked and the ephemeral nature of their gains |
| Proverbs 28:20 | A faithful man abounds with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not be innocent. | Points to a warning against the pursuit of quick riches |
| Jeremiah 5:27 | Are there riches in the house of the wicked, and a divided portion set for the transgressor? | Questions the lasting value of ill-gotten wealth |
| Psalm 52:7 | "Behold, this man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness!" | Criticizes reliance on wealth instead of God |
| Matthew 13:22 | As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. | Highlights how riches can hinder spiritual growth |
| 1 Timothy 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. | Addresses the danger of pursuing wealth |
| 1 John 2:15-17 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. | Contrasts worldly affections with devotion to God |
| James 5:1-3 | Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted, and your moths have eaten your fine garments. Your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. | Direct condemnation of the rich who hoard and exploit |
Isaiah 33 verses
Isaiah 33 4 Meaning
This verse describes the consequence of disregarding God's commands. It states that the riches amassed by the wicked will not deliver them in the day of God's wrath. Their hoarded wealth will prove useless as a means of escape or appeasement.
Isaiah 33 4 Context
Isaiah chapter 33 speaks of impending judgment upon Zion's enemies, particularly focusing on the destruction of oppressive nations. The chapter then transitions to describe the righteous who will inhabit Zion when God reigns in glory. This verse appears in the latter part of the chapter, contrasting the fate of the wicked with the blessings of the faithful, within the context of a future, purified Jerusalem. The original audience, the people of Judah, would have understood this as a warning against those who trusted in their wealth and worldly power, rather than in God, especially during times of external threats and internal corruption.
Isaiah 33 4 Word Analysis
וְ֝אִם (və'im): "And if" - introduces a conditional or hypothetical statement.
אִ֤ם (im): "if" - signals a condition.
גַּלְמוּד (galmūd): "a strong city," or "stronghold" - often associated with fortified places of refuge.
קִרְיוֹת (qiryôt): "cities" - plural of qiryah.
וְאִם (və'im): "and if" - continuing the conditional structure.
גָּשְׁמָה (gāshməh): "it showers," or "it pours down" - in this context, it implies an overwhelming amount or intensity.
רָעָה (ra'ah): "evil," "calamity," "disaster," "adversity" - signifying severe affliction or destruction.
לֹ֠א (lō): "not" - negation.
יַצִּ֣ילוּ (yāṣīlū): "they will save," "they will deliver," "they will rescue" - from the root יצל (yatsal), indicating deliverance from peril.
יָ֝בָּ֗֝()?>The root for riches: "treasure," "riches," "wealth" - referring to material possessions and abundance.
חֵיל (ḥêyl): "strength," "army," or "riches" - here it denotes wealth.
עֹשֶׁר ('ōsher): "wealth," "riches," "abundance."
גַּם (gam): "also," "even," "indeed" - emphasizing that even their wealth will fail.
הִשָּׁמֵר (hishāmēr): "be delivered," "be saved," "be rescued" - This term carries a sense of preservation and safety from impending danger.
Group Analysis:
- The repetition of "וְאִם" (and if) emphasizes the multitude of ways the wicked will attempt to secure themselves through their wealth.
- The combination of "גַּלְמוּד" and "קִרְיוֹת" alongside the overwhelming "גָּשְׁמָה רָעָה" highlights the totality of the destructive force that will be unleashed.
- The core message is encapsulated in "לֹא יַצִּילוּ ... כִּיThis word analysis highlights that the verse uses strong, decisive language to declare the utter futility of wealth and material security when faced with God's judgment. The chosen Hebrew words emphasize fortifications and abundance, but these are shown to be utterly insufficient against divine wrath.
Isaiah 33 4 Bonus Section
The concept presented in Isaiah 33:4 directly counters the idolatrous practice of some ancient cultures that believed their gods, or their gods' symbols and treasures, could provide ultimate protection. The prophet Isaiah, in declaring that wealth cannot save, implicitly asserts the sovereignty and power of the one true God over any material or worldly safeguard. This verse serves as a critical theological statement, grounding salvation not in human accumulation but in divine intervention and relationship. The intensity of God's judgment is described with imagery that overwhelms even the strongest fortifications and most valuable possessions, underscoring the magnitude of His power.
Isaiah 33 4 Commentary
This verse pronounces the inevitable failure of earthly wealth to protect or save individuals during divine judgment. No amount of fortified cities, material treasures, or accumulated riches will provide escape from the consequence of sin and unrighteousness when God's wrath is revealed. It’s a powerful statement about the ultimate irrelevance of worldly security compared to spiritual righteousness and reliance on God alone. Those who trust in their money or material possessions instead of in the Lord will find these resources utterly worthless in their time of greatest need.
- Practical Usage Example: Consider someone who built their entire life on accumulating wealth through dishonest means. This verse reminds them that no matter how "safe" their wealth makes them feel, or how luxurious their possessions, if they haven't secured their standing with God, all that wealth will vanish like mist on the day of accounting.