Isaiah 33:21

But there the Majestic One, our LORD, will be for us a place of rivers and wide canals, where no galley with oars will row, and no majestic vessel will pass.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet addresses Israel concerning the future state of Zion. The declaration follows a description of Jerusalem as a secure, unmoving dwelling and immediately precedes a statement of Yahweh's judicial and kingly authority.

The words — אַדִּיר ('adir) means "majestic" or "mighty," applied to Yahweh's presence. מְקוֹם (meqom) translates as "place," indicating that His presence functions as the secure environment itself.

The thread — The water imagery parallels Psalms 46:4, where streams sustain God's holy city, and Isaiah 41:18, where Yahweh opens rivers to transform barren land. Isaiah 48:18 connects flowing water to the peace that follows obedience.

Why it lands — The text states that Yahweh replaces military and commercial navigation with His own protective presence. It requires the reader to abandon reliance on human vessels and defenses in favor of His sovereign rule.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֣יkithat אִם־'im-except שָׁ֞םshamthere אַדִּ֤יר'a.Dir[will be] majestic יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahwehלָ֔נוּLa./nufor/ usמְקוֹם־me.kom-a place of נְהָרִ֥יםne.ha.Rimrivers יְאֹרִ֖יםye.'o.Rimcanals רַחֲבֵ֣יra.cha.Veibroad of יָדָ֑יִםya.Da.yimboth hands בַּל־bal-not תֵּ֤לֶךְTe.lekhit will goבּוֹ֙b/oon/ itאֳנִי־'o.ni-a ship of שַׁ֔יִטSha.yitrowing וְצִ֥יve./Tziand/ a ship אַדִּ֖יר'a.Dirmajestic לֹ֥אlo'not יַעַבְרֶֽנּוּ׃ya.'av.Re./nuit will pass along/ it

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Psalms 46:4 There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.
Isaiah 48:18 If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
Isaiah 66:12 For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm, and bounced upon her knees.
Acts 7:2 And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Psalms 29:3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters.