Isaiah 33:3 — Word Study
WLCמִקּ֣וֹל הָמ֔וֹן נָדְד֖וּ עַמִּ֑ים מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ נָפְצ֖וּ גּוֹיִֽם׃
BSAThe peoplesʻam [nations, Gentiles] fleenâdad■ the thunderhâmôwn [loud noise, tumult] of Your voiceqôwl [sound, expression] the nationsgôwy [Gentile groups, large crowds] scatternâphats■ [are dispersed, broken apart] when You riserômêmuth△ [lift Yourself up, exalt Yourself]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מִקּ֣וֹל | from [the] sound of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הָמ֔וֹן | tumult | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| נָדְד֖וּ | they flee | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| עַמִּ֑ים | peoples | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ | from arising your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| נָפְצ֖וּ | they scatter | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| גּוֹיִֽם׃ | nations | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise. |
| KJV | At the noise of the tumult the people 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. |
| YLT | From the voice of a multitude fled have peoples, From thine exaltation scattered have been nations. |
| WEB | At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered. |
| BBE | At the loud noise the peoples have gone in flight; at your coming up the nations have gone in all directions. |
Where they part company is קוֹל — see How Translations Differ.
The structure features a main clause with two actions, emphasizing the responses of fleeing and scattering.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectעַם
verbנָדַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 33:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Prayer for Deliverancegenerated
Isaiah 33:3 describes how the peoples and nations react to the powerful voice of the LORD. This verse highlights the authority of God and the response of fear and scattering among the nations when He arises. The context shows a plea for God's grace and strength amidst trouble, emphasizing the need for divine intervention in times of distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 10:13–14 | For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers. |
| 2 | Isaiah 17:12–14 | Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. |
| 3 | Isaiah 37:11–18 | Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared? |
| 4 | Psalm 46:6 | Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קוֹל, mi.Kolgenerated
The word קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' and it encompasses various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It is often used to describe God's voice, signaling His presence and power.
In this verse, it indicates the overwhelming effect of God's voice, causing the peoples to flee. The parsing shows it as a noun in the construct state, indicating a close relationship with the following word, emphasizing the source of the sound.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is נָדְד֖וּ (they flee), which governs the subject עַמִּ֑ים (peoples). The second verb נָפְצ֖וּ (they scatter) follows, with its subject גּוֹיִֽם (nations). The structure emphasizes the actions of fleeing and scattering in response to God's voice.
The word order places emphasis on the people's reaction to the LORD's voice, highlighting the immediacy and urgency of their response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קוֹל as φωνὴν (phōnēn), which also means 'voice' but can carry nuances of sound in a broader sense. This choice maintains the focus on the auditory impact of God's presence.
For נָדְד֖וּ, the LXX uses ἐχέστησαν (echestēsan), meaning 'they were disturbed,' which suggests a reaction not just of fleeing but of being unsettled by the divine voice.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 33:3 tells us that when God speaks, the peoples flee and the nations scatter. This verse shows how powerful God's voice is, causing fear among those who hear it. It emphasizes the might of God and the need for His help.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the sound of God's voice is so powerful and fearsome that it causes people to run away in fear.
The nations scatter as a response to God's rising, which signifies His authority and power over them.
This verse highlights God's strength and ability to protect His people by causing their enemies to flee.
The thunder of God's voice symbolizes His majesty and power, indicating that His words carry weight and authority.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when I sense God's presence in my life?
- In what ways can I recognize the power of God's voice in my circumstances?
- How can I encourage others to trust in God's strength during difficult times?
- What does it mean for me to rely on God as my source of strength each day?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 33:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAt the noise of the tumult the people fled,.... The Vulgate Latin Version renders it, "at the voice of the angel"; and Jerom reports it as the opinion of the Jews, that it was Gabriel; and many
Read John Gill on Isaiah 33 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWoe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee!
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 33 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAt the noise of the tumult, which the angel shall make in destroying the army. The people; those of the army who escaped that stroke. The nations; the people of divers nations, which made up his army.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 33 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 33:3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.Ver. 3. At the noise of the tumult the people fled,] i.e., The Assyrian soldiers shall flee at the coming of the angel, with a hurry noise in the air for greater terror; but he shall give them their passport. This their confidence was the fruit of prayer. At the lifting up of thyself.] If God do but "arise" only, "his enemies shall be scattered; and all that hate him shall flee before him." A voce angeli. - Vulg.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 33 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) At the noise of the tumult . . .—The “people” are the mingled nations of the Assyrian armies; the “tumult” is that of the rush and crash, as of a mighty tempest, when Jehovah should at last up lift Himself for the deliverance of His chosen ones.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 33 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. At the noise of the tumult - "From thy terrible voice"] For המון hamon, "multitude," the Septuagint and Syriac read amica, "terrible," whom I follow.
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 33 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3, 4. Assurance of Jehovah’s victory, founded on the great deliverances of the past. The perfects in Isaiah 33:3 may be either those of experience, expressing a general truth often verified in history, or of prophetic assurance. Isaiah 33:4 seems to apply this truth to the present crisis.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 33 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAt the noise of the tumult - Lowth supposes that this is addressed by the prophet in the name of God, or rather by God himself to the Assyrian, and that it means that notwithstanding the terror which
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 33 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.
At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered.
The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.
The nations run away when they hear a loud noise; the nations scatter when you spring into action!
Tyndale line
At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
At the noise of the tumult the peoples are fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations are scattered.
At the noise of the tumult the peoples are fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations are scattered.
At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
At the noise of the tumult, the people fled: at thine exalting the nations were scattered.
Strictly literal
At the noise of the tumult the peoples fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
From the voice of a multitude fled have peoples, From thine exaltation scattered have been nations.
From the voice of a multitude peoples have fled, || From Your exaltation nations have been scattered.
At the noise of [thy] thunder people fled; when thou liftedst thyself up nations were scattered.
At the loud noise the peoples flee; when you arise, the nations are scattered.
From the Latin
At the voice of the angel the people fled, and at the lifting up thyself the nations are scattered.
Simplified
When you roar, the peoples run away; when you prepare for action, the nations scatter!
At the loud noise the peoples have gone in flight; at your coming up the nations have gone in all directions.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in wording, with the Septuagint providing a different order and some variations in translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls show a close alignment with the Masoretic Text, confirming the integrity of the verse.
מִקּ֣וֹל הָמ֔וֹן נָדְד֖וּ עַמִּ֑ים מֵר֣וֹמְמֻתֶ֔ךָ נָפְצ֖וּ גּוֹיִֽם׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
מקול המון נדדו עמים מדממת׳ך נפצו גוים
7 words on the leather.
[מקול] [המון] [נדדו] [עמים] [מרוממת׳ך] [נפצו] גוים
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 33:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.
ref
H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity
6963 qowl kole
or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a
voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),
fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,
proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +
yell.
קוֹל (qol) — voice.
: voice/shout/loud
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קֹל (qol) — frivolity.
lightness, frivolity
קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.
: sound/noise
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.
: thunder
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.
: message/proclaim
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].
: [sound_of](THING)
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.
: listen
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
הָמוֹן (hamown) refers to a sound or noise, encompassing meanings like murmur, roar, tumult, and crowd. It also conveys concepts of abundance and wealth. The verb form הָמַן (haman) means to rage or be turbulent. The entries highlight a range of uses, from describing a multitude to expressing confusion or disquiet.
הָמוֹן n.m. sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance
sound, murmur, rush, roar
tumult, confusion (as occasioning a roar)
crowd, multitude
great number, abundance (late)
abundance, wealth
base
[הָמַן] vb. rage, be turbulent
base
H1995a הָמוֹן sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance H1995b הָמַן rage, be turbulent
1995 hamown haw-mone'
or hamon (Ezek. 5:7) {haw-mone'}; from 1993; a noise, tumult,
crowd; also disquietude, wealth:--abundance, company, many,
multitude, multiply, noise, riches, rumbling, sounding, store,
tumult.
see HEBREW for 01993
הָמוֹן (ha.mon) — crowd.
1) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound
1a) sound, murmur, rush, roar
1b) tumult, confusion
1c) crowd, multitude
1d) great number, abundance
1e) abundance, wealth
הָמַן (ha.man) — be turbulent.
to rage, be turbulent
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
נָדַד (nadad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses meanings related to movement, such as retreating, fleeing, departing, straying, and wandering. It can also refer to the fluttering of wings. The word has various forms, including Qal, Poal, Hiphil, Hophil, and Hithpolel, indicating different nuances of fleeing or being chased. Its Aramaic equivalent is נְדַד (H5075), meaning 'to flee.'
[נָדַד] vb. retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
Qal
retreat, flee
flee, depart
wander, stray
trans. flutter wings
Po‛ēl the sun hath arisen and it (the locust swarm) fleeth away
Hiph. chase away
Hoph. be chased away
Hithpo‛l. flee away
base
H5074 [נָדַד] retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
5074 nadad naw-dad'
a primitive root; properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to
flap up and down); figuratively, to rove, flee, or
(causatively) to drive away:--chase (away), X could not,
depart, flee (X apace, away), (re-)move, thrust away, wander
(abroad, -er, -ing).
נָדַד (na.dad) — to wander.
1) to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to retreat, flee
1a2) to flee, depart
1a3) to wander, stray
1a4) to flutter (of birds)
1b) (Poal) to flee away, be chased
1c) (Hiphil) to chase away
1d) (Hophal) to be chased away
1e) (Hithpolel) to flee away
Aramaic equivalent: ne.dad (נְדַד "to flee" H5075)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
fle.
See FLY.
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
רוֹמֵמוּת (romemuth) refers to the concept of uplifting or arising, derived from the active participle of a related word meaning exaltation. It is used in contexts like self-lifting or uplifting oneself, with a specific mention in Isaiah 33:3.
[רוֹמֵמוּת] n.f. uprising, arising;—sf. Is 33:3
ref
H7427 רוֹמֵמוּת uprising, arising
7427 romemuth ro-may-mooth'
from the active participle of 7426; exaltation:--lifting up
of self.
see HEBREW for 07426
רוֹמֵמוּת (ro.me.mut) — uplifting.
uplifting, arising, lifting up of self (participle)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
נָפַץ (naphats) is a Hebrew verb meaning to shatter or disperse. It encompasses actions such as breaking into pieces, scattering, and pulverizing. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to shatter), Piel (to dash to pieces), and Pual (to pulverize). The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[נָפַץ] vb. shatter
Qal and a shattering (= and shattered) the jars
Pi. dash to pieces
Pu. like chalk-stones pulverized.
base
נָפַץ vb. disperse, be scattered
base
H5310a נָפַץ shatter H5310b נָפַץ disperse, be scattered
5310 naphats naw-fats'
a primitive root; to dash to pieces, or scatter:--be beaten
in sunder, break (in pieces), broken, dash (in pieces), cause
to be discharged, dispersed, be overspread, scatter.
נָפַץ (na.phats) — to shatter.
1) to shatter, break, dash, beat in pieces
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to shatter
1a2) shattering (infinitive)
1b) (Piel) to dash to pieces
1c) (Pual) to pulverise
נָפַץ (na.phats) — to disperse.
1) be scattered
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be scattered
1a2) dispersed (participle)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.
גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people
base
גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim
base
H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim
1471 gowy go'-ee
rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same
root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;
hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a
flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
see HEBREW for 01465
גּוֹי (goy) — nation.
1) nation, people
1a) nation, people
1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people
1a2) of descendants of Abraham
1a3) of Israel
1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)
גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.
People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1
§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)
גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.
1) nation, people
1a) nation, people
1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people
1a2) of descendants of Abraham
1a3) of Israel
1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)
1c) Goyim? = "nations"
Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)
גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.
Goyim (Tidgal, king of)
Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
na'-shunz.
See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.