Isaiah 33:13 · Bible study
Isaiah 33:13 Commentary: Hearing and Acknowledging God's Might
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the call to far and near in Isaiah 33:13: what it means to hear God's deeds and acknowledge His power, with insights from commentators.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God calls all people, distant and near, to hear of His saving acts and to personally acknowledge His power.
- Key words: 'hear' (shama, H8085), to listen with attention or obedience; 'know/acknowledge' (yada, H3045), to perceive, recognize, confess; 'might' (gevurah, H1369), strength, mighty deeds of God.
- Main debate: Whether the 'far off' and 'near' refer to geographical distance (nations vs. Israel) or spiritual/social categories, and whether the fulfillment is historical (Assyria's defeat) or eschatological (final judgment).
- Theological theme: God's sovereign power is publicly displayed and demands a response from every person, regardless of proximity.
- Best use: A passage for calling a church to move from passive hearing of God's work to active confession and awe-filled living.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You who are far off, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Hear, ye far off, that which I have done, And know, ye near ones, My might.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Hear, you that are far off, what I have done, and you that are near know my strength.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Oid, los que estáis lejos, lo que he hecho; y vosotros los cercanos, conoced mi potencia.
Vós que estais longe, ouvi o que eu tenho feito; e vós que estais perto, conhecei o meu poder.
Vous qui êtes loin, écoutez ce que j’ ai fait!
So höret nun ihr, die ihr ferne seid, was ich getan habe; und die ihr nahe seid, merket meine Stärke.
Hoort gijlieden, die verre zijt, wat Ik gedaan heb; en gijlieden, die nabij zijt, bekent Mijn macht!
O voi che siete lontani, udite quello che ho fatto! e voi che siete vicini, riconoscete la mia potenza!
Słuchajcie, którzyście daleko, com uczynił, a bliscy poznajcie moc moję.
Слушайте, дальние, что сделаю Я; и вы, ближние, познайте могущество Мое.
你們遠方的 人當聽 我所 行的；你們近處的 人當承認 我的大能。
Give ear, you who are far off, to what I have done: see my power, you who are near.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 33:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators largely agree that this verse summons both distant nations and nearby Israel to respond to God's dramatic intervention. Barnes notes that the destruction of the Assyrian army would be so remarkable that it would reach distant nations, while 'you who are near' points to the Jews or adjacent peoples. Calvin adds that the summons includes both eyewitnesses and those who will hear only by report, underscoring that God's power will be universally evident. The Cambridge Bible sees the verse as introducing the second half of the chapter, which explores the consequences of God's judgment. Keil and Delitzsch explain that the judgment on Assyria serves as a warning to both heathen and Israel, because God shows no partiality. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown similarly identify the far off as distant nations and the near as the Jewish people. One variation appears in Gill, who reads the passage eschatologically, connecting it to the future destruction of Babylon and antichrist, but this remains a minority view. Across the traditions, the core remains: God acts to deliver, and all people everywhere are called to hear and acknowledge His strength.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical referent: The immediate context of Assyrian invasion (chap. 33) and cross-references to Exodus, Joshua show this as a summons after a specific deliverance.
- Eschatological referent: Gill reads the 'work' as the future destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18), citing the words 'I have done' as a prophetic past tense.
What is clear: God calls every person, regardless of location or spiritual state, to hear about His mighty acts and to move from mere hearing to personal acknowledgment of His power.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'far off' and 'near' | Most commentators agree that 'far off' refers to distant nations and 'near' to Israel/Judah or nearby peoples. | A few interpreters (e.g., Gill) read the terms spiritually or eschatologically, applying 'far off' to those distant from God and 'near' to the church, or to future scenarios like the judgment of Babylon. |
| Relationship between hearing and acknowledging | All agree that simply hearing God's actions is not enough; the 'near' are called to a deeper recognition of His might. | Some stress that this acknowledgment is an act of worship and submission (Calvin), while others see it as a warning to hypocrites who are near but not transformed (Keil and Delitzsch). |
| Timing of fulfillment | The immediate context points to God's deliverance of Jerusalem from Assyria as the primary referent. | Gill interprets the verse as looking ahead to the final destruction of antichrist, while most commentators treat it as a historical oracle with ongoing theological relevance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 33 sits within a section of the book focused on Assyrian aggression and Jerusalem's deliverance. In the preceding verses (9-12), the land languishes, then Yahweh declares He will arise and exalt Himself. The imagery of chaff and fire points to the destruction of the invading army. Sennacherib's campaign against Judah and the remarkable deliverance of Jerusalem (701 BC) form the historical backdrop. Verse 13 then issues a universal summons: the 'far off' are the distant nations who will hear reports of this event, and the 'near' are Israel and neighboring peoples who either witnessed it firsthand or lived in its shadow. Calvin describes them as eyewitnesses and those who receive reports. The cross-references reinforce this pattern: in Exodus 15:14, the nations hear and tremble; in Joshua 2:9-11, Rahab confesses that hearing of God's acts led to fear and faith. Isaiah 33:13 mirrors these earlier moments when God's power became public knowledge. The verse also sets up the following section (14-16), which shifts to a moral question: who can dwell with the consuming fire of God's presence? The sinners in Zion, those near geographically but morally distant, are terrified. This suggests that being 'near' is not enough; one must respond rightly. Keil and Delitzsch note that the judgment on Assyria is a lesson for everyone, because God does not show favoritism. The summons in verse 13 thus serves both as a declaration of God's accomplished work and as a preface to the demand for righteous living among those who claim to be close to Him.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 33:13. The verse is stable across Hebrew manuscripts, and the Greek Septuagint and other ancient versions render it with similar sense. The main interpretive differences stem from theological perspective rather than textual uncertainty.
Reception History
This verse has been read in both Jewish and Christian traditions as a call to recognize God's sovereignty after a great deliverance. Jewish commentators often link it to the defeat of Sennacherib and emphasize that God's name is made known among the nations. Christian interpreters from the Reformation onward, Calvin, Barnes, Matthew Henry, used the verse to warn that even those who are near to God by covenant must respond in genuine faith, not mere proximity. Henry, for example, connects the verse to the fear that seizes hypocrites. In some eschatological readings (e.g., Gill), the verse is applied to the final vindication of God's people. The passage has been cited in sermons on divine power and human responsibility, though it is not as frequently referenced in liturgy as other prophetic calls.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The universal summons: God calls both far and near to hear what He has done. His acts are not hidden; they are public demonstrations of His power (v.13a).
- Two responses required: The far are to hear, receive the report of His deeds. The near are to acknowledge His might, move from knowledge to personal recognition and awe (v.13b).
- The consequence of ignoring: In the following verses, sinners in Zion tremble because they did not take God's power seriously. Hearing without acknowledgment leads to fear rather than faith.
Five-point outline
- God's deliverance of Jerusalem was a global news event (vv.10-12).
- The call goes out to everyone, regardless of distance (v.13).
- Hearing about God is not the same as knowing Him personally, the near must move from hearsay to confession.
- The sinners in Zion demonstrate the failure of nearness without response (v.14).
- The righteous, by contrast, dwell securely because they live in the light of God's might (vv.15-16).
Illustration hooks
- A major news story breaks, a rescue, a disaster, a triumph. Those far away read or watch; those nearby see or experience it directly. How does each group respond? The far can dismiss it as just another event; the near are changed.
- A child hears about a parent's strength from others but has never seen it in action. When the parent finally demonstrates it, the child's admiration becomes personal.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Am I 'far off' or 'near' to God? Does that change what God expects of me?
- I hear about God's power in sermons and testimonies, why don't I feel more awe or trust?
- What does it practically mean to 'acknowledge His might' in my daily life?
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges us to consider how we respond to God's demonstrated power. The 'far off', those who only hear reports, are still accountable. The 'near', those who should know better, must move beyond familiarity to true acknowledgment. As you discuss, think about what it means to really know God's might, not just know about it.
Discussion questions
- Read Isaiah 33:13. Who do you think the 'far off' and 'near' refer to in the original context?
- How does the context of God's judgment on Assyria (vv.10-12) shape the urgency of this verse?
- What is the difference between 'hearing' what God has done and 'acknowledging His might'?
- Why do the sinners in Zion tremble even though they are geographically near (v.14)? What does that say about spiritual nearness?
- Rahab in Joshua 2 heard and believed. What made her response different from the sinners in Zion?
- In your own life, are there areas where you have heard about God's power but have not personally acknowledged it?
- How can this verse encourage someone who feels far from God? How does it challenge someone who thinks they are close enough?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:14 | The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. |
| Joshua 2:9 | She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. |
| Joshua 2:11 | As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. |
| Joshua 9:9 | They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, |
| Joshua 9:10 | and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. |
| I Samuel 17:46 | Today, Yahweh will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the sky and to the wild animals of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, |
| Psalms 46:6 | The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He lifted his voice and the earth melted. |
| Psalms 46:11 | Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes interprets the address as Yahweh summoning not only the Jews nearby but also distant nations to witness the destruction of the Assyrian army. He insists that the paired phrases "far off" and "near" together mean literally everyone, making this a universal call to heed God's judgment.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that Isaiah calls for attention because the event is unusually weighty. The demonstration of God's power will be so striking that it reaches not only eyewitnesses nearby but also distant nations, and it shakes even careless wicked people out of their false security with terror.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note that this verse presents the Lord's direct answer to His people's complaint and prayer. They see the promised deliverance of Jerusalem as a public display of God's absolute power to the entire world. They also consider this verse, likely correctly, as the opening of the poem's second half, which focuses on the results of God's great act of judgment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a deliberate contrast between two kinds of hearers: those far off are summoned to listen to what God has done, while those already near are called to personally know His power. Each group receives the instruction suited to its distance from God.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the call to hear and acknowledge as pointing to the future ruin of the Antichrist, the beast, and Rome. Those far off will hear of the destruction and applaud God’s work, while those near will recognize His omnipotence, echoing the praises in Revelation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the "far off" as the distant Gentile nations and the "near" as the Jews and neighboring peoples. He supports this reading by linking it to Isaiah 49:1, which speaks of God's call reaching beyond Israel to all nations.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that God's judgment on Assyria is also a warning for sinners within Israel, since God shows no favoritism. The sinners in Zion become terrified, recognizing that the same devouring fire that consumed Assyria can consume them. They ask frantically who can possibly survive in the presence of such unquenchable, everlasting burning.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that the sinners' terror at God as a devouring fire ironically confirms His holiness; they dread what they
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a sharp contrast between the terror of hypocrites, who dread God as a consuming fire, and the security of those who walk righteously, who find shelter in Him. The same fire that terrifies the false becomes the protection of the true believer.