Isaiah 33:6
in Isaiah 33He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there shall be stability in thy times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge: the fear of Jehovah is thy treasure.
KJV
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 33
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBut, since there are many kinds of treasures and different grounds for joy, each one's treasure corresponds to the movement of their desire. If it is an appetite for earthly things, it makes those who share in it not happy but wretched. Those who "savor the things above, not what is on earth," and are not eager for what perishes but for what is eternal, have hidden, incorruptible resources, in that about which the prophet says, "In your treasure is our salvation. There wisdom and knowledge and holiness are from the Lord.
This site's exposition
The LORD is exalted
on Isaiah 33:5-6
"The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high", and "He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness". He will be "the sure foundation for your times", and "The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure". John Gill set that treasure against the silver and gold Assyria came to plunder.
This site's exposition
a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge
Matthew Henry read the sure foundation as two gifts from the LORD: stable times at home and salvation from enemies abroad. Zion's treasure is reverence for the LORD. A people's treasure shows what it most desires.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It must follow that any one solidly established in the perfection of this love will rise to that more excellent and more sublime stage that is the fear derived from love. This is not a terror in the face of punishment or a desire for reward. Rather it is something that comes from the very greatness of love. It is the mixture of respect and affection that a son has for a very indulgent father, a brother for a brother, a friend for a friend, a wife for a husband. This is the fear whose splendor has been elegantly described by one of the prophets. "Wisdom and knowledge are the riches of salvation, but its treasure is the fear of the Lord." He could not have more clearly described the dignity and the merit of this fear when he said that the riches of our salvation, namely, true wisdom and the knowledge of God, cannot be preserved except by the fear of the Lord. This is the fear to which saints, and not sinners, are invited by the prophetic oracles.… Someone holding to this fear of the Lord is certain to lack no perfection.
(Verse 2 and following) Lord, have mercy on us: for we have waited for you: be our strength in the morning, and our salvation in time of trouble. At the voice of the Angel, the people fled; at your exaltation the nations were scattered. And your spoil will be gathered, as the locust is gathered, as when the ditches are full of it. The Lord is magnified, for he dwells on high: he has filled Zion with judgment and justice.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Faith, which is the foundation of justice, above: Zion shall be redeemed in judgment (Isa 1:27); I will espouse you to me in justice, and in faith (Hos 2:19-20). As to the perfection of intellect: riches of salvation, wisdom, in divine things, and knowledge, in …
But "true wealth" signifies either the joy of eternal life itself, concerning which it is written, "the riches of his inheritance in the saints," or those spiritual virtues with which the fullness of life is attained, about which Isaiah said, "the riches of salvation, wisdom, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Here is, (1.) A gracious promise of God for them to stay themselves upon: Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation. Here is a desirable end proposed, and that is the stability of our times, that things be not disturbed and unhinged at home, and the strength of salvation, deliverance from, and success against, enemies abroad.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thy throne shall be established upon the sure foundations of wisdom and justice. And strength - Thy strong salvation. The fear - Thy chief treasure is in promoting the fear and worship of God.
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
His treasure “Thy treasure” - Ὁ θησαυρος σου, Sym. He had in his copy אצרך otsarcha, “thy treasure, “not אצרו otsaro, “his treasure.”
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
wisdom--sacred; that is, piety. thy--Hezekiah's; or rather, "Judea's." "His" refers to the same; such changes from the pronoun possessive of the second person to that of the third are common in Hebrew poetry. treasure--Not so much material wealth as piety shall constitute the riches of the nation (Pr 10:22;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And wisdom and knowledge shall be - This verse contains evidently an address to Hezekiah, and asserts that his reign would be characterized by the prevalence of piety and knowledge. This chapter abounds in sudden transitions; and it accords with its general character that when Yahweh had been addressed Isa 33:5, there should then be a direct address to Hezekiah. The stability - This word denotes firmness, steadiness, constancy; and means that in his times knowledge and the fear of the Lord would be settled on a firm foundation. The whole history of the virtuous reign of Hezekiah shows that this was fulfilled (see 2 Kings 18) And strength of salvation - Or saving strength; that is, mighty or distinguished salvation. Thy times shah be distinguished for great reforms, and for the prevalence of the doctrines of salvation. The fear of the Lord is his treasure - The principal riches of Hezekiah. His reign shall not be distinguished for wars and conquests, for commercial enterprise, or for external splendor, but for the prevalence of piety, and the fear of the Lord.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָה֙ | vehayah | and he will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אֱמוּנַ֣ת | ʾemunat | [the] steadiness of | H530 → | 49 times |
| עִתֶּ֔יךָ | ʾiteikha | times your | H6256 → | 296 times |
| חֹ֥סֶן | chosen | wealth of | H2633 → | |
| יְשׁוּעֹ֖ת | yeshuot | deliverance<s> | H3444 → | 78 times |
| חָכְמַ֣ת | chakhemat | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וָדָ֑עַת | vadaat | and knowledge | H1847 → | 92 times |
| יִרְאַ֥ת | yirat | [the] fear of | H3374 → | 45 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הִ֥יא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אוֹצָרֽוֹ׃ ס | ʾotzaro | [will be] treasure his | H214 → | 79 times |
וְהָיָה֙and he will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
אֱמוּנַ֣ת[the] steadiness of
ʾemunatH530 →49 times
עִתֶּ֔יךָtimes your
ʾiteikhaH6256 →296 times
חֹ֥סֶןwealth of
chosenH2633 →
יְשׁוּעֹ֖תdeliverance<s>
yeshuotH3444 →78 times
חָכְמַ֣תwisdom
chakhematH2451 →153 times
וָדָ֑עַתand knowledge
vadaatH1847 →92 times
יִרְאַ֥ת[the] fear of
yiratH3374 →45 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הִ֥יאit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
אוֹצָרֽוֹ׃ ס[will be] treasure his
ʾotzaroH214 →79 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 6:33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 12:31
But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
- John 6:27
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of…
- Psalms 34:9–10
Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.
- Psalms 84:11–12
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Matthew 5:6
Through
1 Timothy 4:8For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
it leads to
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- 1 Timothy 6:6
Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
- Psalms 37:3–4
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
- Matthew 6:33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Isaiah
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Gospel of Luke 5:16.11-12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 11:13; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Leo the Great, SERMON 92:3; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.