Isaiah 33:20
New International Version
Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.

New Living Translation
Instead, you will see Zion as a place of holy festivals. You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure. It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut and whose stakes are firmly fixed.

English Standard Version
Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

Berean Standard Bible
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

King James Bible
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

New King James Version
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, Nor will any of its cords be broken.

New American Standard Bible
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed settlement, A tent which will not be folded; Its stakes will never be pulled up, Nor any of its ropes be torn apart.

NASB 1995
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed habitation, A tent which will not be folded; Its stakes will never be pulled up, Nor any of its cords be torn apart.

NASB 1977
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes shall see Jerusalem an undisturbed habitation, A tent which shall not be folded, Its stakes shall never be pulled up Nor any of its cords be torn apart.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold Zion, the city of our appointed times; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an abode at ease, A tent which will not be folded; Its stakes will never be pulled up, Nor any of its cords ever be torn apart.

Amplified Bible
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts and observances; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a undisturbed settlement, A tent which will not be taken down; Not one of its stakes will ever be pulled up, Nor any of its ropes be severed.

Christian Standard Bible
Look at Zion, the city of our festival times. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up nor will any of its cords be loosened.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look at Zion, the city of our festival times. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up nor will any of its cords be loosened.

American Standard Version
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnites: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be removed, the stakes whereof shall never be plucked up, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

Contemporary English Version
Look to Mount Zion where we celebrate our religious festivals. You will see Jerusalem, secure as a tent with pegs that cannot be pulled up and fastened with ropes that can never be broken.

English Revised Version
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be removed, the stakes whereof shall never be plucked up, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look at Zion, the city of our festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem as a peaceful place. It is a tent that can't be moved. Its tent pegs will never be pulled out, and none of its ropes will be broken.

Good News Translation
Look at Zion, the city where we celebrate our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem! What a safe place it will be to live in! It will be like a tent that is never moved, whose pegs are never pulled up and whose ropes never break.

International Standard Version
"Look at Zion, city of our festivals! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an undisturbed abode, an immovable tent; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor will any of its ropes be broken.

Majority Standard Bible
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

NET Bible
Look at Zion, the city where we hold religious festivals! You will see Jerusalem, a peaceful settlement, a tent that stays put; its stakes will never be pulled up; none of its ropes will snap in two.

New Heart English Bible
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won't be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

Webster's Bible Translation
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thy eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of its stakes shall ever be removed, neither shall any of its cords be broken.

World English Bible
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won’t be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
See Zion, the city of our meetings, "" Your eyes see Jerusalem—a quiet habitation, "" A tent not taken down, its pins are not removed forever, "" And none of its cords are broken.

Young's Literal Translation
See Zion, the city of our meetings, Thine eyes see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, A tent not taken down, Not removed are its pins for ever, And none of its cords are broken.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold Zion the city of our appointment: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet dwelling, the tent shall not remove; its pegs shall not be pulled up forever, and none of its cords shall be broken.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Look upon Sion the city of our solemnity: thy eyes shall see Jerusalem, a rich habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be removed: neither shall the nails thereof be taken away for ever, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Look with favor upon Zion, the city of our solemnity. Your eyes will behold Jerusalem: an opulent habitation, a tabernacle that can never be taken away. Its stakes will not be taken away forever, nor will any of its cords be broken.

New American Bible
Look to Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes shall see Jerusalem as a quiet abode, a tent not to be struck, Whose pegs will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes severed.

New Revised Standard Version
Look on Zion, the city of our appointed festivals! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be pulled up, and none of whose ropes will be broken.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities; your eyes shall see Jerusalem a rich habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be shaken to and fro; whose pegs shall never be removed, neither shall any of its cords be broken.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
See Zion the city of our festivals, and your eyes shall behold in Jerusalem a bountiful pasture, a Tabernacle that does not move, and its poles are not uprooted for eternities, and none of its cords are cut off
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemn gatherings; Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a peaceful habitation, A tent that shall not be removed, The stakes whereof shall never be plucked up, Neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold the city of Sion, our refuge: thine eyes shall behold Jerusalem, a rich city, tabernacles which shall not be shaken, neither shall the pins of her tabernacle be moved for ever, neither shall her cords be at all broken:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD is Exalted
19You will no longer see the insolent, a people whose speech is unintelligible, who stammer in a language you cannot understand. 20Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up, nor will any of its cords be broken. 21But 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.…

Cross References
Psalm 46:4-5
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. / God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

Revelation 21:2-4
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. / And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. / ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Hebrews 12:22-24
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels / in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, / to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Zechariah 8:3
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”

Psalm 48:1-2
A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain. / Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King.

Revelation 3:12
The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name.

Micah 4:1-2
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. / And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Psalm 87:3
Glorious things are ascribed to you, O city of God. Selah

Galatians 4:26
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Isaiah 2:2-3
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:10-11
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, / shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.

Psalm 122:3-4
Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, / where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Ezekiel 48:35
The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

Hebrews 11:10
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Jeremiah 31:6
For there will be a day when watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Arise, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God!’”


Treasury of Scripture

Look on Zion, the city of our solemnities: your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

look

Psalm 48:12,13
Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof…

the city

Deuteronomy 12:5
But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

Psalm 78:68,69
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved…

thine eyes

Psalm 46:5
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

Psalm 125:1
A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

Psalm 128:5
The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

not one

Isaiah 37:33
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.

Isaiah 54:2
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

Ezekiel 48:35
It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Jump to Previous
Appointed Broken City Cords Eyes Festivals Gatherings Habitation Jerusalem Peaceful Plucked Quiet Removed Solemn Solemnities Stakes Tabernacle Tent Thereof Whereof Won't Zion
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Appointed Broken City Cords Eyes Festivals Gatherings Habitation Jerusalem Peaceful Plucked Quiet Removed Solemn Solemnities Stakes Tabernacle Tent Thereof Whereof Won't Zion
Isaiah 33
1. God's judgments against the enemies of the church
13. The consternation of sinners, and privileges of the godly














Look upon Zion
The phrase "Look upon Zion" invites the reader to focus their attention on Zion, which is often synonymous with Jerusalem, the city of God. In Hebrew, "Zion" (צִיּוֹן, Tziyon) is a term that carries deep spiritual significance, representing not just a physical location but also the spiritual heart of Israel. Historically, Zion is the site of the Davidic kingdom and the temple, symbolizing God's dwelling place among His people. This call to "look" is an invitation to recognize God's enduring presence and faithfulness to His covenant people, encouraging believers to find hope and assurance in God's promises.

the city of our appointed feasts
This phrase highlights Jerusalem as the center of religious life for the Israelites, where the appointed feasts, or "moadim" (מוֹעֲדִים), were celebrated. These feasts, such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, were divinely instituted times for worship and remembrance of God's mighty acts. The city is not just a political capital but a spiritual hub where God's people gather to honor Him. This underscores the importance of communal worship and the rhythm of life centered around God's ordained times, reminding believers of the joy and unity found in worshiping together.

Your eyes will see Jerusalem
The assurance that "Your eyes will see Jerusalem" speaks to the promise of restoration and peace. In times of turmoil, the vision of a restored Jerusalem serves as a powerful symbol of hope and divine intervention. Historically, Jerusalem has been a city of conflict and conquest, yet God's promise is that His people will witness its renewal. This vision encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate plan for redemption and restoration, both physically and spiritually, as they anticipate the fulfillment of His promises.

a peaceful abode
The description of Jerusalem as "a peaceful abode" contrasts with its history of conflict. The Hebrew word for peace, "shalom" (שָׁלוֹם), encompasses not just the absence of war but a state of completeness, welfare, and harmony. This prophetic vision points to a future where God's presence brings true peace to His people. For Christians, this foreshadows the ultimate peace found in Christ, the Prince of Peace, who reconciles humanity to God and promises eternal rest in His kingdom.

a tent that will not be moved
The imagery of "a tent that will not be moved" evokes the stability and permanence of God's dwelling among His people. In the wilderness, the Israelites lived in tents, and the tabernacle, a tent of meeting, was the center of worship. This metaphor suggests that God's presence with His people is secure and unshakeable. It reassures believers of God's steadfastness and the unchanging nature of His promises, encouraging them to find security and refuge in Him.

Its stakes will never be pulled up
The stakes of a tent provide stability and security. The promise that "Its stakes will never be pulled up" emphasizes the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people. In a world where change and uncertainty are constant, this assurance of permanence offers comfort and hope. It reflects the eternal nature of God's kingdom, which cannot be shaken, and invites believers to anchor their lives in the certainty of God's unchanging word.

nor any of its ropes be broken
The ropes of a tent hold it together, ensuring its structure and function. The declaration that "nor any of its ropes be broken" signifies the completeness and integrity of God's plan for His people. This imagery reassures believers that nothing can disrupt God's purposes or separate them from His love. It is a call to trust in God's sovereign control and His ability to hold all things together, providing a foundation of faith and confidence in His eternal promises.

(20) Look upon Zion . . .--The words sound like an echo of Psalms 46, 48, which were probably written by the sons of Korah on the destruction of Sennacherib's army. Men had seen Zion desecrated by Ahaz, besieged by Sennacherib; now they should see it once again as it had been at the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, emphatically a "city of solemnities," a tent that shall not be removed, the latter words probably referring to Sennacherib's threat of deportation (Isaiah 36:17).

Verse 20. - Look upon Zion, etc.; i.e. turn thy thoughts, O Judah, from the past to the present - from the time of the siege to the time after the siege terminated. The city of our solemnities; or, of our festal meetings; the city where we celebrate our Passovers, our Feasts of Weeks, our Feasts of Ingathering, and the like. A tent that shall not be taken down. There is, perhaps, a reference to Sennacherib's threat to remove the entire population from Jerusalem to a far country (Isaiah 36:19). This threat should not take effect. Not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed. By "the stakes" are meant "the tent-pegs," to which the ropes are fastened which keep the tent firm (comp. Exodus 27:10; Exodus 38:18, 31; Judges 4:21). The promise that they shall "never" be removed must be understood either as conditional on the people's walking uprightly (ver. 15), or as a promise of a long continuance merely.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Look
חֲזֵ֣ה (ḥă·zêh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2372: To gaze at, to perceive, contemplate, to have a, vision of

upon Zion,
צִיּ֔וֹן (ṣî·yō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6726: Zion -- a mountain in Jerusalem, also a name for Jerusalem

the city
קִרְיַ֖ת (qir·yaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7151: A town, city

of our festivals.
מֽוֹעֲדֵ֑נוּ (mō·w·‘ă·ḏê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

Your eyes
עֵינֶיךָ֩ (‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

will see
תִרְאֶ֨ינָה (ṯir·’e·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

Jerusalem,
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

a peaceful
שַׁאֲנָ֗ן (ša·’ă·nān)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7600: Secure, haughty

pasture,
נָוֶ֣ה (nā·weh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5116: Abode of shepherd or flocks, habitation

a tent
אֹ֤הֶל (’ō·hel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 168: A tent

that does not
בַּל־ (bal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

wander;
יִצְעָן֙ (yiṣ·‘ān)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6813: To load up, to migrate

its tent pegs
יְתֵֽדֹתָיו֙ (yə·ṯê·ḏō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3489: A peg, pin

will not
בַּל־ (bal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

be pulled up,
יִסַּ֤ע (yis·sa‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5265: To pull up, the tent-pins, start on a, journey

nor
בַּל־ (bal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

will any
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of its cords
חֲבָלָ֖יו (ḥă·ḇā·lāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

be loosened.
יִנָּתֵֽקוּ׃ (yin·nā·ṯê·qū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5423: To pull, draw, or tear away, apart, or off


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 33:20 Look at Zion the city of our (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 33:19
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