33:1 The destroyer is as good as dead, 1
you who have not been destroyed!
The deceitful one is as good as dead, 2
the one whom others have not deceived!
When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed;
when you finish 3 deceiving, others will deceive you!
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, 4
the powerful ruler of Israel, 5 says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeance 6 against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies. 7
1 tn Heb “Woe [to] the destroyer.”
2 tn Heb “and the deceitful one”; NAB, NIV “O traitor”; NRSV “you treacherous one.” In the parallel structure הוֹי (hoy, “woe [to]”) does double duty.
3 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to derive from an otherwise unattested verb נָלָה (nalah). The translation follows the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa in reading ככלתך, a Piel infinitival form from the verbal root כָּלָה (kalah), meaning “finish.”
4 tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at v. 9.
5 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Israel.”
6 tn Heb “console myself” (i.e., by getting revenge); NRSV “pour out my wrath on.”
7 sn The Lord here identifies with the oppressed and comes as their defender and vindicator.