“Now I will arise,” says the LORD, “now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The repeated "now" isn't just about timing, it's God's emphatic declaration that this is the precise moment He will personally intervene. He's not waiting for human effort, but is about to personally step onto the scene to demonstrate His superior power and sovereignty. This isn't just deliverance; it's a divine unveiling of His might.
“Now I will arise,” says the LORD, “now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah are facing an overwhelming invasion, feeling utterly abandoned and on the brink of destruction. After describing their dire situation and the futility of any earthly alliances, God declares His imminent intervention. This declaration marks the turning point where God steps in to rescue His people and demonstrate His supreme power by utterly destroying their oppressors.
When things seem at their absolute worst, God declares, 'Now!' What does this powerful emphasis reveal about His timing?
This verse bursts with divine resolve! The repeated "now" isn't just a marker of time; it signifies God stepping in at the absolute climax of crisis.
Man's Extremity, God's Opportunity
When His people are at their lowest, and their enemies at their most arrogant, that's when God declares His intent to act. It highlights that His delays aren't abandonment, but rather a perfect preparation for a mighty intervention.
God's Own Power
The repetition also emphasizes that He alone will bring deliverance. It's not reliant on human strength or strategy, but on His sovereign power to exalt Himself and save His people.
How does God 'lift Himself up'? This verse connects His rising to a powerful act of judgment against His enemies.
When God declares 'now I will be exalted,' it's directly linked to His actions against those who oppose Him and His people.
Divine Sovereignty Displayed
His exaltation isn't merely a feeling or a state of being; it's demonstrated power. By punishing the oppressors, God makes it undeniably clear that He is supreme. His glory is magnified when His enemies are humbled and destroyed.
Judgment as Salvation
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For His people, this judgment is salvation. Their enemies are consumed (like stubble or burning lime, as described in the surrounding verses), securing their deliverance. God's rising is their safety and His ultimate glory.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant God of Israel. The term signifies His self-existent, eternal, and personal nature as the one who keeps His promises to His people.
rum · Hebrew Verb
To be raised up or set on high. It implies supreme greatness, sovereign authority, and majesty, signifying God’s ultimate victory and recognition as Ruler over all.
This passage rings with divine power in response to extreme human crisis. It highlights that God's intervention often comes at the 'last extremity,' when all human hope seems lost, showcasing His ultimate authority and power to exalt Himself through the deliverance of His people.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah delivers messages of both judgment and hope to King Hezekiah and the people.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib's army surrounds Jerusalem, creating extreme distress and fear among the inhabitants. The people are on the brink of despair as the enemy boasts and threatens.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Withdrawal
God intervenes miraculously, striking down a vast number of the Assyrian army in a single night. Sennacherib is forced to withdraw his forces and return to Nineveh, lifting the siege of Jerusalem.
c. 681-669 BC
Reign of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal
Sennacherib's successors, Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal, continue Assyrian dominance, but the empire faces internal challenges and external pressures, marking the beginning of its eventual decline.
This passage echoes Isaiah's declaration of God's imminent action, emphasizing God's personal intervention and sovereignty in delivering His people from overwhelming forces.
Psalm 102:13This psalm speaks of God arising to have mercy on Zion, mirroring Isaiah's promise that God's timing ('now') is when He will personally step in to exalt His name and rescue His people.
Joel 2:27This verse, similar to Isaiah's prophetic declaration, shows God intervening dramatically to show His people He is in their midst and is their God, leading to His own exaltation.
Micah 7:16While describing God's actions against enemies, this passage reflects the awe and astonishment that will accompany God's self-exaltation, much like what is promised in Isaiah 33:10.
barnesIsaiah 33:10: "Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself."
Now - This verse commences another transition. In the previous verses, the desolation of the land had been described, and the hopelessness of obtaining any terms of favor from Sennacherib, or of binding him to any compact, bad been stated. In this state of things, when inevitable ruin seemed to be coming upon the nation, God said that he would interpose. Will I rise - To vengeance; or to punish th…
bensonIsaiah 33:10: "Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself."
Isaiah 33:10-13 . Now will I rise — In this extremity I will appear on the behalf of my people and land. Ye shall bring forth stubble — Instead of solid corn. Your great hopes and designs, O ye Assyrians, shall be utterly disappointed. Your breath, as fire, shall devour you — Your rage against my people shall bring ruin upon yourselves. Or, the arrogance, pride, wrath, and blasphemies which you ve…
The repeated "now" isn't just about timing, it's God's emphatic declaration that this is the precise moment He will personally intervene. He's not waiting for human effort, but is about to personally step onto the scene to demonstrate His superior power and sovereignty. This isn't just deliverance; it's a divine unveiling of His might.
The people of Judah are facing an overwhelming invasion, feeling utterly abandoned and on the brink of destruction. After describing their dire situation and the futility of any earthly alliances, God declares His imminent intervention. This declaration marks the turning point where God steps in to rescue His people and demonstrate His supreme power by utterly destroying their oppressors.
The people of Judah are facing an overwhelming invasion, feeling utterly abandoned and on the brink of destruction. After describing their dire situation and the futility of any earthly alliances, God declares His imminent intervention. This declaration marks the turning point where God steps in to rescue His people and demonstrate His supreme power by utterly destroying their oppressors.
"“Now I will arise,” says the LORD, “now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted." — The repeated "now" isn't just about timing, it's God's emphatic declaration that this is the precise moment He will personally intervene. He's not waiting for human effort, but is about to personal…
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Last reviewed October 2026