What is the historical context of the "fierce people" mentioned in Isaiah 33:19?

The "fierce people" in Isaiah 33:19 most directly refer to the Assyrian Empire, particularly during the invasion of Judah by King Sennacherib in 701 BCE. The Assyrians were known for their brutal military tactics, their vast empire, and their practice of deporting conquered peoples. Their language, likely Akkadian or Aramaic, was unintelligible to the Hebrew-speaking Judeans, contributing significantly to the terror and alienation described in the verse. This historical backdrop makes God's promise of their removal a profound assurance of divine intervention and deliverance for His people. You can read more about this invasion in 2 Kings 18 and Isaiah 36-37.

How does the "deeper speech" and "stammering tongue" relate to the enemy's threat?

The description of the enemy's "deeper speech" and "stammering tongue" highlights the profound foreignness and incomprehensibility of the invaders. This linguistic barrier was not merely an inconvenience; it amplified the psychological terror. When an enemy speaks a language you cannot understand, their commands, threats, and taunts become even more menacing because they are alien and inscrutable. It creates a sense of helplessness and isolation. God's promise that Judah "shalt not see" such a people means the cessation of this specific source of fear and confusion, bringing an end to both physical and psychological oppression. This emphasis on language underscores the complete otherness of the oppressor and the comprehensive nature of God's promised deliverance.

33:18 33:18

Isaiah 33:19

33:20 33:20

Bible Versions

Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, [that thou canst] not understand.

Thou shalt not see {H7200} a fierce {H3267} people {H5971}, a people {H5971} of a deeper {H6012} speech {H8193} than thou canst perceive {H8085}; of a stammering {H3932} tongue {H3956}, that thou canst not understand {H998}.

You will not see the intransigent people, that people whose language is so obscure, whose stuttering speech you cannot understand.

You will no longer see the insolent, a people whose speech is unintelligible, who stammer in a language you cannot understand.

Thou shalt not see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that thou canst not comprehend, of a strange tongue that thou canst not understand.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Verse Lookup

Cross-References

Isaiah 28:11

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Deuteronomy 28:49

The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Deuteronomy 28:50

A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
Jeremiah 5:15

Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it [is] a mighty nation, it [is] an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Exodus 14:13

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Ezekiel 3:5

For thou [art] not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, [but] to the house of Israel;
Ezekiel 3:6

Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.

Bible Versions

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