492 Csaba Balogh cause Jerusalem to fall is the Assyrian king (cf. 10,15; 28,2). The second text is Jer 30,21, where ryda is paralleled by lvemo, both of which allude to the future king of Israel who God promises to bring forth from among his people. It is most likely therefore that hwhy ryda, “the mighty one of YHWH”, refers to a human king in Jerusalem, as in v. 17 above. The first part of v. 21 should be delimited as follows: For there a mighty one of YHWH will wnl hwhy ryda μvAμa yk be to us (like) a place of rivers (69), μyrhnAμwqm (like) spacious channels (70). μydy ybjr μyray The mighty waters recall the idea of mighty ships (fyvAyna / ryda yx), both of which are obviously symbolic images. The metaphors of ship are followed by an assertion of YHWH as commander, leader and king (v. 22), but v. 23a returns again to the theme of ships. This unusual sequence determined some scholars either to abandon vv. 21b.23a (71), or to relocate v. 23a after 21 (72). However, it is curious that vv. 21b.23 as late insertions were separated from each other. It would be more natural to presuppose that the original sequence was blurred by the secondary insertion of v. 22. But is the order of vv. 21-23 really so strange after all? Ships with a mast and sail represent loftiness, pride and arrogance. As in Isa 2,16, fyvAyna and ryda yx are not enemy ships, but Judaean vessels symbolising human power (73). But where there is an hwhy ryda, there is no place for ryda yx. It is not the mighty ships, but YHWH, who saves his people (74). Therefore the demolition of Judah’s lofty ships is an essential sign of faith relying solely on YHWH’s saving power. In this reading each of vv. 21-23 fits the reasoning of the author well and need not be considered secondary. V. 23b is unclear, but the division of spoils among the lame may continue the previous idea that it is not human power which saves Zion (cf. Isa 31,8) (75). V. 23b may point back to v. 4 and identify the (69) μyrhnAμwqm probably alludes to a place rich in waters. (70) For μydy ybjr, cf. also Gen 34,21; Jdg 18,10; 1 Chr 4,40; Isa 22,18. (71) KAISER, Jesaja, 276-277; KUSTÁR, Krankheit, 86. (72) FOHRER, Jesaja, 139; JPS Tanakh (1985). (73) Contra, e.g., M.E.W. THOMPSON, “Vision, Reality and Worship: Isaiah 33”, ExpT 113 (2002) 329. The suffix of ˚ylbj also refers to Judaeans — contra H.R. HOLMYARD, “Does Isaiah 33:23 Address Israel or Israel’s Enemy?”, BibSac 152 (1995) 273-278. (74) Note the part. yk and the emphatic wn[yvwy awh in v. 22, as well as the military (!) terminology (commander, leader) in v. 22. (75) Whether d[' should be rWE[i, ‘blind’ (BHS3 with support from the Tg), is uncertain.