Isaiah 30:33 (ASV)

Passage

For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 30:31 For through the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be dismayed; with his rod will he smite [him].

Isaiah 30:32 And every stroke of the appointed staff, which Jehovah shall lay upon him, shall be with [the sound of] tabrets and harps; and in battles with the brandishing [of his arm] will he fight with them.

Isaiah 30:33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "topheth", "prepared", "king", "ready", "hath", "deep", "large", and "pile". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "topheth" and "prepared", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And every stroke of the appointed staff...", giving immediate footing for "topheth" and "prepared". In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "topheth" and "prepared" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.