Your tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
thy tacklings are loosed.
Isaiah 33:21 But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
Ezekiel 27:26-34 Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas…
Acts 27:19,30-32,40,41 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship…
then
Isaiah 33:1,4 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee…
2 Chronicles 20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
the lame
1 Samuel 30:10,22-24 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor…
2 Kings 7:8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
Psalm 68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail.
The inability to secure the mast or spread the sail further emphasizes the theme of inadequacy and helplessness. In a historical context, a ship unable to set sail would be vulnerable to the elements and unable to navigate effectively. This can be seen as a metaphor for Israel's inability to save themselves from impending judgment or disaster without God's help. It highlights the futility of human efforts apart from divine guidance and strength.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided,
Despite the initial imagery of weakness, this phrase introduces a sudden reversal of fortune. The division of spoils suggests victory and abundance, often associated with the aftermath of a battle. In biblical history, spoils were typically divided among the victors, indicating a complete turnaround from a position of weakness to one of triumph. This can be seen as a prophetic promise of God's deliverance and provision for His people, even when they seem most vulnerable.
and even the lame will carry off plunder.
This phrase underscores the miraculous nature of the victory. The lame, typically unable to participate in battle or carry heavy loads, are depicted as taking part in the division of spoils. This imagery highlights God's power to enable and empower the weak, turning societal norms upside down. It echoes themes found in other scriptures, such as 1 Corinthians 1:27, where God chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong. It also points to the inclusive nature of God's kingdom, where all, regardless of their physical or social status, share in His blessings.
Isaiah paints the scene of an enemy fleet whose rigging hangs loose and powerless. When ropes slacken at sea, there is no steering, no stability, no hope of progress. Here the Lord exposes the futility of human strength that dares to threaten His people:
• Psalm 33:10 affirms, “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples”.
• Earlier in the chapter Judah’s foes are warned, “Woe to you, O destroyer” (Isaiah 33:1). The slack ropes prove that warning true.
• Isaiah’s image echoes God’s word to Judah in Isaiah 30:15—quiet trust in Him, not military alliances, brings salvation.
Without tight rigging the mast sways and the sail collapses; the vessel becomes a helpless hulk. God is announcing that the invasion force, so terrifying to Judah, will suddenly be rendered useless:
• Psalm 107:25-27 describes sailors struck by a divine storm who “reeled and staggered like drunken men, and all their skill was useless”.
• Exodus 14:25 shows the same principle on land: the Egyptians’ chariot wheels came off at the Red Sea.
• This powerlessness magnifies the Lord who, just two verses earlier, promised to be “a place of broad rivers and streams” for His people (Isaiah 33:21). The enemy cannot sail on those waters because He controls them.
The scene shifts from panic to plunder. Once the opponent is immobilized, God’s people move from fear to overflowing provision:
• In 2 Chronicles 20:25 Jehoshaphat’s army gathers “an abundance of goods” after the Lord defeats Moab and Ammon.
• Isaiah 9:3 foretells similar joy: “You have increased the nation’s joy… they rejoice before You as men rejoice in the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the plunder”.
• The turnaround underscores a familiar pattern—God’s deliverance not only protects but enriches those who trust Him.
No one is left out of the victory celebration, not even those least able to fight:
• Micah 4:6-7 promises, “I will assemble the lame… I will make the lame a remnant”.
• When David recovered the Amalekite spoil, he made certain that those too exhausted to pursue still shared equally (1 Samuel 30:24-25).
• The picture in Isaiah is ultimate security—the weakest believer walks into the enemy camp unopposed, arms full, because God Himself has fought.
Isaiah 33:23 shows the Lord dismantling an arrogant foe, leaving its “ropes… slack” and its mast and sail useless. The result is a complete reversal: abundant spoil for God’s people and participation even for the weakest among them. The verse invites confidence that no enemy scheme can hold when the Lord rises to defend, and that His deliverance always overflows with blessing for every member of His redeemed family.
(23) Thy tacklings are loosed . . .--The words have been taken as applicable either to Assyria, as one of the "ships of Tarshish" that had been wrecked, or to Zion, as a vessel that had been driven by the wind and tossed, but had escaped shipwreck. On the whole, the first view seems most in harmony with the context. The terms have been taken by some critics for the cords, poles, and canvas of a tent, but the rendering of the Authorised version seems preferable.The lame take the prey.--The wrecked Assyrian ship is represented as being plundered by those whom it came to plunder. "The lame" were commonly excluded, as incapable of active service, from sharing in the spoils. Here they also were to have their portion.
Verse 23. - Thy tacklings are loosed. The comparing of God to a river has led to the representation of Judah's enemies as warships (ver. 21). This causes Judah herself to be viewed as a ship - a badly appointed ship, which has to contend with one whose equipment is perfect. The prophet's thoughts have traveled back to the existing state of things. They could not well strengthen their mast; rather, they cannot hold firm the lower part of their mast. The mast had its lower extremity inserted into a hole in a cross-beam, and required to be kept in place by the ropes. If they were loose, it might slip out of the hole and fall overboard. They could not spread the sail; rather, they cannot spread the ensign. The ensign would seem to have been attached to the top of the mast. If the mast fell, it would no longer be spread out, so as to be seen. Then is the prey of a great spoil divided. The word "then" is emphatic. Now the disabled ship seems incapable of coping with its enemy. Then (after Assyria's overthrow) Judah will obtain an immense spoil (see ver. 4). Even the lame shall have their portion.