Isaiah 33:24 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. And the inhabitant shall not say - This verse is somewhat obscure. The meaning of it seems to be, that the army of Sennacherib shall by the stroke of God be reduced to so shattered and so weak a condition, that the Jews shall fall upon the remains of them, and plunder them without resistance; that the most infirm and disabled of the people of Jerusalem shall come in for their share of the spoil; the lame shall seize the prey; even the sick and the diseased shall throw aside their infirmities, and recover strength enough to hasten to the general plunder. See above.

The last line of the verse is parallel to the first, and expresses the same sense in other words. Sickness being considered as a visitation from God. a punishment of sin; the forgiveness of sin is equivalent to the removal of a disease. Thus the psalmist: -

"Who forgiveth all thy sin; And healeth all thine infirmities."

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].

Isaiah 33:24

24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.