Isaiah 33:1

Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.

² O LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.

³ The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed, and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betrayal, you will be betrayed.
ASV: Woe to thee that destroyest, and thou wast not destroyed; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to destroy, thou shalt be destroyed; and when thou hast made an end of dealing treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
DARBY: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and that dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; when thou shalt make an end of dealing treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
BLB: Woe, O destroyer, even you never destroyed, and [you] treacherous one, and they have never betrayed him! At the completion of your destroying, you will be destroyed; as you finish being treacherous, they will deal treacherously with you.

ÅB: Ve deg, du ødelegger, som selv ikke er blitt ødelagt, og du røver som ingen har røvet noe fra! Når du er ferdig med å ødelegge, skal du bli ødelagt; når du har sluttet med å røve, skal andre røve fra deg.
OTB: Ve deg, du ødelegger, som ennå ikke er blitt ødelagt; og deg, forræder, som ennå ikke er blitt forrådt! Når du fullfører din ødeleggelse, vil du bli ødelagt; når du opphører din forræderi, vil du bli forrådt.
B1930: Ve dig, du ødelegger, som selv ikke er blitt ødelagt, og du røver som ingen har røvet noget fra! Når du er ferdig med å ødelegge, skal du bli ødelagt; når du har sluttet med å røve, skal andre røve fra dig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Read in context
Isaiah 24:16
From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I am wasting away! I am wasting away! Woe is me.” The treacherous betray; the treacherous deal in treachery.
Read in context
Isaiah 10:12
So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes.
Read in context
Revelation 17:17
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
Read in context
Obadiah 1:10–16
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever.
Read in context
Jeremiah 25:12–14
But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation.
Read in context
Isaiah 21:2
A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”
Read in context
Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
Read in context