Isaiah 33:23

Thy 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. Continuing the allegory in , he compares the enemies' host to a war-galley, which is deprived of the tacklings or cords by which the mast is sustained and the sail is spread; and which therefore is sure to be wrecked on "the broad river" (), and become the prey of Israel.

They - the tacklings.

Could not well strengthen their mast - or, 'they hold not firm the base of the mast.' The Hebrew for "well" (Keen) or 'rightly' is thus taken as a noun, 'the basis' or receptacle of the mast below. Then - when the Assyrian host shall have been discomfited.

Is the prey of a great spoil divided. Hezekiah had given Sennacherib 300 talents of silver and 30 of gold (), and had stripped the temple of its gold to give it to him: this treasure was probably part of the prey found in the foe's camp. After the invasion, Hezekiah had so much wealth that he made an improper display of it (); this wealth, probably, was in part gotten from the Assyrian.

The lame take the prey - even the most feeble shall spoil the Assyrian camp (cf. ; ).