GALLEY

A long, low, narrow ship powered by one or more tiers of oars and used mainly for naval warfare.

Isaiah represents the inhabitants of Jerusalem as saying: “There the Majestic One, Jehovah, will be for us a place of rivers, of wide canals. On it no galley fleet [literally, fleet of ships of oar] will go, and no majestic ship will pass over it. For Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our Statute-giver, Jehovah is our King; he himself will save us.” (Isa 33:21, 22) Jerusalem had no great rivers or canals as defenses against attack. Yet, just as rivers and canals protected cities such as Babylon and No-amon (Na 3:8), Jehovah would protect Jerusalem. So powerful would these “rivers” of God’s salvation be that strong enemy forces, symbolized by a fleet of hostile galleys or a majestic ship, would be wrecked in the mighty “waters” if they came up against Jerusalem. Jehovah thereby assured Jerusalem, in a figurative way, of her security under the defense he himself, ruling as her King, would provide for her salvation.