Isaiah 33:12 kjv
And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
Isaiah 33:12 nkjv
And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.
Isaiah 33:12 niv
The peoples will be burned to ashes; like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze."
Isaiah 33:12 esv
And the peoples will be as if burned to lime, like thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire."
Isaiah 33:12 nlt
Your people will be burned up completely,
like thornbushes cut down and tossed in a fire.
Isaiah 33 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 10:17 | "And the light of Israel will become a fire, | judgment on Assyria |
| Isa 9:18 | "For wickedness burns like a fire; | sin brings destruction |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burned like an oven, | Day of the Lord as fire |
| Luke 3:16 | "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." | baptism of fire |
| Heb 12:29 | "for our God is a consuming fire." | God's holiness and judgment |
| 1 Cor 3:13 | "each one's work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire," | testing of works |
| Rev 20:10 | "the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire" | final judgment of the wicked |
| Ps 21:9 | "You shall make them as a fiery oven when you appear in your wrath." | God's wrath on enemies |
| Prov 16:27 | "A worthless man plots evil, and on his lips there is a scorching fire." | evil speech like fire |
| Jer 5:14 | "therefore thus says the LORD, God of hosts, because you have spoken this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire" | word as fire |
| Ps 11:6 | "on the wicked he will rain down coals and fire and sulfur; a scorching wind will be the portion of their cup!" | divine judgment on the wicked |
| Isa 30:30 | "And the LORD will cause his majestic voice to be heard and will show his descending stroke with the arm of his indignation and with the flame of a devouring fire," | divine judgment |
| Isa 66:15 | "For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to return his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire." | coming of the Lord in judgment |
| Joel 2:3 | "before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them it is a desolate wilderness," | desolation caused by judgment |
| 2 Thess 1:7 | "and to you who are afflicted rest with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels with flaming fire," | judgment upon unbelievers |
| Rev 18:8 | "Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judges her." | judgment of Babylon |
| Num 11:1 | "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD. And when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying part of the camp." | God's anger with fire |
| Deut 32:22 | "For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the lowest depths of Sheol," | God's anger and judgment |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD," | word of God as fire |
| Isa 29:6 | "You will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and with great noise, with wind and tempest, and with the flame of a devouring fire." | divine visitation |
| Ezek 21:31 | "And I will give them into the hand of brutal men, ravagers, to deal with them, and into the hand of the wicked, to deal with them; and they shall be ashamed of their faces, and their laws shall be filth." | judgment by wicked men |
Isaiah 33 verses
Isaiah 33 12 Meaning
The people are declared as being like fuel for fire. Their actions of sin and rebellion have prepared them for judgment. They are the dry material that will easily ignite and burn.
Isaiah 33 12 Context
Isaiah 33 focuses on God's judgment against the enemies of His people, specifically alluding to the Assyrian threat but encompassing future oppressions. This chapter offers assurance to Judah, promising deliverance. The preceding verses describe the devastation that will befall the aggressors. This verse follows declarations of judgment on nations that have plundered Judah. It signifies the readiness of the people for the consequences of their unrighteousness and God's forthcoming wrath.
Isaiah 33 12 Word Analysis
- וְעַמִּים (ve'amim): "and peoples." This plural form refers to nations, or distinct groups of people, highlighting the scope of God's judgment extending beyond individuals.
- כְּאֵשׁ (k'esh): "like fire." A simile. The comparison emphasizes the destructive, consuming, and unstoppable nature of the judgment. It speaks of imminent and complete eradication. Fire is often used in Scripture to represent divine wrath and purification, or judgment.
- מְצֹרָפִים (metzorafim): "refined" or "purified" or "smelted." This participle can be understood in two ways in this context:
- As something to be "smelted" or "tested" by fire, indicating they are to be processed or judged.
- As the material used in smelting (e.g., the dross that is removed by fire).The primary meaning here aligns with the understanding of fuel being consumed. It describes the state of being prepared for burning. The root "tzaraf" (צורף) relates to refining metals by fire, which implies both cleansing and destruction of the impurities. For the people described as fuel, it means their impurities will be consumed.
- בָּצִיר (batsir): "harvest," specifically the vintage or grape gathering season. This word implies the culmination of a process. The "harvest" of their sin is ripe, and they are now ready for judgment.
- נִקְצַב: This is the Piel past tense, 3rd person masculine singular, passive form of the root "katzav" (קצב). The Piel often indicates causing something to happen. In the passive, it means "has been decreed," "has been appointed," or "has been cut off." The meaning suggests their destiny of being fuel for the fire has been set or determined by God's decree.
- קָצִיר: "cutting" or "harvesting." Referring back to the vintage. It signifies the completion of their allotted time and the beginning of their reaping of consequences. Their destiny is fixed, their judgment is assured.
Groups of Words:
- "peoples like fire": This phrase implies that the nations referred to are like destructive, consuming forces in themselves, and are now meeting a superior, divine fire that will consume them. Alternatively, they are now ready to be consumed like fire.
- "refined / smelted ones": This descriptor points to their processed state, ready for the final consummation by fire. Their life, devoid of true righteousness, makes them suitable only for destruction when brought before divine judgment.
- "harvesting of the vintage": This collective term signifies that the time for reaping their wickedness is here. It implies a complete gathering of all their sinful actions and their resultant consequences.
- "has been decreed/appointed": This emphasizes the certainty and divine ordination of their impending destruction.
Isaiah 33 12 Bonus Section
The Hebrew word for "refined" or "smelted" (מְצֹרָפִים - metzorafim) also carries a positive connotation in other biblical contexts, referring to the refinement of gold or silver that removes impurities, leading to a purer substance (Malachi 3:2-3). However, in this context, applied to peoples designated as fuel for fire, it points to a destructive refinement—the removal of their very existence as dross is removed by fire. The concept of divine judgment acting like a smelting process, purifying by destruction, is a recurring theme. The dual nature of fire as both judgment and purification is often found in Scripture, contingent on what is subjected to it. In this instance, the subject is the wicked, so the emphasis is entirely on judgment.
Isaiah 33 12 Commentary
This verse presents a stark image of judgment. The peoples who have opposed God and His covenant people are described as being prepared for complete destruction. The metaphor of "fuel for fire" powerfully conveys their readiness to be consumed. This isn't random destruction; their wickedness has brought them to this point, like a crop that has ripened and is ready for harvest. Their appointed time for judgment has arrived, and the decree has gone forth from God. This imagery serves as a powerful assurance of divine retribution for oppressors, while simultaneously warning against persistent sin and rebellion.