Isaiah 47 14

Isaiah 47:14 kjv

Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Isaiah 47:14 nkjv

Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before!

Isaiah 47:14 niv

Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by.

Isaiah 47:14 esv

Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!

Isaiah 47:14 nlt

But they are like straw burning in a fire;
they cannot save themselves from the flame.
You will get no help from them at all;
their hearth is no place to sit for warmth.

Isaiah 47 verses

Isaiah 47 14 Meaning

Isaiah 47:14 vividly portrays the complete and inescapable destruction awaiting Babylon. It declares that their proud and self-assured existence, alongside their reliance on astrologers and soothsayers, will be exposed as utterly fragile, likened to dry stubble destined for an consuming fire. The verse underscores their total inability to rescue themselves from this fierce divine judgment. Furthermore, it emphasizes the finality of their ruin, indicating that absolutely nothing of value, use, or comfort—not even a glowing ember for warmth—will remain after the conflagration. It's a prophecy of total desolation and the futile end of false security.

Isaiah 47 14 Context

Isaiah chapter 47 is a divine judgment against Babylon, metaphorically addressed as "Daughter Babylon" or "Daughter of Chaldea." It forms part of the prophet Isaiah's larger collection of oracles concerning the nations (Isa 13-27, 46-47). Historically, this prophecy looks forward to the Babylonian empire's eventual fall, which happened through the Medes and Persians under Cyrus in 539 BC, even though at the time of Isaiah's writing (8th century BC), Babylon was not yet the dominant world power that conquered Judah. The chapter ridicules Babylon's pride, its sense of invincibility, its cruel treatment of conquered peoples (including Judah, as referenced indirectly in its impending downfall), and most pointedly, its deep reliance on magic, sorcery, and astrology (vv. 12-13). Verse 14 directly follows a challenge to their so-called "counselors" and "star-gazers" who cannot save themselves or the city, positioning it as the ultimate pronouncement of their worthlessness in the face of divine judgment.

Isaiah 47 14 Word analysis

• הִנֵּה (hinnēh) – Behold / Indeed: An emphatic interjection, drawing urgent attention to the stark truth that follows. It signals a dramatic and unavoidable reality.
• הָיוּ (hāyû) – they are: A form of "to be," indicating a settled state or nature. Here, it asserts their inherent quality as stubble, not just a temporary condition.
• כְקַשׁ (kəqaš) – like stubble:
  • כְּ (ke-): Comparative particle "like, as."
  • קַשׁ (qaš): "Stubble," "chaff," "dry stalks." Signifies extreme dryness, worthlessness, and fragility. It's easily ignitable and swiftly consumed, representing those destined for sudden destruction.
• אֵשׁ (ʾēš) – fire: The divine agent of judgment. In biblical literature, fire frequently symbolizes God's powerful, purifying, and destructive wrath.
• שְׂרָפָתַם (śərāfāṯām) – will burn them / has consumed them: From the verb שָׂרַף (śāraf) "to burn, consume." The verbal form emphasizes the completeness and certainty of the fire's action, a consuming devastation.
• לֹא (lōʾ) – not / no: A strong negative particle, conveying absolute impossibility.
• יַצִּילוּ (yaṣṣîlū) – they will deliver / rescue: From נָצַל (nāṣal) "to snatch away, rescue, deliver." Highlights their utter helplessness; no self-salvation or external rescue is possible.
• אֶת־נַפְשָׁם (ʾeṯ-nafšām) – their life / themselves:
  • אֶת־ (ʾeṯ-): Direct object marker.
  • נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh): "Soul, life, self, person." Emphasizes that their entire being or existence cannot escape.
• מִיַּד (miyyad) – from the power of / from the hand of:
  • מִן (min): Preposition "from."
  • יַד (yad): "Hand, power." "Hand" is a common metaphor for power or control. Hence, "from the control/grasp of."
• לֶהָבָה (leḥābāh) – flame: Intensifies the image of fire, referring to the bright, hot, and consuming aspect of the blaze.
• לֹא־נְתִיצּוּ (lōʾ-nətīṣṣū) – there will be no... / they will not salvage (or kindle): An unusual verbal form often interpreted as "will not remain" or "will not be found/rescued for use." In this context, it signifies the absolute lack of any useful remnant after the fire, not even something that could be rekindled.
• גֶחֶלֶת (geḥeleth) – coal / burning coal / ember: A piece of hot, glowing charcoal. The specific mention highlights that even a small, lingering piece that might offer residual warmth will be absent.
• לְחַמֵּם (ləḥammēm) – to warm (oneself):
  • לְ (lə-): Infinitive marker "to, for the purpose of."
  • חָמַם (chamam): "To be warm, to heat." Denotes the common, beneficial purpose of fire.
• אֵשׁ (ʾēš) – fire: Repeated to denote a usable, beneficial fire, standing in stark contrast to the destructive fire earlier mentioned. This emphasizes the lack of comfort.
• לָשֶׁבֶת (lāshevet) – to sit:
  • לְ (lə-): Infinitive marker "to, for the purpose of."
  • יָשַׁב (yashav): "To sit, dwell, reside." Conjures the image of gathering for comfort and community around a fire.
• נֶגְדּוֹ (negdō) – before it:
  • נֶגֶד (neged): "Before, in front of, opposite."
  • וֹ (-ō): Third masculine singular possessive suffix, referring to the "fire/coal." This implies no presence or enjoyment in front of such a fire.

Words-group by Words-group analysis:

• הִנֵּה הָיוּ כְקַשׁ (hinnēh hāyû kəqaš) – Behold, they are like stubble: This opening immediately grabs attention, establishing the utter worthlessness and fragility of Babylon. "Stubble" is not just dead but dry, ready to ignite and vanish.
• אֵשׁ שְׂרָפָתַם (ʾēš śərāfāṯām) – the fire will burn them: This confirms the destiny of the "stubble." The "fire" is personified in its action, signifying a relentless and complete consuming force.
• לֹא יַצִּילוּ אֶת־נַפְשָׁם מִיַּד לֶהָבָה (lōʾ yaṣṣîlū ʾeṯ-nafšām miyyad leḥābāh) – they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame: This sentence underscores the inescapable nature of the judgment. Babylon's self-proclaimed power and security are utterly powerless against the divine flame, emphasizing a complete lack of agency or external help. The 'flame' intensifies the burning.
• לֹא־נְתִיצּוּ גֶחֶלֶת לְחַמֵּם אֵשׁ לָשֶׁבֶת נֶגְדּוֹ (lōʾ-nətīṣṣū geḥeleth ləḥammēm ʾēš lāshevet negdō) – No coal to warm by, no fire to sit before!: This powerful conclusion deepens the sense of utter destruction. Not only are they destroyed, but no useful remnant is left. It goes beyond mere cessation of existence to a state of absolute desolation, with no possibility of comfort, recovery, or future hope. The "fire to sit before" usually symbolizes gathering, comfort, and human presence; its absence here speaks of profound, lonely ruin.

Isaiah 47 14 Bonus section

The destruction prophesied for Babylon in this verse also carries eschatological weight, providing a foundational prophetic type for the ultimate downfall of "Babylon" in the New Testament. In Revelation (especially chapters 17-18), a symbolic "Babylon the Great" is depicted, representing the spiritual and earthly systems of rebellion against God, oppressive power, and reliance on worldly wisdom or illicit spiritual practices. The judgment on this later "Babylon" similarly involves an inescapable and total destruction, with "fire" being a prominent element (e.g., Rev 18:8, 18), and leading to complete desolation where no commerce, revelry, or human activity is heard or seen (Rev 18:21-23), echoing the "no fire to sit before" sentiment of Isaiah. This connection demonstrates a continuous theological thread throughout Scripture: God's judgment on prideful, self-sufficient, and idolatrous powers is severe and final, offering no escape or comfort to those consumed by it.

Isaiah 47 14 Commentary

Isaiah 47:14 serves as a dramatic denouncement of Babylon, powerfully juxtaposing its overweening pride and trust in false wisdom (like astrology) against its inevitable and absolute destruction. The core imagery of "stubble" immediately signals inherent worthlessness and extreme vulnerability to "fire"—a direct metaphor for God's overwhelming judgment. Babylon's boasts of invincibility (v.8) are exposed as baseless; they, and all they depend on, will be consumed swiftly and irrevocably, much like dry chaff. The crucial second half, "no coal to warm by, no fire to sit before," expands the prophecy from mere destruction to utter desolation. It means that the destructive fire will leave no beneficial or comforting vestige. There will be no glowing embers from which warmth might be salvaged, no light or warmth around which life might gather, symbolizing the complete and permanent eradication of their glory, influence, and very presence. This oracle, therefore, transcends Babylon's historical fall, becoming a universal warning: any nation or individual placing trust in human power, occult practices, or self-reliance over God faces a judgment that consumes completely, leaving behind nothing of worth or solace. It highlights God's absolute sovereignty and the ultimate futility of all that opposes Him.