Isaiah 9:18 kjv
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Isaiah 9:18 nkjv
For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.
Isaiah 9:18 niv
Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
Isaiah 9:18 esv
For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.
Isaiah 9:18 nlt
This wickedness is like a brushfire.
It burns not only briers and thorns
but also sets the forests ablaze.
Its burning sends up clouds of smoke.
Isaiah 9 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 9:18 | For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briars and thorns, | Isaiah 9:18 |
| Isaiah 9:18 | and it burns the thickets of the forest, and they rise in billowing smoke. | Isaiah 9:18 |
| Deuteronomy 29:23 | The whole land is a burnt waste of sulfur and salt, | Deut 29:23 |
| Psalm 21:9 | You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear in your wrath. | Ps 21:9 |
| Isaiah 5:24 | Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, | Isa 5:24 |
| Isaiah 30:27 | Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, | Isa 30:27 |
| Isaiah 64:1-2 | Oh that you would tear open the heavens and come down, | Isa 64:1-2 |
| Jeremiah 7:20 | therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, my anger and my wrath | Jer 7:20 |
| Jeremiah 17:18 | May they be put to shame who persecute me, | Jer 17:18 |
| Jeremiah 21:14 | I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds, | Jer 21:14 |
| Ezekiel 15:4 | Into the fire I give it, and the fire consumes its two ends, | Ezek 15:4 |
| Ezekiel 22:31 | and I have poured out my indignation upon them | Ezek 22:31 |
| Nahum 1:6 | Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? | Nah 1:6 |
| Malachi 4:1 | For behold, the day is coming, burned as a furnace, | Mal 4:1 |
| Luke 3:9 | Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree | Luke 3:9 |
| Romans 1:32 | Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice | Rom 1:32 |
| James 3:6 | And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. | James 3:6 |
| Revelation 17:16 | And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast | Rev 17:16 |
| Isaiah 10:17 | The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame; | Isa 10:17 |
| Psalm 89:46 | How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? | Ps 89:46 |
| Jeremiah 5:16 | They bend their tongues like a bow; they aim their lies and | Jer 5:16 |
| Zephaniah 1:18 | Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them | Zeph 1:18 |
Isaiah 9 verses
Isaiah 9 18 Meaning
This verse describes the consequence of wickedness as consuming fire. The verse illustrates divine judgment upon unrighteousness, where the land itself will be consumed because of its people's transgressions. It speaks of a consuming judgment, both on individuals and on the very land they inhabit.
Isaiah 9 18 Context
This verse is situated within Isaiah chapter 9, which focuses on the coming deliverance and reign of the Messiah, especially after the oppressive rule of the Assyrians over the northern tribes of Israel. The prophecy shifts from impending doom for specific transgressions to the glorious future under a righteous king. Verse 18 serves as a powerful imagery of divine judgment against persistent wickedness that precedes the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom. It highlights that sin brings destructive consequences, not just to individuals but to the very fabric of society and the land itself. The chapter moves from describing immediate threats of judgment to foretelling the ultimate victory of God's light and justice through the Messiah.
Isaiah 9 18 Word Analysis
For (ki): Conjunction introducing the reason or cause for something that was said or will be said.
wickedness (resha'): Hebrew word referring to evil, guilt, injustice, or wrongdoing. It signifies a moral state of rebellion against God.
burns (le'-holah): Present tense verb from the root lāhōt, meaning to burn, consume by fire. It emphasizes an ongoing, active process of destruction.
like (ki-): Comparative particle, similar to "as" or "just as."
a fire (esh): Hebrew for fire, a common symbol of judgment, purification, and God's presence or wrath.
it consumes (we'akhalah): Future tense verb, meaning "and it shall consume" or "it will devour." Indicates a consequence.
briars (qoš): Thorny plants, often symbolizing useless or harmful vegetation, representing ungodliness and obstacles.
and thorns (wa-šāyeš): Another word for thorny, prickly plants, often paired with briars to represent desolation and defenselessness.
and burns (wa-ye'akor): Another verb for burning, this one emphasizing consuming by fire.
the thickets (sōngh): Dense, overgrown areas of a forest. It represents a place where unrighteousness might hide or flourish.
of the forest (ha-ya'ar): Hebrew for forest or woods. Here, it signifies a place or entity that will be subject to judgment.
and they rise (wə-ye‘ā’alū): Future tense verb meaning "and they shall go up" or "they shall ascend." Refers to the smoke rising.
in (bə-): Preposition indicating manner or means.
billowing smoke (‘ēš qîtōt): Literally, "smoke of an uprooting" or "smoke of emission." It signifies intense, pervasive smoke, indicating complete destruction.
Group Analysis: The verse paints a vivid picture of judgment. The "fire" of "wickedness" is not metaphorical in its destructive power, but likened to natural fire that "consumes" and "burns." The objects consumed—"briars," "thorns," and "thickets of the forest"—represent elements that are harmful, entangled, and fertile ground for sin, all being removed by a thorough and overwhelming judgment that produces vast quantities of "billowing smoke."
Isaiah 9 18 Bonus Section
The judgment described here, while powerful, is placed within a larger narrative of redemption. Isaiah chapters 9 and 10, taken together, contrast the severe judgment due to sin with the ultimate promise of restoration and the reign of the Messiah, the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." The fire of judgment ultimately serves a purifying purpose, clearing the way for the glorious kingdom that will know no end. This demonstrates that God’s judgment is never without its redemptive aim, paving the path for ultimate justice and peace.
Isaiah 9 18 Commentary
This verse powerfully illustrates the destructive nature of sin and the ensuing divine judgment. Just as fire consumes wild, unusable vegetation, so will God's righteous anger consume wickedness and those who practice it. The imagery suggests a judgment that is both pervasive and complete, leaving no trace of the ungodly. This isn't merely a partial correction but a thorough eradication of corrupt elements from the land, signifying a cleansing for the coming establishment of righteousness. The "billowing smoke" is a sign of utter destruction, leaving behind a barren landscape where wickedness once thrived.