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Isaiah 9:18

Isaiah 9:18 in Multiple Translations

For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke.

¶ 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.

For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke.

For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.

For wickednesse burneth as a fire: it deuoureth the briers and the thornes and will kindle in the thicke places of the forest: and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke.

For burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!

For wickedness burns like a fire. It devours the briers and thorns; yes, it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

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 rising of smoke.

For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

When people do wicked things, it is like [SIM] a brushfire that spreads rapidly. It burns up not only briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 9:18

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Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Isaiah 9:18 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB בְּ/עֶבְרַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת נֶעְתַּ֣ם אָ֑רֶץ וַ/יְהִ֤י הָ/עָם֙ כְּ/מַאֲכֹ֣לֶת אֵ֔שׁ אִ֥ישׁ אֶל אָחִ֖י/ו לֹ֥א יַחְמֹֽלוּ
בְּ/עֶבְרַ֛ת ʻebrâh H5678 fury Prep | N-fs
יְהוָ֥ה Yᵉhôvâh H3068 The Lord N-proper
צְבָא֖וֹת tsâbâʼ H6635 army N-cp
נֶעְתַּ֣ם ʻâtham H6272 to burn V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
אָ֑רֶץ ʼerets H776 land N-cs
וַ/יְהִ֤י hâyâh H1961 to be Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
הָ/עָם֙ ʻam H5971 Amaw Art | N-ms
כְּ/מַאֲכֹ֣לֶת maʼăkôleth H3980 fuel Prep | N-fs
אֵ֔שׁ ʼêsh H784 fire N-cs
אִ֥ישׁ ʼîysh H376 man N-ms
אֶל ʼêl H413 to(wards) Prep
אָחִ֖י/ו ʼâch H251 brother N-ms | Suff
לֹ֥א lôʼ H3808 not Part
יַחְמֹֽלוּ châmal H2550 to spare V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 9:18

בְּ/עֶבְרַ֛ת ʻebrâh H5678 "fury" Prep | N-fs
This Hebrew word means an outburst of passion, such as anger, rage, or wrath, often describing God's response to sin. It's used to convey intense emotions in the Bible.
Definition: 1) outpouring, overflow, excess, fury, wrath, arrogance 1a) overflow, excess, outburst 1b) arrogance 1c) overflowing rage or fury
Usage: Occurs in 34 OT verses. KJV: anger, rage, wrath. See also: Genesis 49:7; Isaiah 14:6; Psalms 7:7.
יְהוָ֥ה Yᵉhôvâh H3068 "The Lord" N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
צְבָא֖וֹת tsâbâʼ H6635 "army" N-cp
This Hebrew word means a large group of people or things, often referring to an army or a campaign, and is also used to describe the Lord's hosts. It appears in the Bible as a name for God, emphasizing His power and authority. In the KJV, it's translated as 'host' or 'army'.
Definition: : army 1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host 1a) army, host 1a1) host (of organised army) 1a2) host (of angels) 1a3) of sun, moon, and stars 1a4) of whole creation 1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war 1c) service
Usage: Occurs in 463 OT verses. KJV: appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare). See also: Genesis 2:1; 1 Samuel 17:55; Psalms 24:10.
נֶעְתַּ֣ם ʻâtham H6272 "to burn" V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to burn or be desolated, and it is used to describe something being scorched or darkened. It is not commonly used in the Bible, but it appears in a few passages.
Definition: 1) (Niphal) to be burned up, be scorched 1a) meaning uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: be darkened. See also: Isaiah 9:18.
אָ֑רֶץ ʼerets H776 "land" N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
וַ/יְהִ֤י hâyâh H1961 "to be" Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
הָ/עָם֙ ʻam H5971 "Amaw" Art | N-ms
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
כְּ/מַאֲכֹ֣לֶת maʼăkôleth H3980 "fuel" Prep | N-fs
In the original Hebrew, this word means fuel, something that is eaten or consumed by fire. It is used to describe the material that keeps a fire burning. This concept appears in various biblical contexts.
Definition: fuel
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: fuel. See also: Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 9:18.
אֵ֔שׁ ʼêsh H784 "fire" N-cs
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible, representing both God's anger and his refining presence, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Malachi 3:2-3. It is also used for cooking and warmth. This concept is central to many biblical stories.
Definition: 1) fire 1a) fire, flames 1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany) 1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching) 1d) altar-fire 1e) God's anger (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: esh (אֶשָּׁא "fire" H0785)
Usage: Occurs in 348 OT verses. KJV: burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot. See also: Genesis 15:17; Joshua 7:15; Psalms 11:6.
אִ֥ישׁ ʼîysh H376 "man" N-ms
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)
Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.
אֶל ʼêl H413 "to(wards)" Prep
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
אָחִ֖י/ו ʼâch H251 "brother" N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Definition: : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance
Usage: Occurs in 572 OT verses. KJV: another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'. See also: Genesis 4:2; Genesis 42:13; Numbers 25:6.
לֹ֥א lôʼ H3808 "not" Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יַחְמֹֽלוּ châmal H2550 "to spare" V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To spare or have pity is the meaning of this Hebrew verb, as seen in Genesis 43:14, where Joseph spares his brothers. It shows compassion and mercy towards others.
Definition: (Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on
Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: have compassion, (have) pity, spare. See also: Exodus 2:6; Jeremiah 21:7; Proverbs 6:34.

Study Notes — Isaiah 9:18

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Psalms 83:14 As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
2 Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”
3 Isaiah 5:24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
4 Isaiah 34:8–10 For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. Edom’s streams will be turned to tar, and her soil to sulfur; her land will become a blazing pitch. It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it.
5 Nahum 1:10 For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard— like stubble that is fully dry.
6 Numbers 11:1–3 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. And the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.
7 Ezekiel 20:47–48 Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched. Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”
8 Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.
9 Isaiah 66:16–17 For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD. “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.
10 Isaiah 10:16–18 Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease among Assyria’s stout warriors, and under his pomp will be kindled a fire like a burning flame. And the Light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame. In a single day it will burn and devour Assyria’s thorns and thistles. The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man.

Isaiah 9:18 Summary

This verse is saying that wickedness is like a fire that burns out of control, consuming everything in its path. It's a warning that when we allow wickedness to take hold in our lives, it can lead to destruction and chaos, as seen in the book of Isaiah and other places in the Bible, such as Jeremiah 17:27. The fire of wickedness can be slowed down or stopped when we turn to God and follow His ways, as seen in Psalms 37:1-7, where it says that the wicked will be cut off, but those who trust in the Lord will inherit the land. By following God's path, we can avoid being consumed by the flames of wickedness and instead find peace and righteousness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the fire in Isaiah 9:18 represent?

The fire in this verse represents the destructive power of wickedness, which consumes everything in its path, much like the refining fire mentioned in Malachi 3:2-3, where God purifies His people.

What are the thorns and briers that the fire consumes?

The thorns and briers likely represent the wicked and ungodly, as seen in Isaiah 5:6 and Matthew 13:7, where thorns and briers symbolize the things that choke out the good fruit of righteousness.

Is this verse talking about a literal fire or a spiritual one?

While the verse may be using a literal fire as an illustration, the focus is on the spiritual reality of wickedness and its destructive power, similar to the way Jesus uses physical illustrations to teach spiritual truths in the Gospel of Matthew, such as in Matthew 13:1-52.

How does this verse relate to God's judgment?

This verse is part of a larger section in Isaiah that describes God's judgment on His people for their wickedness, as seen in Isaiah 9:17, where it says that God's anger is not turned away, and in Isaiah 9:19, where the land is scorched by the wrath of the Lord.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some ways that wickedness can 'burn like a fire' in my own life, consuming the things that are good and right?
  2. How can I make sure that I am not contributing to the 'thorns and briers' that the fire of wickedness feeds on?
  3. What are some ways that I can 'kindle' a fire of righteousness in my own heart, rather than allowing the flames of wickedness to spread?
  4. How can I be a source of light and hope in a world that is often consumed by darkness and wickedness, as seen in Matthew 5:14-16?

Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 9:18

For wickedness burneth as the fire,.... That is, the punishment of their sins, as the Targum interprets it; the wrath of God for sin, which is poured out like fire, and consumes as that does; unless

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 9:18

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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 9:18

Wickedness burneth, i.e. shall burn you, as it follows, shall devour. Your iniquity shall be your ruin, as God threatens, . The briers and thorns; either, 1. The wicked, who are oft compared to briers and thorns, as ; or rather, 2. The low and mean persons; for these are opposed to the thickets of the forest, in the next clause. In the thickets of the forest; in the wood, where the trees are tall, and stand thick, having their boughs entangled together, which makes them more ready both to catch and to spread the fire. Like the lifting up of smoke; sending up smoke like a vast furnace. Heb. with height or pride of smoke, i.e. with aspiring smoke, which in that case riseth high, and spreadeth far, and filleth all the neighbouring air.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 9:18

Isaiah 9:18 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.Ver. 18. For wickedness burneth as a fire.] God will burn up these wicked Israelites, as once he did those sinful Sodomites; for unregenerate Israel is to him as Ethiopia, when once scelera abierunt in mores, and there is a general defection of all sorts and states, God will make an utter riddance of them; he will fire the whole forest.

Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 9:18

(18) It shall devour the briers and thorns . . .—The words are obviously figurative for men who were base and vile, as in 2 Samuel 23:6; but the figure may have been suggested by Isaiah 7:23-24. The outward desolation, with its rank growth of underwood, was to the prophet’s eye a type of the moral condition of his people. And for such a people sin becomes the punishment of sin, and burns like a fire in a forest thicket, leaving the land clear for fresh culture and a better growth. (Comp. Isaiah 33:11-12; James 3:5; Hebrews 6:8.)

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 9:18

Verse 18. For wickedness] Wickedness rageth like a fire, destroying and laying waste the nation: but it shall be its own destruction, by bringing down the fire of God's wrath, which shall burn up the briers and the thorns; that is, the wicked themselves. Briers and thorns are an image frequently applied in Scripture, when set on fire, to the rage of the wicked; violent, yet impotent, and of no long continuance. "They are extinct as the fire of thorns," Psalms 118:12. To the wicked themselves, as useless and unprofitable, proper objects of God's wrath, to be burned up, or driven away by the wind. "As thorns cut up they shall be consumed in the fire," Isaiah 33:12. Both these ideas seem to be joined in Psalms 58:9: - "Before your pots shall feel the thorn, As well the green as the dry, the tempest shall bear them away." The green and the dry is a proverbial expression, meaning all sorts of them, good and bad, great and small, &c. So Ezekiel: "Behold, I will kindle a fire, and it shall devour every green tree, and every dry tree," Ezekiel 20:47. D'Herbelot quotes a Persian poet describing a pestilence under the image of a conflagration: "This was a lightning that, falling upon a forest, consumed there the green wood with the dry." See Harmer's Observations, Vol. II., p. 187.

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 9:18

18–21. Third strophe. As in ch. Isaiah 3:1-7, the removal of the pillars of the state is followed by wild confusion and civil war. The state of things alluded to can be partly realised from passages in the book of Hosea, e.g. Isaiah 4:2, Isaiah 5:11 f., Isaiah 6:8 f., Isaiah 7:7, Isaiah 10:3; Isaiah 10:13; and cf. 2 Kings 15:23-25.

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 9:18

For wickedness - This commences the third part of the prophecy, which continues to the end of the chapter. It is a description of prevailing impiety.

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 9:18

18. We have passed two strophes, and here enter on the third, which closes the chapter. They are apparently artificial and antiphonic.

Sermons on Isaiah 9:18

SermonDescription
David Wilkerson The Towers Have Fallen (Sept 16 2001) - Part 3 by David Wilkerson This sermon emphasizes the need for repentance and turning away from wicked ways to avoid God's judgment. It warns of the consequences of societal sins, such as idolatry, immoralit
George Fox Epistle 236 by George Fox George Fox preaches about the enduring power of truth and the sovereignty of God amidst trials and tribulations. He encourages believers to find strength in Christ, the bread of li
David Wilkerson A Cry Against the Wicked Youth of America by David Wilkerson In this sermon, the preacher talks about a man, a Hebrew, who is running through the streets proclaiming that there are only 40 days left before everyone will die because of their
David Wilkerson Christless Pentecost - Part 2 by David Wilkerson In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for repentance and holiness in the church. He predicts a revival among young people and the downfall of drug abuse, alcoholism, and
C.H. Spurgeon A Vision of the Latter-Day Glories by C.H. Spurgeon In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the unstoppable growth of the church and the gathering of all nations to worship God. He uses the imagery of a dry riverbed gradually fillin
Milton Green (Saved Through the Fire) 01 - the Path of True Salvation by Milton Green In this sermon, the speaker begins by referencing Malachi 3:1, which speaks of the coming of John the Baptist as a messenger to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. The speaker emphas
Chuck Smith (Through the Bible) Malachi by Chuck Smith In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of giving and receiving in accordance with a divine spiritual law. He compares it to the natural laws that govern our universe, s

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