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.
Original Language Analysis
כִּֽי
H3588
כִּֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 13
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
שָׁמִ֥יר
the briers
H8068
שָׁמִ֥יר
the briers
Strong's:
H8068
Word #:
5 of 13
a thorn; also (from its keenness for scratching) a gem, probably the diamond
וָשַׁ֖יִת
and thorns
H7898
וָשַׁ֖יִת
and thorns
Strong's:
H7898
Word #:
6 of 13
scrub or trash, i.e., wild growth of weeds or briers (as if put on the field)
וַתִּצַּת֙
and shall kindle
H3341
וַתִּצַּת֙
and shall kindle
Strong's:
H3341
Word #:
8 of 13
to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate
הַיַּ֔עַר
of the forest
H3293
הַיַּ֔עַר
of the forest
Strong's:
H3293
Word #:
10 of 13
a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees)
Cross References
Psalms 83:14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;Malachi 4:1For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.Isaiah 5:24Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.Nahum 1:10For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
Historical Context
Fulfilled in the chaos of Israel's final years: assassinations, coups, foreign invasions, and societal breakdown (2 Kings 15-17). The nation consumed itself through internal violence before Assyria administered final destruction. Archaeological evidence shows burnt destruction layers across northern cities. The 'smoke' of judgment was visible for miles as cities burned, first from civil war, then from Assyrian conquest.
Questions for Reflection
- How does sin function as its own punishment, consuming those who practice it?
- What does the fire imagery teach about sin's progressive, destructive nature?
- In what ways do we see societies or individuals consumed by their own wickedness today?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Wickedness is depicted as a consuming fire that burns briars, thorns, and forest thickets. The fire imagery suggests sin's self-destructive nature—wickedness ultimately consumes those who practice it. 'Kindleth' indicates how sin ignites easily and spreads rapidly. 'Mount up like the lifting up of smoke' portrays judgment as visible and inescapable. The fire represents both their sin and God's judgment—sin itself becomes its own punishment. This illustrates the Reformed doctrine of sin's intrinsic destructiveness.