Isaiah 9:19
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
Original Language Analysis
יְהוָ֥ה
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֥ה
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
2 of 14
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
צְבָא֖וֹת
of hosts
H6635
צְבָא֖וֹת
of hosts
Strong's:
H6635
Word #:
3 of 14
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
נֶעְתַּ֣ם
darkened
H6272
נֶעְתַּ֣ם
darkened
Strong's:
H6272
Word #:
4 of 14
probably to glow, i.e., (figuratively) be desolated
וַיְהִ֤י
H1961
וַיְהִ֤י
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
6 of 14
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
הָעָם֙
and the people
H5971
הָעָם֙
and the people
Strong's:
H5971
Word #:
7 of 14
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
כְּמַאֲכֹ֣לֶת
shall be as the fuel
H3980
כְּמַאֲכֹ֣לֶת
shall be as the fuel
Strong's:
H3980
Word #:
8 of 14
something eaten (by fire), i.e., fuel
אִ֥ישׁ
no man
H376
אִ֥ישׁ
no man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
10 of 14
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אָחִ֖יו
his brother
H251
אָחִ֖יו
his brother
Strong's:
H251
Word #:
12 of 14
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])
Cross References
Micah 7:2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.Micah 7:6For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
Historical Context
Israel's final decades featured multiple coups, assassinations, and civil conflicts (2 Kings 15). Kings were murdered by their own officers; tribes fought each other; faction warred against faction. The Assyrian crisis exacerbated these internal divisions. By the time Assyria besieged Samaria, the nation had already consumed itself internally. Societal cohesion completely collapsed, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy with horrifying precision.
Questions for Reflection
- How does rejecting God's authority lead to societal breakdown and violence?
- What does this verse teach about the fragility of social order apart from shared moral foundations?
- How can we maintain Christian unity and brotherly love in increasingly divided societies?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Divine wrath darkens the land, and the people become fuel for the fire. 'No man shall spare his brother' describes complete social breakdown—even familial bonds dissolve. This civil war emerges from God's wrath combined with human wickedness. The phrase 'fuel of the fire' suggests people become both perpetrators and victims—in destroying others, they destroy themselves. This depicts the logical endpoint of abandoning God: chaos, where self-interest destroys community, and everyone becomes everyone else's enemy.