Isaiah 1:31

Isaiah 1:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
• New International Version (NIV)The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The strong shall be as tinder, And the work of it as a spark; Both will burn together, And no one shall quench them.

Context of Isaiah 1:31

29For you will be ashamed [of the degradation] of the oaks in which you took [idolatrous] pleasure, And you will be ashamed of the gardens [of passion] which you have chosen [for pagan worship]. 30For you will be like an oak whose leaf withers and dies And like a garden that has no water. The strong man will become tinder, And his work a spark. So both will burn together And there will be none to quench them.

Isaiah 1:31 word by word

וְהָיָ֤ה הֶחָסֹן֙ לִנְעֹ֔רֶת וּפֹעֲל֖וֹ לְנִיצ֑וֹץ וּבָעֲר֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם יַחְדָּ֖ו וְאֵ֥ין מְכַבֶּֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the strongחָסֹןchâsôn · strongH2634
• shall be as towנְעֹ֫רֶתne‛ôreth · towH5296
• and the makerפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
• of it as a sparkנִיצוֹץnîytsôts · sparkH5213
• and they shall bothשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• burnבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
• togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
• and none shall quenchכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518

Cross-references for Isaiah 1:31

• Ezekiel 32:21The strong among the mighty rulers will say of him (Pharaoh) and his allies from the midst of Sheol, ‘They have gone down [defeated]; they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’
• Isaiah 27:4I have no wrath. Should anyone give Me briars and thorns in battle, I would step on them, I would set them all on fire.
• Isaiah 43:17He who brings out the chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty warrior, (They will lie down together, they will not rise again; They have been extinguished, they have been put out like a lamp’s wick):
• Isaiah 50:11Listen carefully, all you who kindle your own fire [devising your own man-made plan of salvation], Who surround yourselves with torches, Walk by the light of your [self-made] fire And among the torches that you have set ablaze. But this you will have from My hand: You will lie down in [a place of] torment.
• Judges 15:14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and the ropes on his arms were like flax (linen) that had been burned, and his bonds dropped off his hands.
• Revelation 6:14The sky was split [separated from the land] and rolled up like a scroll, and every mountain and island were dislodged and moved out of their places.
• Isaiah 34:9The streams [of Edom] will be turned into pitch, And its dust into brimstone, And its land will become burning pitch.
• Isaiah 66:24“Then they will go forth and look Upon the dead bodies of the [rebellious] men Who have transgressed against Me; For their worm (maggot) will not die, And their fire will not go out; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.”
• Ezekiel 20:47and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every one of your green trees, as well as every one of your dry trees. The blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from the south to the north will be burned by it.
• Malachi 4:1“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant (proud, self-righteous, haughty), and every evildoer shall be stubble; and the day that is coming shall set them on fire,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
• Matthew 3:10And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
• Mark 9:43If your hand causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It is better for you to enter life crippled, than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,
• Revelation 14:10he too will [have to] drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mixed undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone (flaming sulfur) in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb (Christ).
• Revelation 19:20And the beast (Antichrist) was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who, in his presence, had performed [amazing] signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were hurled alive into the lake of fire which blazes with brimstone.
• Revelation 20:10And the devil who had deceived them was hurled into the lake of fire and burning brimstone (sulfur), where the beast (Antichrist) and false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.

Commentaries on Isaiah 1:31

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31And the strong - Those who have been thought to be strong, on whom the people relied for protection and defense - their rulers, princes, and the commanders of their armies. As tow - The coarse or broken part of flax, or hemp. It means here that which shall be easily and quickly kindled and rapidly consumed. As tow burns and is destroyed at the touch of fire, so shall the rulers of the people be consumed by the approaching calamities. And the maker of it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-31Verses 21-31 Neither holy cities nor royal ones are faithful to their trust, if religion does not dwell in them. Dross may shine like silver, and the wine that is mixed with water may still have the colour of wine. Those have a great deal to answer for, who do not help the oppressed, but oppress them. Men may do much by outward restraints; but only God works effectually by the influences of his Spirit, as a Spirit of Judgment. Sin is the worst captivity…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. strong--powerful rulers (Am 2:9). maker of it--rather, his work. He shall be at once the fuel, "tow," and the cause of the fire, by kindling the first "spark." both--the wicked ruler, and "his work," which "is as a spark."Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 1:31

• Idolatry
• Tow

In the dictionaries

• Maker
• Convert
• Crib
• Eat
• Fade
• Harlot
• Isaiah, The Book of
• Judgment
• Oblation
• Owner

Commentaries on Isaiah 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings