New English Translation
Isaiah 5:24
24Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw, and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 5:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Context of Isaiah 5:24
22Those who are champions at drinking wine are as good as dead, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks. 23They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff, they ignore the just cause of the innocent. Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw, and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel. 25So the Lord is furious with his people; he lifts his hand and strikes them. The mountains shake, and corpses lie like manure in the middle of the streets. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. 26He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.
Read all of Isaiah 5Isaiah 5:24 word by word
לָכֵן֩ כֶּאֱכֹ֨ל קַ֜שׁ לְשׁ֣וֹן אֵ֗שׁ וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁ לֶֽהָבָה֙ יִרְפֶּ֔ה שָׁרְשָׁם֙ כַּמָּ֣ק יִֽהְיֶ֔ה וּפִרְחָ֖ם כָּאָבָ֣ק יַעֲלֶ֑ה כִּ֣י מָאֲס֗וּ אֵ֚ת תּוֹרַת֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְאֵ֛ת אִמְרַ֥ת קְדֽוֹשׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִאֵֽצוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore as the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- devourethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the stubbleקַשׁqash · stubbleH7179
- and the flameלֶהָבָהlehâbâh lahebeth · flameH3852
- and the flameלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- consumethרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
- the chaffחֲשַׁשׁchâshash · chaffH2842
- their rootשֹׁ֫רֶשׁsheresh · rootH8328
- shall be as rottennessמַקmaq · decayH4716
- and their blossomפֶּ֫רַחperach · flowerH6525
- shall go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- as dustאָבָק'âbâq · dustH80
- because they have cast awayמָאַסmâ'as · to rejectH3988
- the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- and despisedנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
- the wordאִמְרָה'imrâh 'emrâh · wordH565
- of the Holy Oneקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Isaiah 5:24
- Isaiah 47:14Look, they are like straw, which the fire burns up; they cannot rescue themselves from the heat of the flames. There are no coals to warm them, no firelight to enjoy.
- Exodus 15:7In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
- Joel 2:5They sound like chariots rumbling over mountain tops, like the crackling of blazing fire consuming stubble, like the noise of a mighty army being drawn up for battle.
- Nahum 1:10Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thorn bushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble.
- Malachi 4:1(3:19) “For indeed the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up,” says the Lord who rules over all. “It will not leave even a root or branch.
- 1 Corinthians 3:12If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,
- Matthew 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.”
- Luke 3:17His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.”
- Isaiah 9:14So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day.
- Job 18:16Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above.
- Hosea 9:16Ephraim will be struck down – their root will be dried up; they will not yield any fruit. Even if they do bear children, I will kill their precious offspring.
- Amos 2:9For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites. They were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks, but I destroyed the fruit on their branches and their roots in the ground.
- 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
- 2 Kings 17:14But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the Lord their God.
- Nehemiah 9:26“Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies.
- Psalms 50:17For you hate instruction and reject my words.
Commentaries on Isaiah 5:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24The flame "The tongue of fire" - "The flame, because it is in the shape of a tongue; and so it is called metaphorically." Sal. ben Melec. The metaphor is so exceedingly obvious, as well as beautiful, that one may wonder that it has not been more frequently used. Virgil very elegantly intimates, rather than expresses, the image; - Ecce levis summo de vertice visus Iuli Fundere lumen apex; tactuque innoxia molli Lambere flamma comas, et circum tempora…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Therefore as the fire - The remainder of this chapter is occupied with predicting “judgments,” or punishments, upon the people for their sins which had been specified. The Hebrew here is, The tongue of fire.‘ The figure is beautiful and obvious. It is derived from the pyramidal, or tongue-like appearance of “flame.” The concinnity of the metaphor in the Hebrew is kept up. The word “devoureth” is in the Hebrew “eateth:” As the tongue of fire eats up,‘…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-30Verses 24-30 Let not any expect to live easily who live wickedly. Sin weakens the strength, the root of a people; it defaces the beauty, the blossoms of a people. When God's word is despised, and his law cast away, what can men expect but that God should utterly abandon them? When God comes forth in wrath, the hills tremble, fear seizes even great men. When God designs the ruin of a provoking people, he can find instruments to be employed in it, as he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24The image of rotting roots reflects human transience (the short and fragile nature of human life; see Isaiah 11:1; 27:6; 37:31). To despise the Lord’s word means to reject or ignore it. It means living without concern for obeying what God has said. This attitude leads to folly (foolish living) and ruin (Proverbs 1:30; 5:12; 15:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Literally, "tongue of fire eateth" (Ac 2:3). flame consumeth the chaff--rather, withered grass falleth before the flame (Mt 3:12). root ... blossom--entire decay, both the hidden source and outward manifestations of prosperity, perishing (Job 18:16; Mal 4:1). cast away ... law--in its spirit, while retaining the letter.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 5:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 5
- 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
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