New Living Translation
Isaiah 1:31
31The strongest among you will disappear like straw; their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire. They and their evil works will burn up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire.
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
29You will be ashamed of your idol worship in groves of sacred oaks. You will blush because you worshiped in gardens dedicated to idols. 30You will be like a great tree with withered leaves, like a garden without water. The strongest among you will disappear like straw; their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire. They and their evil works will burn up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 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 32:21Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ‘They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.’
- Isaiah 27:4My anger will be gone. If I find briers and thorns growing, I will attack them; I will burn them up—
- Isaiah 43:17I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.
- Isaiah 50:11But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.
- Judges 15:14As Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting in triumph. But the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson, and he snapped the ropes on his arms as if they were burnt strands of flax, and they fell from his wrists.
- Revelation 6:14The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.
- Isaiah 34:9The streams of Edom will be filled with burning pitch, and the ground will be covered with fire.
- Isaiah 66:24And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by will view them with utter horror.”
- Ezekiel 20:47Tell the southern wilderness, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Hear the word of the Lord! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north.
- Malachi 4:1The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.
- Matthew 3:10Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
- Mark 9:43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands.
- Revelation 14:10must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.
- Revelation 19:20And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
- Revelation 20:10Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There 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
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries