Yesaya 1:31

1:31 The powerful will be like ¹  a thread of yarn,

their deeds like a spark;

both will burn together,

and no one will put out the fire.

Yesaya 9:18

9:18 For ²  evil burned like a fire, ³ 

it consumed thorns and briers;

it burned up the thickets of the forest,

and they went up in smoke. ⁴ 

Yesaya 30:27

30:27 Look, the name ⁵  of the Lord comes from a distant place

in raging anger and awesome splendor. ⁶ 

He speaks angrily

and his word is like destructive fire. ⁷ 

[1:31]  ¹ tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).

[9:18]  ² tn Or “Indeed” (cf. NIV “Surely”). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[9:18]  ³ sn Evil was uncontrollable and destructive, and so can be compared to a forest fire.

[9:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “and they swirled [with] the rising of the smoke” (cf. NRSV).

[30:27]  ⁵ sn The “name” of the Lord sometimes stands by metonymy for the Lord himself, see Exod 23:21; Lev 24:11; Pss 54:1 (54:3 HT); 124:8. In Isa 30:27 the point is that he reveals that aspect of his character which his name suggests – he comes as Yahweh (“he is present”), the ever present helper of his people who annihilates their enemies and delivers them. The name “Yahweh” originated in a context where God assured a fearful Moses that he would be with him as he confronted Pharaoh and delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. See Exod 3.

[30:27]  ⁶ tn Heb “his anger burns, and heaviness of elevation.” The meaning of the phrase “heaviness of elevation” is unclear, for מַשָּׂאָה (masa’ah, “elevation”) occurs only here. Some understand the term as referring to a cloud (elevated above the earth’s surface), in which case one might translate, “and in heavy clouds” (cf. NAB “with lowering clouds”). Others relate the noun to מָשָׂא (masa’, “burden”) and interpret it as a reference to judgment. In this case one might translate, “and with severe judgment.” The present translation assumes that the noun refers to his glory and that “heaviness” emphasizes its degree.

[30:27]  ⁷ tn Heb “his lips are full of anger, and his tongue is like consuming fire.” The Lord’s lips and tongue are used metonymically for his word (or perhaps his battle cry; see v. 31).