Isaiah 5:24

Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet Isaiah addresses Israel concerning the corrupt judicial system that acquits the guilty for bribes. He pronounces impending divine judgment as the direct consequence of their systemic injustice.

The words — לְשׁוֹן אֵשׁ (le.Shon 'Esh) translates literally as a tongue of fire, while קַשׁ (kash) denotes dry stubble. Together they frame the imagery of rapid, inescapable consumption.

The thread — This imagery of roots drying and branches withering appears in Job 18:16. The rejection of the Holy One of Israel's word connects to Isaiah 30:12, and the fire consuming stubble motif echoes Joel 2:5.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that rejecting divine instruction guarantees complete ruin. It requires the reader to accept that moral corruption invites inescapable judgment rather than offering comfort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לָכֵן֩la./Khen<to>/ therefore כֶּאֱכֹ֨לke./'e.Kholas/ consumes קַ֜שׁkashstubble לְשׁ֣וֹןle.Shona tongue of אֵ֗שׁ'Eshfire וַחֲשַׁ֤שׁva./cha.Shashand/ dry grass לֶֽהָבָה֙le.ha.Vaha flame יִרְפֶּ֔הyir.Pehit sinks down שָׁרְשָׁם֙sha.re.Sha/mroot/ their כַּמָּ֣קka./Maklike <the>/ rottenness יִֽהְיֶ֔הyih.Yehit will be וּפִרְחָ֖םu./fir.Cha/mand/ blossom/ their כָּאָבָ֣קka./'a.Vaklike <the>/ dust יַעֲלֶ֑הya.'a.Lehit will go up כִּ֣יkifor מָאֲס֗וּma.'a.Suthey have rejected אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>תּוֹרַת֙to.Rat[the] law of יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hosts וְאֵ֛תve./'Etand/ <obj.>אִמְרַ֥ת'im.Rat[the] word of קְדֽוֹשׁ־ke.do.osh-[the] holy [one] of יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael נִאֵֽצוּ׃ni.'E.tzuthey have spurned

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Job 18:16 The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.
Isaiah 30:12 Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, trusting in oppression and relying on deceit,
Joel 2:5 With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
Luke 3:17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Isaiah 47:14 Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. There will be no coals to warm them or fire to sit beside.
Exodus 15:7 You overthrew Your adversaries by Your great majesty. You unleashed Your burning wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
Isaiah 30:9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.
1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
1 Samuel 15:26 “I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.”
2 Samuel 12:9 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.