Isaiah 47:14
New International Version
Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by.

New Living Translation
But they are like straw burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from the flame. You will get no help from them at all; their hearth is no place to sit for warmth.

English Standard Version
Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

New King James Version
Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before!

New American Standard Bible
“Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by Nor a fire to sit before!

NASB 1995
“Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by Nor a fire to sit before!

NASB 1977
“Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by, Nor a fire to sit before!

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by Nor a fire to sit before!

Amplified Bible
“In fact, they are like stubble; Fire burns them. They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame [much less save the nation], There is no blazing coal for warming Nor fire before which to sit!

Christian Standard Bible
Look, they are like stubble; fire burns them. They cannot rescue themselves from the power of the flame. This is not a coal for warming themselves, or a fire to sit beside!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, they are like stubble; fire burns them up. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. This is not a coal for warming themselves, or a fire to sit beside!

American Standard Version
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.

Contemporary English Version
People who trust the stars are as helpless as straw in a flaming fire. No one can even keep warm, sitting by a fire that feeds only on straw.

English Revised Version
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They are like straw. Fire burns them. They can't rescue themselves from the flames. There are no glowing coals to keep them warm and no fire for them to sit by.

Good News Translation
"They will be like bits of straw, and a fire will burn them up! They will not even be able to save themselves--the flames will be too hot for them, not a cozy fire to warm themselves by.

International Standard Version
"See, they are just like stubble; fire burns them up. They could not even save themselves from the power of the flame. There will be no coals for warming oneself, no fire to sit by.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
Look, 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.

New Heart English Bible
Look, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

World English Bible
Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It won’t be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit by.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, they have been as stubble! Fire has burned them, "" They do not deliver themselves from the power of the flame, "" There is not a coal to warm them, a light to sit before it.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, they have been as stubble! Fire hath burned them, They deliver not themselves from the power of the flame, There is not a coal to warm them, a light to sit before it.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, they were as straw; the fire burnt them; they shall not deliver their soul from the hand of the flame: not a coal for warming, light to sit before it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold they are as stubble, fire hath burnt them, they shall not deliver them- selves from the power of the dames: there are no coals wherewith they may be warmed, nor fire, that they may sit thereat.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, they have become like stubble. Fire has consumed them. They will not free themselves from the power of the flames. These are not coals by which they may be warmed, nor is this a fire which they may sit beside.

New American Bible
See, they are like stubble, fire consumes them; They cannot deliver themselves from the spreading flames. This is no warming ember, no fire to sit before!

New Revised Standard Version
See, they are like stubble, the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, they have become as stubble which is consumed by the fire; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; there are no coals to warm them, nor fire to sit before.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, they have been as chips which the fire has burned, and they shall not save their soul from the hand of the flame. There are no coals for their fire, neither brightness sitting next to it
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, they shall be as stubble; The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to warm at, Nor a fire to sit before.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, they all shall be burnt up as sticks in the fire; neither shall they at all deliver their life from the flame. Because thou hast coals of fire, sit thou upon them;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Babylon Predicted
13You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you—your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate. 14Surely 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. 15This is what they are to you—those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—each one strays in his own direction; not one of them can save you.…

Cross References
Revelation 18:8
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Malachi 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”

Jeremiah 51:58
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

Nahum 1:10
For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard—like stubble that is fully dry.

Ezekiel 22:20-21
Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to melt with a fiery blast, so I will gather you in My anger and wrath, leave you there, and melt you. / Yes, I will gather you together and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted within the city.

2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

Jeremiah 50:32
The arrogant one will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities to consume all those around him.”

Obadiah 1:18
Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire, and the house of Joseph a burning flame; but the house of Esau will be stubble—Jacob will set it ablaze and consume it. Therefore no survivor will remain from the house of Esau.” For the LORD has spoken.

Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Psalm 21:9
You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.

Isaiah 1:31
The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.

Isaiah 10:17
And the Light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame. In a single day it will burn and devour Assyria’s thorns and thistles.

Jeremiah 51:25-26
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain. / No one shall retrieve from you a cornerstone or a foundation stone, because you will become desolate forever,” declares the LORD.

Joel 2:3
Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

they shall

Isaiah 40:24
Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

Isaiah 41:2
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

Ezekiel 15:7
And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

themselves Heb.

Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

there shall

Isaiah 30:14
And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

Jeremiah 51:25,26
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain…

Revelation 18:21
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

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Isaiah 47
1. God's judgment upon Babylon and Chaldea
6. For their unmercifulness
7. Pride
10. And over-boldness
11. Shall be irresistible














Surely they will be like stubble
The word "stubble" in Hebrew is "qash," which refers to the dry stalks left after grain is harvested. In ancient agricultural societies, stubble was considered worthless and easily consumed by fire. This imagery is used to depict the utter vulnerability and insignificance of those who oppose God. Historically, stubble was often burned to clear fields, symbolizing complete destruction. In a spiritual sense, this phrase warns of the inevitable judgment awaiting those who rely on their own strength rather than God.

the fire will burn them up
The "fire" here symbolizes divine judgment and purification. Fire in biblical terms often represents God's holiness and His consuming power against sin (Hebrews 12:29). The phrase "burn them up" indicates total consumption, leaving nothing behind. This reflects the fate of Babylon, which Isaiah prophesies will be utterly destroyed due to its pride and idolatry. The historical fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians in 539 BC serves as a fulfillment of this prophecy, demonstrating God's sovereignty over nations.

They cannot even save themselves
This phrase underscores the futility of human efforts apart from God. The Hebrew root "natsal" means to deliver or rescue, highlighting the inability of Babylon's wise men and sorcerers to avert their impending doom. This serves as a reminder of the limitations of human wisdom and power when confronted with divine judgment. It calls believers to place their trust in God alone, who is the true source of salvation.

from the power of the flame
The "power of the flame" signifies the irresistible and overwhelming nature of God's judgment. The Hebrew word "koach" for "power" implies strength and force. This imagery conveys that no human or spiritual force can withstand God's decrees. Historically, Babylon's reliance on its fortifications and deities proved futile against the divine will. For believers, this serves as a call to recognize God's ultimate authority and to live in reverence and obedience to Him.

There will be no coals to warm them
The absence of "coals" symbolizes the complete lack of comfort or refuge for those under judgment. In ancient times, coals were essential for warmth and cooking, representing basic sustenance and security. The imagery here suggests that those who defy God will find no solace or protection. Spiritually, it warns of the desolation that comes from rejecting God's provision and grace.

or fire to sit beside
This phrase further emphasizes the absence of comfort and security. In biblical times, sitting by a fire was a communal activity, providing warmth and fellowship. The lack of a "fire to sit beside" indicates isolation and abandonment. For the original audience, this would have been a stark warning of the consequences of turning away from God. For contemporary believers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of remaining in God's presence, where true warmth and fellowship are found.

(14) There shall not be a coal to warm at.--Better, it shall not be . . . The destroying flame shall be altogether other than the fire on the hearth, at which a man can sit and warm himself.

Verse 14. - Behold, they shall be as stubble (comp. Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 40:24; Isaiah 41:2). A favourite metaphor with Isaiah for extreme weakness and incapacity of resistance. In Isaiah 5:24 it is connected, as here, with fire. No doubt in Palestine, as elsewhere, an accidental fire from time to time caught hold of a stubble-field, and speedily reduced it to a mass of blackened ashes. The threat here is that God's wrath shall similarly sweep over Babylon. They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. Mr. Cheyne translates, with much spirit, "They cannot rescue their soul from the clutch of the flame." Like those who are caught in the midst of a fire in a prairie or jungle, they have no escape - the flame is on all sides - and they cannot but perish. There shall not be a coal to warm at; rather, it is not a charcoal-fire to warm one's self at. A return to the sarcastic tone of vers. 12, 13. The conflagration which spreads around is something more than a fire to warm one's self at - it is an awful widespread devastation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Surely
הִנֵּ֨ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

they are
הָי֤וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like stubble;
כְקַשׁ֙ (ḵə·qaš)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7179: Stubble, chaff

the fire
אֵ֣שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

will burn them up.
שְׂרָפָ֔תַם (śə·rā·p̄ā·ṯam)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

They cannot
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

deliver
יַצִּ֥ילוּ (yaṣ·ṣî·lū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5337: To strip, plunder, deliver oneself, be delivered, snatch away, deliver

themselves
נַפְשָׁ֖ם (nap̄·šām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

from the power
מִיַּ֣ד (mî·yaḏ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the flame.
לֶֽהָבָ֑ה (le·hā·ḇāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3852: A flash, a sharply polished blade, point of a, weapon

There will be no
אֵין־ (’ên-)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

coals
גַּחֶ֣לֶת (ga·ḥe·leṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1513: An ember

to warm them
לַחְמָ֔ם (laḥ·mām)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2552: To be or become warm

or fire
א֖וּר (’ūr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 217: Flame, the East

to sit
לָשֶׁ֥בֶת (lā·še·ḇeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

beside.
נֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ (neḡ·dōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 47:14 Behold they shall be as stubble (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 47:13
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