Isaiah 64:2

Verse

as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

American Standard Version (1901)

as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Bible in Basic English

As when fire puts the brushwood in flames, or as when water is boiling from the heat of the fire: to make your name feared by your haters, so that the nations may be shaking before you;

Free Bible Version

In the same way that fire burns wood and makes the water boil, make your reputation known to your enemies, so that nations will tremble in your presence!

Geneva Bible 1599

As the melting fire burned, as the fire caused the waters to boyle, (that thou mightest declare thy Name to thy aduersaries) the people did tremble at thy presence.

King James (Authorized) Version

As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

One Unity Resource Bible

As when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil; Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

Translation for Translators

Be like a fire that burns twigs and causes water to boil! Come down in order that your enemies will know who you are, and the people of other nations will tremble in your presence.

Unlocked Literal Bible

as when fire kindles the brushwood, or the fire makes water boil. Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries, that the nations would tremble at your presence!

Noah Webster Bible

As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thy adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

World English Bible

as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

Young's Literal Translation

(As fire kindleth stubble — Fire causeth water to boil,) To make known Thy name to Thine adversaries, From Thy presence do nations tremble.

Context

A Prayer for God’s Power

¹If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence, ²as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

Summary

Isaiah 64:2 expresses a heartfelt cry for God to manifest His presence and power among His people. The imagery of fire symbolizes God's divine presence and the potential for His intervention in response to the prayers of the faithful. The prophet longs for God to come down and make His name known, acknowledging that only through His divine intervention can true transformation and restoration occur. This verse reflects the desire for a tangible encounter with God and a recognition of His sovereignty and ability to bring about miraculous change in the lives of His people. It serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God's presence and power in times of need and desperation.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

As when the melting fire burneth "As the fire kindleth the dry fuel" - המסים hamasim. "It means dry stubble, and the root is המס hamas, "says Rabbi Jonah, apud Sal ben Belec in loc. Which is approved by Schultens, Orig. Hebrews p. 30. "The fire kindling the stubble does not seem like enough to the melting of the mountains to be brought as a simile to it. What if thus? - 'That the mountains might flow down at thy presence! As the fire of things smelted burneth, As the fire causeth the waters to boil - ' There is no doubt of the Hebrew words of the second line bearing that version." - Dr. Jubb. I submit these different interpretations to the reader's judgment. For my own part I am inclined to think that the text is much corrupted in this place. The ancient Versions have not the least traces of either of the above interpretations. The Septuagint and Syriac agree exactly together in rendering this line by, "As the wax melted before the fire," which can by no means be reconciled with the present text. The Vulgate, for המסים hamasim, read ימסו yemasu. That the nations - For גוים goyim, the nations, four MSS. (one of them ancient) have הרים harim, the mountains. - L.

John Gill Bible Commentary

As when the melting fire burneth,.... Or, "the fire of melting" (k); a strong vehement fire, as Kimchi, such as is used under a furnace for melting metals; though De Dieu thinks a slow gentle fire is intended, such as is sufficient to keep the liquor boiling; which he concludes from the use of the word in the Arabic language, which, according to an Arabic lexicographer (l) he quotes, so signifies; and to the same purpose Hottinger (m), by the help of the Arabic language, interprets the word of a small low noise, the hissing of a boiling pot; though, as Vitringa observes, could it be granted, which can not, that a slow fire raises great bubbles in water, such as when it boils; yet the fire, with which God consumes his enemies, in a figurative sense, is represented as most vehement and noisy. It seems much better, with R. Jonah, quoted by Kimchi, to understand it of "dry stubble", which makes a great blaze and noise, and causes water to boil and rise up in bubbles; and with this agree some other versions, which render it by "bavins" (n), dry sticks and branches of trees; which being kindled, the fire causeth the waters to boil; as the fire, under the pot, causes the waters to boil in it; the church here prays that the wrath of God might break forth upon his and her enemies, like fire that melts metals, and boils water. The figures used seem to denote the fierceness and vehemency of it. The Targum is, "as when thou sendedst thine anger as fire in the days of Elijah, the sea was melted, the fire licked up the water;'' as if the allusion was to the affair in Kg1 18:38, but rather the allusion is, as Kimchi and others think, to the fire that burnt on Mount Sinai, when the Lord descended on it, and the cloud which flowed with water, as the above writer supposes, and which both together caused the smoke: to make thy name known to thine adversaries; his terrible name, in the destruction of them; his power and his glory: that the nations may tremble at thy presence; as Sinai trembled when the Lord was on it; and as the antichristian states will when Christ appears, and the vials of his wrath will be poured out; and the Lord's people will be delivered, and the Jews particularly converted. (k) "ignis liquefactionum", Calvin, Vatablus; "igne liquationum", Cocceius. (l) Eliduri in Lexico Arabico tradit "significare quemvis lenem et submissum strepitum", De Dieu. (m) "Quemadmodum accenso igne fit lenis submissusque strepitus, sibilus et stridor ferventis ollae, et ignis excitat bullas", Hottinger. Smegma Orientale, I. 1. c. 7. p. 146. (n) "Quemadmodum conflagrante igne cremia", Junius & Tremellius; "nam quum accendit ignis cremia", Piscator; "sicut ardente igne ex ramalibus", Grotius; "ut ignis cremia consumens strepero motu exsilit", Vitringa.

Isaiah 64:2

A Prayer for God’s Power

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

American Standard Version (1901)

as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Bible in Basic English

As when fire puts the brushwood in flames, or as when water is boiling from the heat of the fire: to make your name feared by your haters, so that the nations may be shaking before you;

Free Bible Version

In the same way that fire burns wood and makes the water boil, make your reputation known to your enemies, so that nations will tremble in your presence!

Geneva Bible 1599

As the melting fire burned, as the fire caused the waters to boyle, (that thou mightest declare thy Name to thy aduersaries) the people did tremble at thy presence.

King James (Authorized) Version

As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

One Unity Resource Bible

As when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil; Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

Translation for Translators

Be like a fire that burns twigs and causes water to boil! Come down in order that your enemies will know who you are, and the people of other nations will tremble in your presence.

Unlocked Literal Bible

as when fire kindles the brushwood, or the fire makes water boil. Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries, that the nations would tremble at your presence!

Noah Webster Bible

As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thy adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

World English Bible

as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

Young's Literal Translation

(As fire kindleth stubble — Fire causeth water to boil,) To make known Thy name to Thine adversaries, From Thy presence do nations tremble.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Isaiah 64:2

Verse

Context

A Prayer for God’s Power

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Isaiah 64:2

A Prayer for God’s Power

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary