Isaiah 64 · Verse 2

Isaiah 64:2

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!
Isaiah 64:2, King James Version

Isaiah 64:2 in other translations

BSBas 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!
WEBas 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!
ASVas 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!
YLT(As fire kindleth stubble--Fire causeth water to boil,) To make known Thy name to Thine adversaries, From Thy presence do nations tremble.
DARBY— as fire kindleth brushwood, as the fire causeth water to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations might tremble at thy presence!
BBEAs 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;
WebsterAs 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!

What does Isaiah 64:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Oh, that Thy wrath would consume Thy foes as the fire. Rather, "as the fire burneth the dry brushwood" [Gesenius].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 64:1-5

The church prays that God's power may be manifested. (Is. 64:1-5) A confession of sin, and afflictions bewailed. (Is. 64:6-12) Verses 1-5 They desire that God would manifest himself to them and for them, so that all may see it. This is applicable to the second coming of Christ, when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven. They plead what God had used to do, and had declared his gracious purpose to do, for his…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 64:1-5 →

Isaiah 64:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּקְדֹ֧חַkik.Do.achas kindlesH6919
אֵ֣שׁ'eshfireH784
הֲמָסִ֗יםha.ma.Simbrushwood<s>H2003
מַ֚יִםMa.yimwaterH4325
תִּבְעֶה\־tiv.'eh-it boilsH1158
אֵ֔שׁ'EshfireH784
לְהוֹדִ֥יעַle.ho.Di.a'to make knownH3045
שִׁמְךָ֖shim.Khaname yourH8034
לְצָרֶ֑יךָle.tza.Rei.khato opponents yourH6862
מִפָּנֶ֖יךָmi.pa.Nei.khafrom before youH6440
גּוֹיִ֥םgo.YimnationsH1471
יִרְגָּֽזוּ\׃yir.Ga.zuthey will quakeH7264

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 64:2

  • Psalms 99:1

    The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

  • Jeremiah 33:9

    And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

  • Isaiah 37:20

    Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only.

  • Jeremiah 5:22

    Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

  • Daniel 6:25-27

    Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

  • Ezekiel 38:22-23

    And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

  • Exodus 14:4

    And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.

  • Psalms 102:15-16

    So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

  • Psalms 46:10

    Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

  • Daniel 4:32-37

    And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? …

  • Joel 3:16-17

    The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

  • Psalms 83:13

    O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
melting fire. Heb. fire of meltings. to make.
37:20; 63:12; Ex 14:4; 1Sa 17:46,47; 1Ki 8:41-43; Ps 46:10; 67:1,2
Ps 79:10; 83:13; 98:1,2; 102:15,16; 106:8; Eze 38:22,23; 39:27,28
Da 4:1-3,32-37; 6:25-27; Joe 3:16,17
that the nations.
Ex 15:14-16; De 2:25; Ps 9:20; 48:4-6; 99:1; Jer 5:22; 33:9
Mic 7:15-17; Re 11:11-13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 64:1

    Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

  • Isaiah 64:2

    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!

  • Isaiah 64:3

    When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

Read all of Isaiah 64

Isaiah 64:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como fuego abrasador de fundiciones, fuego que hace hervir las aguas, para que hicieras notorio tu nombre á tus enemigos, y las gentes temblasen á tu presencia!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quand tu fis des choses terribles que nous n’attendions pas, tu descendis: devant toi les montagnes se fondirent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		wie Feuer Reisig entzündet, Feuer die Wasser wallen macht, um deinen Namen kundzutun deinen Widersachern: Damit die Nationen vor deinem Angesicht erzittern,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		sicut exustio ignis tabescerent, aquæ arderent igni: ut notum fieret nomen tuum inimicis tuis; a facie tua gentes turbarentur.