Isaiah 9:18 Meaning and Explanation
“For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Wickedness spreads like wildfire, consuming and destroying everything in its path, rising unchecked.
The Context of Isaiah 9:18
Isaiah uses the image of wildfire to show how wickedness spreads throughout Israel, destroying everything.
What Does Isaiah 9:18 Mean?
The metaphor shifts to a destructive fire: wickedness itself is fuel and flame. It consumes 'briers and thorns'—the worthless, the diseased—and kindles 'in the thickets of the forest'—spreading into the dense strongholds where things seem safe. Fire knows no boundary or respect for status; it burns indiscriminately and spreads relentlessly through dry brush and forest alike.
The destruction 'mounts up like the lifting up of smoke'—it rises higher and spreads wider until it dominates the landscape. This imagery suggests that wickedness, once unleashed, becomes self-perpetuating and consuming. It grows beyond anyone's ability to contain it, destroying the social fabric and leaving nothing but ash. The fire is both the wickedness itself and the consequences of wickedness, consuming from within.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 9:18
What does Isaiah 9:18 mean?
Wickedness spreads like wildfire, consuming and destroying everything in its path, rising unchecked.
What is the context of Isaiah 9:18?
Isaiah uses the image of wildfire to show how wickedness spreads throughout Israel, destroying everything.