Isaiah 33:12

Isa 33:12 And the people shall be [as] the burnings of lime: [as] thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.

Ver. 12. And the people shall be as the burning of lime.] As hard chalk stones, which, when burnt to make lime crumble to crattle.

As thorns cut up.] Sear thorns, that crackle under a pot, and are soon extinct. The Hebrews tell us that the Assyrian soldiers were burned by the angel with a secret fire - that is, with the pestilence, as Berosus, cited by Josephus, {a} witnesseth; and our prophet hinteth as much in many passages.

{a} Lib. x. cap. 2.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(Isa 9:19; Amo 2:1). Perhaps alluding to their being about to be burnt on the funeral pyre (Isa 30:33).

thorns--the wicked (Sa2 23:6-7).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(12) And the people shall be . . .—The two images of destruction are singularly vivid. The limekiln and the oven which was fed with thorns were alike in this. The outcome of their work was seen in a residuum of ashes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. as the burnings of lime] i.e. “as if burned to lime.” An image probably suggested by Amo_2:1. The word rendered cut up (R.V. cut down) only occurs again in Psa_80:16.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the people shall be as the burnings of lime,.... Like chalk stones that are burnt to make lime of; which may denote not only their hardness and impenitency, which brought upon them and issued in the wrath of God; but the miserable condition into which they are brought, and the torture they should be put to: perhaps this may refer to the casting of the beast and false prophet alive into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, Rev 19:20,

as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire; "thorns" are a fit simile to express the unfruitfulness, uselessness, and harmfulness of wicked men, particularly the sons of Belial, the followers of antichrist; and these "cut up", and so not green and moist, but dry, and fit fuel for the fire, which burn the more easily and quickly, makes the metaphor more agreeable. The burning of Rome seems here to be pointed at, Rev 17:16.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the people - In the army of Sennacherib.

As the burnings of lime - As if placed in a burning lime-kiln, where they must certainly be destroyed (see Isa 30:33; compare Amo 2:1).

As thorns cut up - As thorns, or small brushwood, that has been long cut up and perfectly dried are speedily consumed, so shall it be with the Assyrian army. This is an image like many that are employed, denoting that the destruction of the army of the Assyrians would be sudden and entire.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Shall be as the burnings of lime; shall be burnt as easily and effectually as chalk is burned to make lime.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The people; rather, the peoples, as in ver. 3; i.e. the nations composing the Assyrian army. As the burnings of lime; as thorns. Things that fire consumes utterly and quickly.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The people - Shall be burnt as easily and effectually as chalk is burned to lime.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The prophet announces this to them, and now tells openly what has been exhibited to him in his mental mirror as the purpose of God. "And nations become as lime burnings, thorns cut off, which are kindled with fire." The first simile sets forth the totality of the destruction: they will be so completely burned up, that nothing but ashes will be left, like the lump of lime left at the burning of lime. The second contains a figurative description of its suddenness: they have vanished suddenly, like dead brushwood, which is cut down in consequence, and quickly crackles up and is consumed (Isa 5:24, cf., Isa 9:17): kâsach is the Targum word for zâmar, amputare, whereas in Arabic it has the same meaning as sâchâh, verrere.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

“And nations shall be lime-kilns (or burnings of lime); thorns cut up, in the fire they shall burn.” By nations we are to understand all nations that incur the wrath of God. The same word burnings is applied to the aromatic fumigations used at ancient burials (Jer 34:5) to which there may be some allusion here. The ideas expressed are those of quickness and intensity. The thorns are perhaps described as cut up, to suggest that they are dry and therefore more combustible.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

severed (כְּסוּחִים) Comp. (Lev. 25:4) “You shall not prune.” Onkelos renders: לָא תִכְסָח.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

As the burnings of lime. As if they were burnt by lime.—This refers to the sudden destruction of the Assyrian army through the angel, as is the case with the next simile as thorns cut off, which are burnt in the fire.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.