Isaiah 33:11

Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, [as] fire, shall devour you.

Ye shall conceive {H2029} chaff {H2842}, ye shall bring forth {H3205} stubble {H7179}: your breath {H7307}, as fire {H784}, shall devour {H398} you.

You conceive chaff and give birth to stubble, your breath is a fire devouring you.

You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you.

Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath is a fire that shall devour you.

Isaiah 33:11 (KJV) delivers a powerful prophetic warning, highlighting the futility and self-destructive nature of those who oppose God and His people. It is a vivid metaphor for the worthless outcomes of wicked schemes and the inevitable judgment that follows.

Context

Isaiah chapter 33 is a prophetic oracle primarily concerning God's judgment against the Assyrian empire, which had severely oppressed Judah. The chapter begins with a lament and a cry for God's intervention against the "plunderer" (Assyria), then transitions into a declaration of the Lord's rising up to act. Verses 10-12 specifically describe the Lord's decisive action against the oppressor. Isaiah 33:11 is part of this divine proclamation, revealing the ultimate downfall and worthlessness of the enemy's efforts, contrasting sharply with the security and peace promised to the righteous in the latter part of the chapter.

Meaning of the Verse

  • "Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble": This striking agricultural imagery speaks to utter futility. Chaff is the light, worthless husk separated from grain during winnowing, easily blown away by the wind. Stubble is the short stalks left in the field after harvest, also of little value and often burned. The metaphor indicates that the wicked's plans, efforts, and intentions—what they "conceive" and "bring forth"—will be utterly without substance, unproductive, and ultimately worthless. Their grand designs will yield nothing but waste. This echoes the concept found in Psalm 7:14, where the wicked conceive mischief and bring forth falsehood.
  • "your breath, [as] fire, shall devour you": This phrase intensifies the judgment, pointing to self-destruction. "Breath" (Hebrew: ruach, often meaning spirit, wind, or breath) here likely refers to their own plotting, their arrogant words, their destructive intentions, or even their very essence. The "fire" symbolizes divine judgment and consuming destruction. The idea is that the very means by which they sought to harm others or achieve their wicked ends will turn back upon them, becoming the instrument of their own undoing. Their own destructive nature and actions will consume them, a principle found in Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goeth before destruction."

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse is a clear declaration of God's righteous judgment against the proud and wicked.
  • Futility of Wickedness: It emphasizes that efforts built on injustice and arrogance are inherently worthless and will yield no lasting benefit.
  • Self-Inflicted Consequences: A core message is that the wicked's own actions and intentions ultimately lead to their downfall and destruction.
  • God's Sovereignty: Despite the apparent power of oppressors, God remains sovereign, and He will ensure justice prevails.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms for "chaff" (qash) and "stubble" (teben) are commonly used in the Old Testament to denote worthlessness, fleeting existence, and judgment. The imagery draws from common agricultural practices, making the message easily understandable to the original audience. The "breath" (ruach) turning into "fire" vividly portrays the internal combustion of their own destructive nature, a powerful symbol of self-inflicted ruin.

Practical Application

Isaiah 33:11 serves as a timeless warning and a source of encouragement. For those who might be tempted to engage in deceitful or harmful practices, it underscores the spiritual law that such efforts are ultimately futile and self-destructive. It reminds us that building on unrighteousness leads to a harvest of nothing but waste. Conversely, for those who suffer under oppression or injustice, this verse offers hope: God sees, and He will ensure that the schemes of the wicked are brought to naught, often by their own hand. It encourages trust in God's perfect justice and the enduring truth that what a person sows, they will also reap.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 7:14

    Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

  • Isaiah 59:4

    None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

  • James 1:15

    Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

  • Isaiah 5:24

    Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

  • Psalms 2:1

    ¶ Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

  • Psalms 83:5

    For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

  • Psalms 83:18

    That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone [is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth.
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