The Hebrew word tsûwth, represented by H6702, is a primitive root used to mean blaze or burn. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, making its specific context highly significant.
The sole appearance of H6702 is in Isaiah 27:4, where God describes a hypothetical response to opposition. After stating, "Fury is not in me," He asks who would dare to set briers and thorns against Him in battle. God declares, "I would go through them, I would burn them together" Isaiah 27:4. This usage connects the act of burning directly to a swift, decisive, and complete destruction of adversaries in a context of battle H4421.
Several related words from its only context in Isaiah 27:4 illuminate its meaning:
- H2534 chêmâh (heat; figuratively, anger, poison): This word for fury or wrath is used in contrast to the action of H6702. In Isaiah 27:4, God states, "Fury is not in me," which sets the stage for the potential to burn His opposition. God's fury is elsewhere described as coming forth like fire Jeremiah 4:4.
- H4421 milchâmâh (a battle; generally, war): The context for the burning is explicitly a battle. The Lord declares what He would do if briers and thorns were set against him "in battle" Isaiah 27:4. Scripture often affirms that the battle is the Lord's 2 Chronicles 20:15.
- H8068 shâmîyr (a thorn; also a gem, probably the diamond): This word represents the opposition to be burned. In Isaiah 27:4, God speaks of destroying briers and thorns. Other passages use this word to describe things that are hard, like an adamant stone Ezekiel 3:9, highlighting the immense power required to consume them.
- H3162 yachad (properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly): This term emphasizes the totality of the destruction. God does not just burn the briers and thorns, but He burns them together, leaving nothing behind Isaiah 27:4.
The theological weight of H6702 is concentrated in its single, powerful image.
- The Power of Divine Judgment: The use of H6702 illustrates God's capacity to utterly consume His opposition. The imagery of burning briers H8068 and thorns H7898 demonstrates a swift and total judgment against anything set against Him in battle Isaiah 27:4.
- A Conditional Action: The action of burning is presented as a hypothetical response. It is framed by the declaration, "Fury H2534 is not in me" Isaiah 27:4, suggesting that this overwhelming destruction is not God's default state but a reaction provoked by hostile forces.
- Purging Worthless Opposition: In Isaiah, briers and thorns often symbolize the results of wickedness or desolation (Isaiah 5:6, Isaiah 9:18). Therefore, the act to burn them signifies a divine purging of that which is unproductive and antagonistic to God's purpose.
In summary, while tsûwth H6702 is an extremely rare term, its single instance provides a potent theological image. It functions as a powerful descriptor of God's capacity for judgment—a fire that can consume even the most defiant opposition, represented as briers and thorns. Found in Isaiah 27:4, its meaning is amplified by the surrounding context of battle and fury, illustrating that while God's nature is not one of anger, His power to cleanse and destroy what stands against Him is absolute.
TRV