One verse. Three ways to understand.
The people will be like limestone burned in a kiln: like cut thorns, they will be burned up in the fire.
This verse is describing how people who oppose God will be completely destroyed, like thorns thrown into a fire or limestone heated until it crumbles.
These are AI-assisted adaptations, not separate Bible editions. Compare them with the KJV source and read our methodology. How these readings are made →
Read the KJV source
King James Version · EnglishAnd the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.Ask the AI Assistant
Ask about this passage. AI can make mistakes; compare the answer with the source.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah prophesied to the people of Judah during the 8th century BC, a time when the Assyrian Empire posed a significant threat of invasion and conquest. This verse uses metaphors of burning lime, a process involving intense heat to break down materials, and thorns being consumed in fire to illustrate God's severe judgment on rebellious nations. In the broader biblical narrative, it is part of a prophetic oracle warning the wicked of inevitable destruction if they continued to defy God.