Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The "name of the LORD" isn't just a title here; it represents the very visible manifestation of God's power and presence, like a storm cloud gathering on the horizon. This coming is described not with gentle whispers, but with the fierce imagery of burning anger and a devouring fire, emphasizing the unstoppable force of divine judgment against His enemies.
Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes at the end of a chapter where Isaiah has been rebuking Judah for seeking alliances with Egypt instead of trusting in God. The prophet has just outlined the severe consequences of their misplaced trust and promises future restoration and blessing. Now, he vividly describes God's imminent, powerful intervention to destroy the Assyrian army that threatens them, emphasizing that this divine judgment is coming directly from God.
When God's presence is mentioned, especially in judgment, it's more than just a name. It's a powerful, tangible manifestation of His being and His justice.
The phrase "the name of the LORD" is used here to represent the LORD Himself. This isn't just a casual mention; it signifies a powerful, personal intervention.
The imagery of fire is intense and terrifying. What does it reveal about the nature and effect of God's judgment?
The description of God's "tongue as a devouring fire" and "lips full of fury" paints a vivid picture of destructive judgment. This isn't just a warning; it's a depiction of an inevitable, consuming force.
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Understand the original words
shem · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the reality, character, reputation, and authority of God. To call upon or act in His name is to act by His authority and according to His manifest nature.
aph · Hebrew Noun
God’s righteous, settled opposition to sin and rebellion. It is not an uncontrolled outburst, but a holy and just reaction of a perfect God against everything that defiles His creation and dishonors His character.
This vivid imagery describes God's powerful and terrifying intervention against the Assyrian army, emphasizing that Judah's deliverance came not from alliances with Egypt (which Isaiah decries) but from God's direct action.
c. 705 BC
Death of Sargon II
Sennacherib succeeds his father, Sargon II, as king of Assyria. This transition period may have offered a perceived opportunity for rebellion or shifting alliances among Assyria's tributaries.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Campaign in the Levant
Assyrian king Sennacherib launches a major military campaign into the Levant, threatening Judah. This is the most direct historical context for Isaiah's prophecy.
c. 701 BC
Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem, but the city is miraculously spared from destruction by a divine intervention, as described in Isaiah 37 and 2 Kings 19.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Withdrawal
Following the events at Jerusalem and a plague that struck his army, Sennacherib withdraws his forces, ending the immediate threat to Judah.
This passage describes the glory of the Lord appearing like a consuming fire on Mount Sinai, similar to the 'devouring fire' imagery used to depict God's wrath in Isaiah.
Deuteronomy 32:22This verse speaks of God's anger as a fire that burns to the depth of the nether world, echoing the 'devouring fire' and intense fury described in Isaiah.
Psalm 18:8The psalmist describes God's anger and power manifesting as smoke from his nostrils and fire consuming his enemies, mirroring the imagery of smoke, fire, and wrath in Isaiah.
Nahum 1:6Nahum describes God's wrath and fury as a consuming fire and a mighty flood, reinforcing the powerful, destructive imagery of God's anger presented in Isaiah.
bensonIsaiah 30:27: "Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:"
Isaiah 30:27-28 . Behold, &c. — Here begins the last part of the discourse contained in this chapter, in which the prophet gives an earnest of those greater blessings promised, for times to come, by assuring his people of the approaching destruction of the Assyrian forces. “It is an exquisitely fine and subli…
barnesIsaiah 30:27: "Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:"
Behold, the name of the Lord cometh - (compare the notes at Isaiah 19:1 ). The verses following, to the end of the chapter, are designed evidently to describe the destruction of the army of Sennacherib. This is expressly declared in Isaiah 30:31 , and all the circumstances in the prediction accord with that e…
The "name of the LORD" isn't just a title here; it represents the very visible manifestation of God's power and presence, like a storm cloud gathering on the horizon. This coming is described not with gentle whispers, but with the fierce imagery of burning anger and a devouring fire, emphasizing the unstoppable force of divine judgment against His enemies.
This passage comes at the end of a chapter where Isaiah has been rebuking Judah for seeking alliances with Egypt instead of trusting in God. The prophet has just outlined the severe consequences of their misplaced trust and promises future restoration and blessing. Now, he vividly describes God's imminent, powerful intervention to destroy the Assyrian army that threatens them, emphasizing that this divine judgment is coming directly from God.
This passage comes at the end of a chapter where Isaiah has been rebuking Judah for seeking alliances with Egypt instead of trusting in God. The prophet has just outlined the severe consequences of their misplaced trust and promises future restoration and blessing. Now, he vividly describes God's imminent, powerful intervention to destroy the Assyrian army that threatens them, emphasizing that this divine judgment is coming directly from God.
"Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire;" — The "name of the LORD" isn't just a title here; it represents the very visible manifestation of God's power and presence, like a storm cloud gathering on the horizon. This coming is described not wit…
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Last reviewed October 2026