Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The repeated "scarcely" emphasizes how fleeting and superficial the power of earthly rulers is; their supposed strength is so fragile that they barely begin to establish themselves before God can effortlessly obliterate them. It's not about a slow decay, but an instantaneous annihilation, showing their insignificance against the divine.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Isaiah's grand argument for God's unmatched power, contrasting the Eternal Creator with fragile, man-made idols. Following the pronouncement that all earthly might is fleeting, this verse uses the imagery of plants to illustrate the utter insignificance and swift destruction of earthly rulers and powers that stand against God. The verse emphasizes their ephemeral nature, showing they are so easily eradicated that they barely take root before God's breath or a tempest sweeps them away like worthless stubble.
Have you ever seen something you thought was permanent suddenly vanish? This verse describes earthly powers that seem substantial but are utterly fragile.
The prophet Isaiah uses vivid imagery to contrast the seeming strength of earthly rulers with the absolute power of God. He says they are 'scarcely planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root.' This repetition emphasizes how little substance or lasting foundation these powers truly have.
A Fragile Existence
Instead of flourishing like strong trees or abundant crops, these rulers and their families are depicted as barely existing before they are destroyed. They don't even get the chance to establish themselves.
Divine Breath of Destruction
And then comes the swift end: 'he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.' God's breath, a symbol of His power, is enough to obliterate them. They are not just defeated; they are swept away like worthless chaff.
When God acts, it's not always with thunderous displays. Sometimes, His power is shown in the subtle, yet devastating, force of His 'breath.'
The verse presents two powerful images of God's interaction with these fragile earthly powers: his breath and a whirlwind.
The Power of God's Breath
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'He blows on them, and they wither.' This 'blowing' isn't just a gentle breeze; it's a powerful, life-withering force, much like the hot, dry desert winds (the simoom) that could desiccate plants instantly. It signifies God's effortless ability to bring about decay and ruin.
The Unstoppable Tempest
'And the tempest carries them off like stubble.' This image elevates God's power from a withering breath to an all-consuming whirlwind. Stubble is easily blown away and destroyed. This shows that when God unleashes His judgment, even the most powerful rulers are utterly powerless, swept away without resistance.
Understand the original words
se'arah · Hebrew Noun
A powerful, often violent wind or storm sent by God, symbolizing His judgment or the sudden upheaval of human power.
qash · Hebrew Noun
Dried stalks of grain left after harvest; a biblical metaphor for something brittle, worthless, and easily scattered by God's judgment.
This passage speaks to the utter futility and transience of human powers that oppose God's purposes, contrasting their brief, unstable existence with God's eternal sovereignty. The imagery of withered stubble emphasizes their helplessness against divine judgment, a reality underscored by the historical threats of empires like Assyria and Babylon that loomed over Isaiah's audience.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah's Prophetic Ministry
Isaiah delivers prophecies to the people of Judah during a period of political instability and looming Assyrian threat.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites and serving as a stark warning to Judah.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, capturing many cities and besieging Jerusalem, a pivotal event Isaiah prophesied about.
c. 605-586 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire rises to power, eventually deporting Judeans and destroying Jerusalem, a fulfillment of later prophetic warnings.
This passage echoes Isaiah's imagery of the wicked being cut down like grass, highlighting their transience and eventual destruction compared to the permanence of the righteous.
Nahum 1:14Nahum uses a similar metaphor to Isaiah, stating that the king of Assyria will have no descendants 'sown,' emphasizing the complete annihilation of wicked rulers and their lineage.
Job 14:1-2Job laments the brevity of human life, comparing humanity to a flower that sprouts briefly and then withers, similar to the swift destruction of the wicked described in Isaiah.
Daniel 4:10-17The vision of the great tree cut down in Daniel shows a powerful ruler (Nebuchadnezzar) being humbled and brought low by God's decree, mirroring the image of mighty rulers being easily destroyed.
Matthew 13:20-21Jesus speaks of seed sown on rocky ground that springs up quickly but withers because it has no root, a spiritual parallel to those who receive God's word superficially and fail to endure.
barnesIsaiah 40:24: "Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble."
Yea, they shall not be planted - The kings and rulers - especially they who oppose God in the execution of his purposes. The idea in this verse is, that their name and family should become extinct in the same way as a tree does from which no shoot starts up. Alth…
cambridgeIsaiah 40:24: "Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble."
24 . Yea, they shall not be …] Render: Scarcely have they been planted, scarcely have they been sown, scarcely has their stock struck root in the earth, when he bloweth etc. (see R.V. marg.). their stock ] The same word as “stem” in ch. Isaiah 11:1 , but in a dif…
The repeated "scarcely" emphasizes how fleeting and superficial the power of earthly rulers is; their supposed strength is so fragile that they barely begin to establish themselves before God can effortlessly obliterate them. It's not about a slow decay, but an instantaneous annihilation, showing their insignificance against the divine.
This passage is part of Isaiah's grand argument for God's unmatched power, contrasting the Eternal Creator with fragile, man-made idols. Following the pronouncement that all earthly might is fleeting, this verse uses the imagery of plants to illustrate the utter insignificance and swift destruction of earthly rulers and powers that stand against God. The verse emphasizes their ephemeral nature, showing they are so easily eradicated that they barely take root before God's breath or a tempest sweeps them away like worthless stubble.
This passage is part of Isaiah's grand argument for God's unmatched power, contrasting the Eternal Creator with fragile, man-made idols. Following the pronouncement that all earthly might is fleeting, this verse uses the imagery of plants to illustrate the utter insignificance and swift destruction of earthly rulers and powers that stand against God. The verse emphasizes their ephemeral nature, showing they are so easily eradicated that they barely take root before God's breath or a tempest sweeps them away like worthless stubble.
"Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble." — The repeated "scarcely" emphasizes how fleeting and superficial the power of earthly rulers is; their supposed strength is so fragile that they barely begin to establish themselves before God can eff…
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Last reviewed October 2026