What Does Isaiah 27:4 Mean?

Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. God declares that His former fury (chemah, חֵמָה, burning anger) against the vineyard is gone—a dramatic reversal from chapter 5:25 where His anger burned against His people. The rhetorical question challenges any who would oppose: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? (mi yitteneni shamir shayi bamil chamah, מִי יִתְּנֵנִי שָׁמִיר שַׁיִת בַּמִּלְחָמָה).

Briers and thorns (shamir vashayit, שָׁמִיר וָשַׁיִת) symbolize worthless, destructive elements that choke fruitful plants—used in 5:6 for what would grow in the judged vineyard. Now these enemies of the vineyard face God's wrath instead of the vineyard itself. I would go through them, I would burn them together (ep'se'ah bah atsitenah yachad, אֶפְשְׂעָה בָהּ אֲצִיתֶנָּה יָחַד) uses military language of marching through enemies and burning them completely. The twice-repeated "I would" emphasizes God's readiness to defend His vineyard. His fury has turned from His people to their enemies—a gospel picture of Christ bearing wrath so believers receive protection (Romans 8:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:9).