King James Version

What Does Isaiah 7:4 Mean?

Isaiah 7:4 in the King James Version says “And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebran...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. neither: Heb. let not thy heart be tender”

Isaiah 7:4 · KJV

Fear & Courage

Context

2

And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. is confederate: Heb. resteth on

3

Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; Shearjashub: that is, The remnant shall return highway: or, causeway

4

And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. neither: Heb. let not thy heart be tender

5

Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

6

Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: vex: or, waken

Read Isaiah 7 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
God's command 'Take heed, and be quiet; fear not' addresses anxiety with faith. The dismissive description of enemies as 'two tails of smoking firebrands' reduces seemingly powerful threats to spent embers—fierce appearance but no lasting heat. This perspective transformation reflects faith seeing reality from God's viewpoint rather than circumstances. The command for quietness (Hebrew 'shaqat'—be calm, rest) anticipates Psalm 46:10 ('Be still and know that I am God').

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Despite Syria and Israel's current aggression, both would soon fall to Assyria (Damascus in 732 BC, Samaria in 722 BC). God's perspective saw their imminent demise.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's view of our threatening 'firebrands' differ from our fearful perspective?
  2. What does the command for quietness teach about faith's posture amid crisis?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣1 of 20

“And say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֵ֠לָיו2 of 20
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הִשָּׁמֵ֨ר3 of 20

“unto him Take heed”

H8104

properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e., guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc

וְהַשְׁקֵ֜ט4 of 20

“and be quiet”

H8252

to repose (usually figurative)

אַל5 of 20
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תִּירָ֗א6 of 20

“fear”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

וּלְבָבְךָ֙7 of 20
H3824

the heart (as the most interior organ)

אַל8 of 20
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

יֵרַ֔ךְ9 of 20

“not neither be fainthearted”

H7401

to soften (intransitively or transitively), used figuratively

מִשְּׁנֵ֨י10 of 20

“for the two”

H8147

two; also (as ordinal) twofold

זַנְב֧וֹת11 of 20

“tails”

H2180

the tail (literally or figuratively)

הָאוּדִ֛ים12 of 20

“firebrands”

H181

a poker (for turning or gathering embers)

הָעֲשֵׁנִ֖ים13 of 20

“of these smoking”

H6226

smoky

הָאֵ֑לֶּה14 of 20
H428

these or those

בָּחֳרִי15 of 20

“for the fierce”

H2750

a burning (i.e., intense) anger

אַ֛ף16 of 20

“anger”

H639

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

רְצִ֥ין17 of 20

“of Rezin”

H7526

retsin, the name of a syrian and of an israelite

וַאֲרָ֖ם18 of 20

“with Syria”

H758

aram or syria, and its inhabitants; also the name of the son of shem, a grandson of nahor, and of an israelite

וּבֶן19 of 20

“and of the son”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

רְמַלְיָֽהוּ׃20 of 20

“of Remaliah”

H7425

remaljah, an israelite

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 7:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 7:4 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 35:4Lamentations 3:26Isaiah 30:15Deuteronomy 20:3Matthew 24:6Exodus 14:13-14

Places in This Verse

Syria 1Region · Modern: Damascus · 33.51°N, 36.31°E89 verses across 10 books
View all places in Isaiah 7 →

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