# tongue of fire

"flame of fire" or "flame"

# as the tongue of fire devours stubble, and as the dry grass goes down in flame

These phrases mean basically the same thing. God will punish the people described in [Isaiah 5:18-23](./18.md). AT: "as a fire burns up stubble and grass" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# stubble

"dry grain stalks." This refers to the part of the plant that is left in the field to die after the farmer collects the food.

# their root will rot, and their blossom will blow away like dust

Isaiah speaks of these people as if they were a dying plant. AT: "they will die like a plant whose roots have rotted and whose blossom has dried up and blown away in the wind" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])