The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
- BSB At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.
- NKJV And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
- NASB And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
- NLT Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
At the seraphim's voice the temple thresholds shake and the house fills with smoke. It conveys the awesome, fearful power of God's holy presence.
Overview
The trembling foundations and billowing smoke recall Sinai, where God's presence shook the mountain (Exodus 19:18). These signs emphasize that encountering the holy God is overwhelming, not comfortable. The scene prepares for Isaiah's stricken response in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Rev 15:8The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished.
- 2 Chr 5:13when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying, “For he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever!” then the house was filled with a cloud, even Yahweh’s house,
- Exod 40:34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and Yahweh’s glory filled the tabernacle.
- 1 Kgs 8:10–12It came to pass, when the priests had come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled Yahweh’s house,
- Rev 11:19God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
- Ezek 10:5The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
- Amos 9:1I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, “Strike the tops of the pillars, that the thresholds may shake; and break them in pieces on the head of all of them; and I will kill the last of them with the sword: there shall not one of them flee away, and there shall not one of them escape.
- Ps 18:8Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
- Ezek 1:24When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 6:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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