What is the meaning of Isaiah 6:13?

And though a tenth remains in the land

• Isaiah pictures a nation so thoroughly judged that only a tithe-sized remnant survives.

• God’s faithfulness preserves this fraction, mirroring earlier promises of a “remnant” (Isaiah 1:9; 10:20-22; Romans 9:27).

• Even in punishment, the Lord keeps covenant mercy alive, assuring that His purposes for Israel cannot be extinguished (2 Kings 19:30-31).

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it will be burned again

• The surviving tenth is not exempt from further refining; another wave of fire is coming.

• Fire in Scripture often speaks of purging and purification (Malachi 3:2-3; Zechariah 13:9; 1 Peter 4:17).

• This second burning signals that outward survival is not enough—God is after a purified, faithful heart among His people.

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As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled

• Isaiah turns to familiar trees—strong, long-lived, deeply rooted—to illustrate hope after devastation.

• When such trees are cut, their stumps appear dead yet hold life potential; sprouts can re-emerge (Job 14:7-9; Daniel 4:15).

• The image reassures that God’s judgment, while severe, is never final for His covenant people.

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so the holy seed will be a stump in the land

• The “holy seed” is the faithful lineage God sets apart for Himself—the remnant through whom His redemptive plan advances (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16).

• From this stump will shoot the Messianic Branch (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1), proving that exile and pruning ultimately prepare the way for restoration.

• What looks like ruin is actually the groundwork for renewal: the land retains a consecrated root that will bear righteous fruit in God’s perfect timing (Isaiah 27:6).

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summary

Isaiah 6:13 reveals a two-fold reality: severe judgment that spares only a remnant, and gracious preservation of a “holy seed” destined to bring forth new life. The burning refines; the stump remains. Out of apparent desolation, God ensures His promises stand, culminating in the Messiah who springs from the preserved root and secures lasting redemption for all who trust Him.