Isaiah 5:21-30

21 Woe to those who are 1wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
22 Woe to those who are 2heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
23 who 3acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!
24 Therefore, 4as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so 5their root will be 6as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have 7rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have 8despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore 9the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and 10the mountains quaked; and their corpses were 11as refuse in the midst of the streets. 12For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
26 He will 13raise a signal for nations far away, and 14whistle for them 15from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!
27 16None is weary, none stumbles, none slumbers or sleeps, not a waistband is loose, not a sandal strap broken;
28 17their arrows are sharp, all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs seem like flint, and their wheels 18like the whirlwind.
29 Their roaring is like a lion, like young lions they roar; they growl and 19seize their prey; they carry it off, and none can rescue.
30 They will growl over it on that day, like the growling of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, 20darkness and distress; and the light is darkened by its clouds.

Isaiah 5:21-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 5

In this chapter, under the parable of a vineyard and its ruins, the Jews and their destruction are represented; the reasons of which are given, their manifold sins and transgressions, particularly enumerated, with the punishment threatened to them, and which is delivered in form of a song. The vineyard is described by the owner of it, a well beloved one; by the situation of it, in a fruitful hill; by the fence about it, and care and culture of it; and by its not answering the expectation of the owner, it bringing forth wild grapes instead of good ones, Isa 5:1,2 wherefore the men of Judah and Jerusalem are made judges between the owner and his vineyard, what more could have been done to it, or rather what was now to be done to it, since this was the case; and the result is, that it should be utterly laid waste, and come to ruin; and the whole is applied to the house of Israel, and men of Judah, Isa 5:3-7 whose sins, as the cause of their ruin, are mentioned in the following verses; their covetousness, with the punishment of it, Isa 5:8-10 their intemperance, luxury, and love of pleasure, with the punishment threatened thereunto, Isa 5:11-14 whereby haughty men should be humbled, the Lord be glorified, and at the same time his weak and innocent people would be taken care of, Isa 5:15-17 next, other sins are taken notice of, and woes pronounced on account of them, as, an impudent course of sinning, insolent impiety against God, confusion of good and evil, conceit of their own wisdom, drunkenness, and perversion of justice, Isa 5:18-23 wherefore for these things, and for their contempt and rejection of the law and word of the Lord, utter destruction is threatened them, Isa 5:24 yea, the anger of God had been already kindled against them, and they had felt it in some instances, Isa 5:25 but they are given to expect severer judgments, by means of foreign nations, that should be gathered against them; who are described by their swiftness, strength, and vigilance; by their armour, horses, and carriages; and by their terror and cruelty; the consequence of which would be utter darkness, distress, and calamities, in the land of Judea, Isa 5:26-30.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Proverbs 3:7; Romans 12:16
  • 2. ver. 11
  • 3. Exodus 23:8; Proverbs 17:15
  • 4. Isaiah 47:14; Joel 2:5; [Exodus 15:7]
  • 5. Job 18:16
  • 6. Hosea 5:12
  • 7. Isaiah 30:9
  • 8. Isaiah 1:4
  • 9. 2 Kings 22:13, 17
  • 10. Jeremiah 4:24; [Psalms 97:5; Habakkuk 3:6]
  • 11. [2 Kings 9:37; Jeremiah 36:30]
  • 12. Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21; Isaiah 10:4
  • 13. Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 13:2; Isaiah 18:3
  • 14. Isaiah 7:18; Zechariah 10:8
  • 15. Isaiah 10:3; Deuteronomy 28:49
  • 16. See Isaiah 10:28-31
  • 17. Psalms 7:12, 13
  • 18. Isaiah 21:1
  • 19. See 2 Kings 18:13-16
  • 20. Isaiah 8:22
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.