Isaiah 5:4

4 What is it that I ought to do more to my vinery, and I did not to it? whether that I abode, that it should make grapes, and it made wild grapes? (What more could I have done for my vineyard, that I did not do for it? but why, when I waited for it to yield sweet grapes, did it instead bring forth only sour wild grapes?)

Isaiah 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 5:4

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have
not done in it?
&c.] Or "ought", as the Vulgate Latin: this is generally understood of good things done to it in time past; as what better culture could it have had? what greater privileges, blessings, and advantages, natural, civil, and religious, could have been bestowed on this people? what greater favour could have been shown them, or honour done them? or what of this kind remains to be done for them? they have had everything that could be desired, expected, or enjoyed: though it may be rendered, "what is further or hereafter to be done to my vineyard" ^F21, and "I have not done in it?" that is, by way of punishment; I have reproved and chastised them, but all in vain; what remains further for me, and which I will do, because of their ingratitude and unfruitfulness? I will utterly destroy them as a nation and church; I will cause their civil and ecclesiastical state to cease. The sense may be gathered from the answer to the question in the following verse ( Isaiah 5:5 ) , wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought
it forth wild grapes?
that is, why have these people acted so ill a part, when such and so many good things have been bestowed upon them; on account of which it might have been reasonably expected they would have behaved in another manner? or rather the words may be rendered, "why have I looked or expected ^F23 that it should bring forth grapes, seeing it brought forth wild grapes?" why have I been looking for good fruit, when nothing but bad fruit for so long a time has been produced? why have I endured with so much patience and longsuffering? I will bear with them no longer, as follows. The Targum is for the former sense,

``what good have I said to do more to my people, which I have not done to them? and what is this I have said, that they should do good works, and they have done evil works?''

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (ymrkl dwe twvel hm) "quid faciendum amplius fuit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "et quid ultra faciendum erat"; so some in Vatablus, Montanus.
F23 (ytywq ewdm) "quare expectavi?" Cocceius.

Isaiah 5:4 In-Context

2 And he hedged it, and chose (the) stones thereof, and planted a chosen vinery; and he builded a tower in the midst thereof, and reared (up) a (wine)press therein; and he abode, that it should make grapes, and it made wild grapes (and he waited, for it to yield sweet new grapes, but only sour wild grapes grew there).

3 Now therefore, ye dwellers of Jerusalem, and ye men of Judah, deem between me and my vinery. (And so now, ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and ye people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.)

4 What is it that I ought to do more to my vinery, and I did not to it? whether that I abode, that it should make grapes, and it made wild grapes? (What more could I have done for my vineyard, that I did not do for it? but why, when I waited for it to yield sweet grapes, did it instead bring forth only sour wild grapes?)

5 And now I shall show to you, what I shall do to my vinery. I shall take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be into ravishing (and it shall be eaten up); I shall cast down the wall thereof, and it shall be into defouling;

6 and I shall set it deserted, either forsaken. It shall not be cut, and it shall not be digged, and briars and thorns shall grow upon it; and I shall command to [the] clouds, that they rain not rain on it.