1Now will I singH7891 to my wellbelovedH3039 a songH7892 of my belovedH1730 touching his vineyardH3754. My wellbelovedH3039 hath a vineyardH3754 in a very fruitfulH1121 H8081 hillH7161: 2And he fencedH5823 it, and gathered out the stonesH5619 thereof, and plantedH5193 it with the choicest vineH8321, and builtH1129 a towerH4026 in the midstH8432 of it, and also madeH2672 a winepressH3342 therein: and he lookedH6960 that it should bring forthH6213 grapesH6025, and it brought forthH6213 wild grapesH891. 3And now, O inhabitantsH3427 of JerusalemH3389, and menH376 of JudahH3063, judgeH8199, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyardH3754. 4What could have been doneH6213 more to my vineyardH3754, that I have not doneH6213 in it? whereforeH4069, when I lookedH6960 that it should bring forthH6213 grapesH6025, brought it forthH6213 wild grapesH891? 5And now go to; I will tellH3045 you what I will doH6213 to my vineyardH3754: I will take awayH5493 the hedgeH4881 thereof, and it shall be eaten upH1197 ; and break downH6555 the wallH1447 thereof, and it shall be trodden downH4823: 6And I will layH7896 it wasteH1326: it shall not be prunedH2168, nor diggedH5737 ; but there shall come upH5927 briersH8068 and thornsH7898: I will also commandH6680 the cloudsH5645 that they rainH4305 no rainH4306 upon it. 7For the vineyardH3754 of the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635 is the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, and the menH376 of JudahH3063 his pleasantH8191 plantH5194: and he lookedH6960 for judgmentH4941, but behold oppressionH4939; for righteousnessH6666, but behold a cryH6818. 8WoeH1945 unto them that joinH5060 houseH1004 to houseH1004, that layH7126 fieldH7704 to fieldH7704, till there be noH657 placeH4725, that they may be placedH3427 alone in the midstH7130 of the earthH776! 9In mine earsH241 said the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635, Of a truthH3808 manyH7227 housesH1004 shall be desolateH8047, even greatH1419 and fairH2896, without inhabitantH3427 . 10YeaH3588, tenH6235 acresH6776 of vineyardH3754 shall yieldH6213 oneH259 bathH1324, and the seedH2233 of an homerH2563 shall yieldH6213 an ephahH374. 11WoeH1945 unto them that rise up earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, that they may followH7291 strong drinkH7941; that continueH309 until nightH5399, till wineH3196 inflameH1814 them! 12And the harpH3658, and the violH5035, the tabretH8596, and pipeH2485, and wineH3196, are in their feastsH4960: but they regardH5027 not the workH6467 of the LORDH3068, neither considerH7200 the operationH4639 of his handsH3027. 13Therefore my peopleH5971 are gone into captivityH1540, because they have no knowledgeH1847: and their honourableH3519 menH4962 are famishedH7458, and their multitudeH1995 dried upH6704 with thirstH6772. 14Therefore hellH7585 hath enlargedH7337 herselfH5315, and openedH6473 her mouthH6310 without measureH2706: and their gloryH1926, and their multitudeH1995, and their pompH7588, and he that rejoicethH5938, shall descendH3381 into it. 15And the mean manH120 shall be brought downH7817, and the mighty manH376 shall be humbledH8213, and the eyesH5869 of the loftyH1364 shall be humbledH8213 : 16But the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635 shall be exaltedH1361 in judgmentH4941, and GodH410 that is holyH6918 shall be sanctifiedH6942 in righteousnessH6666. 17Then shall the lambsH3532 feedH7462 after their mannerH1699, and the waste placesH2723 of the fat onesH4220 shall strangersH1481 eatH398 . 18WoeH1945 unto them that drawH4900 iniquityH5771 with cordsH2256 of vanityH7723, and sinH2403 as it were with a cartH5699 ropeH5688: 19That sayH559, Let him make speedH4116, and hastenH2363 his workH4639, that we may seeH7200 it: and let the counselH6098 of the Holy OneH6918 of IsraelH3478 draw nighH7126 and comeH935, that we may knowH3045 it! 20WoeH1945 unto them that callH559 evilH7451 goodH2896, and goodH2896 evilH7451; that putH7760 darknessH2822 for lightH216, and lightH216 for darknessH2822; that putH7760 bitterH4751 for sweetH4966, and sweetH4966 for bitterH4751! 21WoeH1945 unto them that are wiseH2450 in their own eyesH5869, and prudentH995 in their own sightH6440! 22WoeH1945 unto them that are mightyH1368 to drinkH8354 wineH3196, and menH582 of strengthH2428 to mingleH4537 strong drinkH7941: 23Which justifyH6663 the wickedH7563 forH6118 rewardH7810, and take awayH5493 the righteousnessH6666 of the righteousH6662 from him! 24Therefore as the fireH784 devourethH398 the stubbleH7179, and the flameH3956 H3852 consumethH7503 the chaffH2842, so their rootH8328 shall be as rottennessH4716, and their blossomH6525 shall go upH5927 as dustH80: because they have cast awayH3988 the lawH8451 of the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635, and despisedH5006 the wordH565 of the Holy OneH6918 of IsraelH3478. 25Therefore is the angerH639 of the LORDH3068 kindledH2734 against his peopleH5971, and he hath stretched forthH5186 his handH3027 against them, and hath smittenH5221 them: and the hillsH2022 did trembleH7264, and their carcasesH5038 were tornH5478 in the midstH7130 of the streetsH2351. For all this his angerH639 is not turned awayH7725, but his handH3027 is stretched outH5186 still. 26And he will lift upH5375 an ensignH5251 to the nationsH1471 from farH7350, and will hissH8319 unto them from the endH7097 of the earthH776: and, behold, they shall comeH935 with speedH4120 swiftlyH7031: 27None shall be wearyH5889 nor stumbleH3782 among them; none shall slumberH5123 nor sleepH3462 ; neither shall the girdleH232 of their loinsH2504 be loosedH6605, nor the latchetH8288 of their shoesH5275 be brokenH5423 : 28Whose arrowsH2671 are sharpH8150, and all their bowsH7198 bentH1869, their horses'H5483 hoofsH6541 shall be countedH2803 like flintH6862, and their wheelsH1534 like a whirlwindH5492: 29Their roaringH7581 shall be like a lionH3833, they shall roarH7580 H7580 like young lionsH3715: yea, they shall roarH5098, and lay holdH270 of the preyH2964, and shall carry it away safeH6403, and none shall deliverH5337 it. 30And in that dayH3117 they shall roarH5098 against them like the roaringH5100 of the seaH3220: and if one lookH5027 unto the landH776, behold darknessH2822 and sorrowH6862, and the lightH216 is darkenedH2821 in the heavensH6183 thereof.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PARABLE OF JEHOVAH'S VINEYARD. (Isa. 5:1-30)
to--rather, "concerning" [GESENIUS], that is, in the person of My beloved, as His representative [VITRINGA]. Isaiah gives a hint of the distinction and yet unity of the Divine Persons (compare He with I,
Isa 5:2-
Isa 5:3).
of my beloved--inspired by Him; or else, a tender song [CASTALIO]. By a slight change of reading "a song of His love" [HOUBIGANT]. "The Beloved" is Jehovah, the Second Person, the "Angel" of God the Father, not in His character as incarnate Messiah, but as God of the Jews (
Exod 23:20-
Exod 23:21;
Exod 32:34;
Exod 33:14).
vineyard-- (
Isa 3:14;
Ps 80:8, &c.). The Jewish covenant-people, separated from the nations for His glory, as the object of His peculiar care (
Matt 20:1;
Matt 21:33). Jesus Christ in the "vineyard" of the New Testament Church is the same as the Old Testament Angel of the Jewish covenant.
fruitful hill--literally, "a horn" ("peak," as the Swiss shreckhorn) of the son of oil; poetically, for very fruitful. Suggestive of isolation, security, and a sunny aspect. Isaiah alludes plainly to the Song of Solomon (
Song 6:3;
Song 8:11-
Song 8:12), in the words "His vineyard" and "my Beloved" (compare
Isa 26:20;
Isa 61:10, with
Song 1:4;
Song 4:10). The transition from "branch" (
Isa 4:2) to "vineyard" here is not unnatural.
2 fenced--rather, "digged and trenched" the ground to prepare it for planting the vines [MAURER].
choicest vine--Hebrew, sorek; called still in Morocco, serki; the grapes had scarcely perceptible seeds; the Persian kishmish or bedana, that is, "without seed" (
Gen 49:11).
tower--to watch the vineyard against the depredations of man or beast, and for the use of the owner (
Matt 21:33).
wine-press--including the wine-fat; both hewn, for coolness, out of the rocky undersoil of the vineyard.
wild grapes--The Hebrew expresses offensive putrefaction, answering to the corrupt state of the Jews. Fetid fruit of the wild vine [MAURER], instead of "choicest" grapes. Of the poisonous monk's hood [GESENIUS]. The Arabs call the fruit of the nightshade "wolf grapes" (
Deut 32:32-
Deut 32:33;
2Kgs 4:39-41). JEROME tries to specify the details of the parable; the "fence," angels; the "stones gathered out," idols; the "tower," the "temple in the midst" of Judea; the "wine-press," the altar.
3 And now, &c.--appeal of God to themselves, as in
Isa 1:18;
Mic 6:3. So Jesus Christ, in
Matt 21:40-
Matt 21:41, alluding in the very form of expression to this, makes them pass sentence on themselves. God condemns sinners "out of their own mouth" (
Deut 32:6;
Job 15:6;
Luke 19:22;
Rom 3:4).
4 God has done all that could be done for the salvation of sinners, consistently with His justice and goodness. The God of nature is, as it were, amazed at the unnatural fruit of so well-cared a vineyard.
5 go to--that is, attend to me.
hedge . . . wall--It had both; a proof of the care of the owner. But now it shall be trodden down by wild beasts (enemies) (
Ps 80:12-
Ps 80:13).
6 I will . . . command--The parable is partly dropped and Jehovah, as in
Isa 5:7, is implied to be the Owner: for He alone, not an ordinary husbandman (
Matt 21:43;
Luke 17:22), could give such a "command."
no rain--antitypically, the heaven-sent teachings of the prophets (
Amos 8:11). Not accomplished in the Babylonish captivity; for Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah prophesied during or after it. But in gospel times.
7 Isaiah here applies the parable. It is no mere human owner, nor a literal vineyard that is meant.
vineyard of the Lord--His only one (
Exod 19:5;
Amos 3:2).
pleasant--"the plant of his delight"; just as the husbandman was at pains to select the sorek, or "choicest vine" (
Isa 5:2); so God's election of the Jews.
judgment--justice. The play upon words is striking in the Hebrew, He looked for mishpat, but behold mispat ("bloodshed"); for tsedaqua, but behold tseaqua (the cry that attends anarchy, covetousness, and dissipation,
Isa 5:8,
Isa 5:11-
Isa 5:12; compare the cry of the rabble by which justice was overborne in the case of Jesus Christ,
Matt 27:23-
Matt 27:24).
8 SIX DISTINCT WOES AGAINST CRIMES. (Isa. 5:8-23)
(
Lev 25:13;
Mic 2:2). The jubilee restoration of possessions was intended as a guard against avarice.
till there be no place--left for any one else.
that they may be--rather, and ye be.
the earth--the land.
9 In mine ears . . . the Lord--namely, has revealed it, as in
Isa 22:14.
desolate--literally, "a desolation," namely, on account of the national sins.
great and fair--houses.
10 acres--literally, "yokes"; as much as one yoke of oxen could plow in a day.
one--only.
bath--of wine; seven and a half gallons.
homer . . . ephah--Eight bushels of seed would yield only three pecks of produce (
Ezek 45:11). The ephah and bath, one-tenth of an homer.
11 Second Woe--against intemperance.
early--when it was regarded especially shameful to drink (
Acts 2:15;
1Thess 5:7). Banquets for revelry began earlier than usual (
Eccl 10:16-
Eccl 10:17).
strong drink--Hebrew, sichar, implying intoxication.
continue--drinking all day till evening.
12 Music was common at ancient feasts (
Isa 24:8-
Isa 24:9;
Amos 6:5-
Amos 6:6).
viol--an instrument with twelve strings [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 8.10].
tabret--Hebrew, toph, from the use of which in drowning the cries of children sacrificed to Moloch, Tophet received its name. Arabic, duf. A kettle drum, or tambourine.
pipe--flute or flageolet: from a Hebrew root "to bore through"; or else, "to dance" (compare
Job 21:11-
Job 21:15).
regard not . . . Lord--a frequent effect of feasting (
Job 1:5;
Ps 28:5).
work . . . operation--in punishing the guilty (
Isa 5:19;
Isa 10:12).
13 are gone--The prophet sees the future as if it were before his eyes.
no knowledge--because of their foolish recklessness (
Isa 5:12;
Isa 1:3;
Hos 4:6;
Luke 19:44).
famished--awful contrast to their luxurious feasts (
Isa 5:11-
Isa 5:12).
multitude--plebeians in contradistinction to the "honorable men," or nobles.
thirst-- (
Ps 107:4-
Ps 107:5). Contrast to their drinking (
Isa 5:11). In their deportation and exile, they shall hunger and thirst.
14 hell--the grave; Hebrew, sheol; Greek, hades; "the unseen world of spirits." Not here, "the place of torment." Poetically, it is represented as enlarging itself immensely, in order to receive the countless hosts of Jews, which should perish (
Num 16:30).
their--that is, of the Jewish people.
he that rejoiceth--the drunken reveller in Jerusalem.
15 (Compare
Isa 2:9,
Isa 2:11,
Isa 2:17). All ranks, "mean" and "mighty" alike; so "honorable" and "multitude" (
Isa 5:13).
16 God shall be "exalted" in man's view, because of His manifestation of His "justice" in punishing the guilty.
sanctified--regarded as holy by reason of His "righteous" dealings.
17 after their manner--literally, "according to their own word," that is, at will. Otherwise, as in their own pasture [GESENIUS]: so the Hebrew in
Mic 2:12. The lands of the Scenite tent dwellers (
Jer 35:7). Arab shepherds in the neighborhood shall roam at large, the whole of Judea being so desolate as to become a vast pasturage.
waste . . . fat ones--the deserted lands of the rich ("fat,"
Ps 22:29), then gone into captivity; "strangers," that is, nomad tribes shall make their flocks to feed on [MAURER]. Figuratively, "the lambs" are the pious, "the fat ones" the impious. So tender disciples of Jesus Christ (
John 21:15) are called "lambs"; being meek, harmless, poor, and persecuted. Compare
Ezek 39:18, where the fatlings are the rich and great (
1Cor 1:26-27). The "strangers" are in this view the "other sheep not of the" the Jewish "fold" (
John 10:16), the Gentiles whom Jesus Christ shall "bring" to be partakers of the rich privileges (
Rom 11:17) which the Jews ("fat ones,"
Ezek 34:16) fell from. Thus "after their (own) manner" will express that the Christian Church should worship God in freedom, released from legal bondage (
John 4:23;
Gal 5:1).
18 Third Woe--against obstinate perseverance in sin, as if they wished to provoke divine judgments.
iniquity--guilt, incurring punishment [MAURER].
cords, &c.--cart-rope--Rabbins say, "An evil inclination is at first like a fine hair-string, but the finishing like a cart-rope." The antithesis is between the slender cords of sophistry, like the spider's web (
Isa 59:5;
Job 8:14), with which one sin draws on another, until they at last bind themselves with great guilt as with a cart-rope. They strain every nerve in sin.
vanity--wickedness.
sin--substantive, not a verb: they draw on themselves "sin" and its penalty recklessly.
19 work--vengeance (
Isa 5:12). Language of defiance to God. So Lamech's boast of impunity (
Gen 4:23-
Gen 4:24; compare
Jer 17:15;
2Pet 3:3-4).
counsel--God's threatened purpose to punish.
20 Fourth Woe--against those who confound the distinctions of right and wrong (compare
Rom 1:28), "reprobate," Greek, "undiscriminating: the moral perception darkened."
bitter . . . sweet--sin is bitter (
Jer 2:19;
Jer 4:18;
Acts 8:23;
Heb 12:15); though it seem sweet for a time (
Pro 9:17-
Pro 9:18). Religion is sweet (
Ps 119:103).
21 Fifth Woe--against those who were so "wise in their own eyes" as to think they knew better than the prophet, and therefore rejected his warnings (
Isa 29:14-
Isa 29:15).
22 Sixth Woe--against corrupt judges, who, "mighty" in drinking "wine" (a boast still not uncommon), if not in defending their country, obtain the means of self-indulgence by taking bribes ("reward"). The two verses are closely joined [MAURER].
mingle strong drink--not with water, but spices to make it intoxicating (
Pro 9:2,
Pro 9:5;
Song 8:2).
take away the righteousness--set aside the just claims of those having a righteous cause.
24 Literally, "tongue of fire eateth" (
Acts 2:3).
flame consumeth the chaff--rather, withered grass falleth before the flame (
Matt 3:12).
root . . . blossom--entire decay, both the hidden source and outward manifestations of prosperity, perishing (
Job 18:16;
Mal 4:1).
cast away . . . law--in its spirit, while retaining the letter.
25 anger . . . kindled-- (
2Kgs 22:13,
2Kgs 22:17).
hills . . . tremble--This probably fixes the date of this chapter, as it refers to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah (
Amos 1:1;
Zech 14:5). The earth trembled as if conscious of the presence of God (
Jer 4:24;
Hab 3:6).
torn--rather, were as dung (
Ps 83:10).
For all this, &c.--This burden of the prophet's strains, with dirge-like monotony, is repeated at
Isa 9:12,
Isa 9:17,
Isa 9:21;
Isa 10:4. With all the past calamities, still heavier judgments are impending; which he specifies in the rest of the chapter (
Lev 26:14, &c.).
26 lift . . . ensign--to call together the hostile nations to execute His judgments on Judea (
Isa 10:5-
Isa 10:7;
Isa 45:1). But for mercy to it, in
Isa 11:12;
Isa 18:3.
hiss-- (
Isa 7:18). Bees were drawn out of their hives by the sound of a flute, or hissing, or whistling (
Zech 10:8). God will collect the nations round Judea like bees (
Deut 1:44;
Ps 118:12).
end of the earth--the widely distant subject races of which the Assyrian army was made up (
Isa 22:6). The ulterior fulfilment took place in the siege under Roman Titus. Compare "end of the earth" (
Deut 28:49, &c.). So the pronoun is singular in the Hebrew, for "them," "their," "whose" (him, his, &c.),
Isa 5:26-
Isa 5:29; referring to some particular nation and person [HORSLEY].
27 weary--with long marches (
Deut 25:18).
none . . . slumber--requiring no rest.
girdle--with which the ancient loose robes used to be girded for action. Ever ready for march or battle.
nor the latchet . . . broken--The soles were attached to the feet, not by upper leather as with us, but by straps. So securely clad that not even a strap of their sandals gives way, so as to impede their march.
28 bent--ready for battle.
hoofs . . . flint--The ancients did not shoe their horses: hence the value of hard hoofs for long marches.
wheels--of their chariots. The Assyrian army abounded in cavalry and chariots (
Isa 22:6-
Isa 22:7;
Isa 36:8).
29 roaring--their battle cry.
30 sorrow, and the light is darkened--Otherwise, distress and light (that is, hope and fear) alternately succeed (as usually occurs in an unsettled state of things), and darkness arises in, &c. [MAURER].
heavens--literally, "clouds," that is, its sky is rather "clouds" than sky. Otherwise from a different Hebrew root, "in its destruction" or ruins. HORSLEY takes "sea . . . look unto the land" as a new image taken from mariners in a coasting vessel (such as all ancient vessels were), looking for the nearest land, which the darkness of the storm conceals, so that darkness and distress alone may be said to be visible.
Isaiah is outside, near the altar in front of the temple. The doors are supposed to open, and the veil hiding the Holy of Holies to be withdrawn, unfolding to his view a vision of God represented as an Eastern monarch, attended by seraphim as His ministers of state (
1Kgs 22:19), and with a robe and flowing train (a badge of dignity in the East), which filled the temple. This assertion that he had seen God was, according to tradition (not sanctioned by
Isa 1:1; see Introduction), the pretext for sawing him asunder in Manasseh's reign (
Heb 11:37). Visions often occur in the other prophets: in Isaiah there is only this one, and it is marked by characteristic clearness and simplicity.
