Isaiah 5

1 I will sing [praise, make music] for my beloved [loved one, dear friend] a song [musical expression, hymn] of his vineyard [garden, plot of land]: My beloved [cherished one, loved one] had a vineyard [garden for growing vines] on a very fertile [fruitful, productive] hill [elevated land, mountain]. word study 2 He dug it up [to grub over, to fence in] and cleared the stones [removing all obstacles] and planted the finest vines [choicest, high-quality grapevines]. He built a watchtower [a tall structure, an elevated stage] in the middle [center, midst] and dug out a winepress [a trough, a press for crushing grapes] as well [also, too]. He waited [to collect, to gather] for the vineyard to yield good grapes [to produce the best, to bring forth the finest], but the fruit it produced was sour [wild, worthless]! word study 3 “And now [at this time, currently], O dwellers [inhabitants, residents] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] and men [individuals, people] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah], I exhort [urge, implore] you to judge [vindicate, govern] between [in the midst of, among] Me and My vineyard [a garden or plot of land]. word study 4 What more [or anything else] could I have done for My vineyard [my carefully tended garden] than I already did for it? Why [for what reason], when I expected [waited patiently] sweet grapes [luscious fruit], did it bring forth [produce, yield] sour fruit [wild grapes, worthless berries]? word study 5 Now [at this time, presently] I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard [My garden, My plot of land]: I will take away [remove, turn aside] its hedge [fence, enclosure], and it will be consumed [eaten up, destroyed]; I will tear down [break down, demolish] its wall [barrier, fence], and it will be trampled [trodden down, laid waste]. word study 6 I will make it a wasteland [desolate, barren], neither pruned [cut, trimmed] nor cultivated [hoed, dug], and thorns [sharp stones, briers] and briers [thornbushes, wild growth] will grow up. I will command [give orders to, appoint] the clouds [dark clouds, thick clouds] that rain [water from the sky, precipitation] shall not fall [come down, be sent] on it [upon this land, above this place].” word study 7 For the vineyard [a garden of chosen ones] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] of Hosts [the Commander of the armies of angels] is the house [the family, the nation] of Israel, and the men of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the people of praise] are the plant [a pleasant plantation, a delightful garden] of His delight [His pleasure, His joy]. He looked for justice [upright judgment, righteousness], but saw bloodshed [violence, oppression]; for righteousness [moral integrity, virtue], but heard a cry [a shout, an outcry] of distress [suffering, anguish]. word study 8 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lamentation] to you who add house [a dwelling place, a family home] to house and join field [a cultivated area, a plot of land] to field until [as far as, to the point where] no place [room, space] is left and you live alone [by yourselves, in isolation] in the land [the earth, a country, a territory]. word study 9 I heard the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things] declare: “Surely many [a multitude, a large number] houses [dwelling places, including family homes] will become desolate [a state of horror or ruin, waste], great [large, important] mansions [beautiful, pleasant homes] left unoccupied [without inhabitant, empty]. word study 10 For [as a result of this judgment] ten [a decade, a complete set] acres of vineyard [a garden or plot of land used for growing vines] will yield but [only, merely] a bath [about nine gallons, a small quantity] of wine, and a homer [about sixty-five gallons, a large quantity] of seed [offspring, descendants] only an ephah [about nine gallons, a small measure] of grain [crops, harvest]. ” word study 11 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lament] to those who rise early [at the break of day] in the morning [the time of new beginnings] in pursuit [to chase after, to follow] of strong drink [intoxicating liquor], who linger [to delay, to tarry] into the evening [until night], to be inflamed [to burn, to be heated] by wine [fermented wine]. word study 12 At their feasts [banquets, celebrations] are the lyre [a musical instrument] and harp [a stringed instrument], tambourines [a percussion instrument] and flutes [a wind instrument] and wine [fermented drink]. They disregard [pay no attention to, ignore] the actions [work, deeds] of the LORD [Yehovah] and fail to see [do not consider, are blind to] the work [a deed or accomplishment] of His hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. word study 13 Therefore [on account of this, for this reason] My people [nation, Amaw] will go into exile [be taken captive, led away] for their lack of [without, devoid of] understanding [knowledge]; their dignitaries [honorable men, glory] are starving [famished, suffering from hunger] and their masses [crowd, multitude] are parched [dried up, withered] with thirst [a strong desire, spiritual dryness]. word study 14 Therefore [thus, in this manner] Sheol [the underworld, place of no return] enlarges [expands, grows wide] its throat and opens [to open wide, without limit] wide its enormous jaws, and down go [descend, fall] Zion’s nobles [leaders, prominent ones] and masses [crowds, multitude], her revelers [those who celebrate, make merry] and carousers [those who indulge, feast excessively]! word study 15 So mankind [the human race, including all people] will be brought low [humbled, to a state of humility], and each man [every individual, the mean man] humbled [abased, lowered in pride]; the arrogant [the proud, lofty] will lower [bring down, abase] their eyes [the eyes of the haughty, the gaze of the proud]. word study 16 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things] will be exalted [lifted up, to exult] by His justice [judgment, righteous judgment], and the holy [set apart, sacred] God [strength, power, El] will show Himself holy [consecrated, set apart] in righteousness [virtue, morality]. word study 17 Lambs [young rams, sheep] will graze [feed, eat] as in their own [assigned, designated] pastures [grazing lands, fields], and strangers [sojourners, wanderers] will feed [eat, devour] in the ruins [desolate places, waste lands] of the wealthy [fat ones, rich]. word study 18 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lament] to those who draw [pull, lead] iniquity [moral evil, sin] with cords [ropes, bonds] of deceit [vanity, falsehood] and pull [drag, haul] sin [guilt, wrongdoing] along with cart [wagon, vehicle] ropes [thick cords, heavy chains], word study 19 to those who say [uttering words, speaking boldly], “Let Him hurry [make speed, hasten] and hasten [accelerate, quicken] His work [deed, action] so that we may see [perceive, behold] it! Let the plan [counsel, purpose] of the Holy [set apart, sacred] One of Israel [God’s chosen people] come [draw near, approach] so that we may know [understand, discern] it!” word study 20 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lamentation] to those who call evil [moral wickedness, bad] good [beneficial, pleasant] and good [morally right, virtuous] evil [wrong, harmful], who turn darkness [absence of light, spiritual ignorance] to light [understanding, spiritual enlightenment] and light [truth, righteousness] to darkness [error, sin], who replace bitter [unpleasant, painful] with sweet [pleasant, delightful] and sweet [agreeable, joyful] with bitter [distressing, grievous]. word study 21 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lamentation] to those who are wise [intelligent, skilled, prudent] in their own eyes [their own understanding, perception] and clever [discerning, astute] in their own sight [their own judgment, opinion]. word study 22 Woe [a cry of sorrow, expressing deep regret] to those who are heroes [mighty men, champions] in drinking wine [fermented wine, intoxicating beverage] and champions [men of strength, skilled mixers] in mixing beer [strong drink, intoxicating liquor], word study 23 who acquit [justify, declare righteous] the guilty [wicked, morally wrong] for a bribe [a gift to influence, a reward] and deprive [take away, remove] the innocent [righteous, just] of justice [righteousness, virtue]. word study 24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire [like a devouring flame] consumes the straw [dry stubble], and as dry grass [chaff] shrivels in the flame [intense heat], so their roots [foundation, source] will decay [become rotten] and their blossoms [flowers, buds] will blow away like dust [powder, small particles]; for they have rejected [spurned, cast away] the instruction [law, teachings] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces] and despised [treated with contempt] the word [message, warning] of the Holy [set apart, sacred] One of Israel [God’s chosen people]. word study 25 Therefore the anger [kindled, incensed] of the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God] burns [is fiercely ablaze] against His people [His nation, those chosen by Him]; His hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] is raised [stretched out, extended] against them to strike [smite, punish] them down. The mountains [hills, elevated lands] quake [tremble, shake violently], and the corpses [dead bodies, carcasses] lay like refuse [filth, offal] in the streets [open places, public areas]. Despite all this [everything that has occurred], His anger [wrath, indignation] is not turned away [does not subside, is not alleviated]; His hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] is still upraised [stretched out, extended, continuing to punish]. word study 26 He lifts [raises, exalts] a banner [ensign, signal] for the distant [far-off, remote] nations and whistles [hisses, summons] for those at the ends [borders, extremities] of the earth [land, territory]. Behold [look, see]—how speedily [quickly, swiftly] and swiftly [with haste, rapidly] they come [approach, arrive]! word study 27 None of them grows [exhausted or weakened] weary or [to lose balance, falter] stumbles; no one [in a state of drowsiness] slumbers or [in a deep state of unconsciousness] sleeps. No [leather strap or cord] belt is [unfastened or loosened] loose and no [strap or lace] sandal strap is [torn or broken, ripped apart] broken. word study 28 Their arrows [sharp, ready for battle] are sharpened [to sharpen, made pointy], and all [every single one] their bows [an archer’s weapon] are strung [bent, prepared for use]. The hooves [claws, split hooves] of their horses [chariot horses, swift] are like flint [hard, unyielding]; their chariot wheels [turning, spinning] are like a whirlwind [a hurricane, storm]. word study 29 Their roaring [like a lioness, a fierce cry] is like that of a lion [a powerful predator]; they roar [with a loud, fierce voice] like young lions [cubs, immature but fierce]. They growl [to groan, make a low sound] and seize [to grasp, take hold of] their prey [food, something torn apart]; they carry it away from deliverance [rescue, safety, to be set free]. word study 30 In that day [a time of judgment, a future era] they will roar [groan, growl] over it, like the roaring [a low, unhappy sound] of the sea [a large body of water]. If one looks [gazes, regards carefully] over the land [the earth, a country], he will see [behold, observe] darkness [absence of light, misery] and distress [trouble, affliction]; even the light [natural and spiritual illumination] will be obscured [darkened, hidden] by clouds [a collection of mist]. word study