Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 5

Verse 1

a song. Eight sentences describe the vineyard, of which seven give the characteristics, and one (Isaiah 5:7 ) the result. This "song" sets forth the doom of the Vineyard: the Parable (Luke 20:9-16 ), the doom of the husbandmen.

hath = had.

a very fruitful = oil's son. Can it refer to David and his anointing? Compare 1 Samuel 2:10 ; 1 Samuel 16:13 ; Psalms 132:7 . Compare Isaiah 5:7 -, below.

hill = horn. Hebrew. keren, always "horn" (seventy-five times). Only "hill" here.

Verse 2

vine. For Israel as this vine, See Isaiah 27:2-6 . Jeremiah 2:21 ; Jeremiah 12:10 . Psalms 80:8 . Hosea 10:1 ; Hosea 14:6-7 , &c. One of the three trees to which Israel is likened: the fig = national privilege; the olive = religious privilege; the vine = spiritual privilege. See note on Judges 9:8-13 ,

tower = a watchtower. winepress = wine-vat. Hebrew. yekeb, not gath, a winepress. See note on Proverbs 3:10 .

wild grapes = bad grapes. Hebrew. beushim, from bashash, to stink. The Hebrew word occurs only in verses: Isaiah 5:2 , Isaiah 5:4 .

Verse 4

in it. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "to (or for) it".

Verse 6

I will, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:23 , Deuteronomy 28:24 .Leviticus 26:19; Leviticus 26:19 ).

Verse 7

the LORD of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 and 1 Samuel 1:3 .

house of Israel. Occurs four times in Isaiah, twice before Isaiah 40:0 : (Isaiah 6:7 ; Isaiah 14:2 ), and twice after (Isaiah 46:3 ; Isaiah 63:7 ). See App-79 . Note the introversion : "vineyard", "Israel", "Judah", "pleasant plant".

judgment. oppression. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia for great and solemn emphasis, to attract our attention and impress our minds. Not a "pun "or a "play" on words. Hebrew. mishpat. mishpach.

righteousness. a cry. Figure of speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. zedakah. ze'akah. See note above. These two lines may be Englished by "He looked for equity, but behold iniquity; for right, but behold might" (as used in oppression and producing a "cry"). and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

Verse 8

Woe. Figure of speech Epibole , "Woe" repeated six times in succession (verses: Isaiah 5:8 , Isaiah 5:11 , Isaiah 5:18 , Isaiah 8:20 , Isaiah 8:21 , Isaiah 8:22 ). Note the six subjects.

no . Hebrew. ephes . Occurs in "former" portion only here and in Isaiah 34:12 ; the "latter" portion in Isaiah 40:17 ; Isaiah 41:12 , Isaiah 41:29 ; Isaiah 45:6 , Isaiah 45:14 ; Isaiah 46:9 ; Isaiah 47:8 , Isaiah 47:10 ; Isaiah 52:4 ; Isaiah 54:15 . App-79 .

Verse 9

ears. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia .

said. Note Ellipsis of the verb "to say". See App-6 and instructive examples in Psalms 109:5 ; Psalms 144:12 .Psalms 28:9 . Jeremiah 9:19 , &c.

Verse 10

bath. homer. ephah. See App-51 .

Verse 11

strong drink. Hebrew. shekar . App-27 .

night. Hebrew. nesheph . A Homonym . Compare Isaiah 21:4 with Isaiah 59:10 . See notes on Job 24:15 , and 1 Samuel 30:17

Verse 12

tarbet = drum. Hebrew. toph . See note on 1 Samuel 10:5 .

pipe = fife.

wine. Hebrew. yayin . App-27 .

feasts = banquets.

the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 13

men. Hebrew. methim App-14 .

Verse 14

hell = Sheol. App-35 .

enlarged. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia . App-6 .

herself. = her soul. Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .

her. All these feminine pronouns-mean that the nouns belong to Sheol.

Verse 15

the mean man = commoner. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

the mighty man = peer. Hebrew. 'ish .

lofty = proud. Hebrew. gabah. See note on Isaiah 2:11 .

Verse 16

GOD = the mighty God. Hebrew 'El (with Art.) App-4 .

holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 17

strangers = foreigners.

Verse 18

iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .

cords, &c. Which draw on sin by the load.

cart rope. Implies sin by the cart-load.

Verse 19

That say, &c. Compare Jeremiah 17:15 .

the Holy One of Israel. See notes on Isaiah 1:4 and Psalms 71:22 .

Verse 20

call = are calling.

evil good. Note the Introversion in each of the three clauses of this verse.

put = give out.

Verse 21

sight. Hebrew "face", put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for themselves, or their own view of matters.

Verse 22

mighty = strong men. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14 .

Verse 23

the wicked = a lawless one. Hebrew. rasha'.

reward = a bribe,

the righteous = righteous ones.

him = them.

Verse 24

the law. See note on Isaiah 1:10 .

the word = saying, or spoken word. Hebrew. 'imrah.

Verse 25

stretched forth: in judgment.

torn in the midst of the streets = as the sweepings of the streets.

For all this, &c. Compare the Reference to Pent, in the fivefold consequence of Isaiah 5:25 ; Isaiah 9:12 , Isaiah 9:17 , Isaiah 9:21 ; Isaiah 10:4 , with the fivefold cause in Leviticus 26:14 , Leviticus 26:18 , Leviticus 26:21 , Leviticus 26:24 , Leviticus 26:28 .

stretched out still = remains stretched out. Same word as "stretched forth (above) in judgment". Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:6 . Deuteronomy 4:34 ; Deuteronomy 5:15 ; Deuteronomy 7:19 ; Deuteronomy 9:29 ; Deuteronomy 11:2 ; Deuteronomy 26:8 ).

Verse 26

hiss unto = hiss for (as men call bees).

they shall come. Note the Figure of speech Hypotyposis in Isaiah 5:26-30 .

Verse 30

heavens = skies.