Isaiah 5: The Song of the Vineyard
Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard has long been considered a masterpiece of scripture poetry. Interpreters compare Isaiah’s writing to Solomon’s exquisite poetry about the bride and her beauty found in Song of Songs chapter 4. The structure of Isaiah’s song is like other joyful songs commonly sung by the ancient Israelites at harvest time. But there is one great difference in Isaiah’s song. It is not just a harvest celebration. It is an allegory or parable about the people of Judah, and the song ends on a sour, even mournful, note.
Vv.
1-2:
“1 I will sing for the one I
love
a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
2 He dug it up and
cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.”
The
song in chapter 5 describes a vineyard planted in fertile ground with the
expectation of bountiful production. The farmer cultivated the ground and “…cleared
it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines.” He “…built a watchtower
in it…” to protect it and constructed a winepress to process the harvest. In
fact, he had done everything just right to assure a productive growing season
and successful harvest. But when harvest time came, the vineyard “…yielded
only bad fruit” (v. 2).
The
song is an allegory that was written to show the people of Judah that God’s
judgment would surely come upon them because of their sin. The vineyard is a
metaphor for the land of Judah, the grapevines represent the people of Judah,
and the bad fruit is a metaphor representing their sin. Despite God’s loving
care for His people over many generations, they continued to produce the bad
fruit of sin rather than the sweet fruit of righteousness.
There
is a segue at the end of v. 2 (“…but it yielded only bad fruit…”) which
leads us to a dramatic change in tone beginning in v. 3 and extending through
the end of the chapter. In vv. 3-7, the Lord indignantly questions the people
of Judah, asking what more could He have done for them, followed by promises to
destroy the vineyard:
“‘3 Now you dwellers in
Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could
have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
5 Now I will tell
you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall,
and it will be trampled.
6 I will make it a
wasteland,
neither pruned nor cultivated,
and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds
not to rain on it.’
7 The vineyard of
the Lord Almighty
is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw
bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of
distress.”
Beginning
in v. 3 is a change in the tone. Isaiah introduced in v. 2 the fact that the
vineyard, which is his metaphor representing the people of Judah, had produced
bad fruit. Now in vv. 3-4, the Lord speaks and calls on the people of Judah and
Jerusalem to judge how He had dealt with His vineyard and asks them “What more
could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?” The question
implies that God did all that was expected of Him for the vineyard to be
successful, and the people would have to acknowledge He had not left anything
undone, and that He had the right to expect to see a good crop.
In
vv. 5-6 the Lord, who is still using the vineyard metaphor to represent Judah
and Jerusalem, announces what is about to happen: He will take away its hedge
and break down its wall, and the vineyard will be trampled and destroyed (v.
5); and He will make it a wasteland, it will not be pruned or cultivated, it
will be overgrown with briers and thorns, and there will be no rain (v. 6).
A
vineyard will not last long without a protective hedge and wall. Without that
protection, the vines would be vulnerable to destruction by wild animals,
vandals, and thieves, and neither will God’s people survive the plundering and
ravaging of the armies that will invade their land. Isaiah explains the meaning
of the metaphors in v.7.
In
vv. 8-24, Isaiah pronounces a series of six “woes” which describe
various sins the people of Jerusalem and Judah were committing and, in some
instances, the punishment God planned. We will discuss each of these “woes”
briefly one at a time.
Each
of the six begins with the Hebrew word “ הוֹי” and translated “woe” in
Isaiah 5. The Hebrew word is transliterated “hoy” (and pronounced:
“hoh'ee” in English) and translated into English differently in various Old
Testament passages: “Woe, Alas!, Ah!,” and “Ho!” The word is a
Hebrew interjection and was used by the Hebrew writers to emphasize an
exclamation of regret or grief, arouse attention, indicate an occasion for
mourning, or warn that judgment was coming. Equivalent English expressions are
“Ah!”, “Ha!”, “Oh no!,” or “Alas!”
The
First “Woe”
The
first “woe” that Isaiah pronounces in chapter 5 is found in vv. 8-10
condemning the greed of wealthy landowners:
“8 Woe to you who add house to
house
and join field to field
till no space is left
and you live alone in the land.
9 The Lord Almighty
has declared in my hearing:
‘Surely the great houses will become
desolate,
the fine mansions left without occupants.
10 A ten-acre
vineyard will produce only a bath of wine;
a homer of seed will yield only an ephah of
grain.’”
Corrupt
judges helped wealthy landowners to seize adjacent properties in order to
increase their already large land holdings. The rich landowners lived in great
comfort, and their vast fields produced bountiful harvests and great wealth for
them, while the common people lived in poverty. Isaiah prophesied that future
conflict would leave the splendid homes of the wealthy empty (v. 9). The
literal word-for-word rendering of v. 9 from the Hebrew text is interesting and
succinct: “In my ears, YHWH of hosts has solemnly declared, ‘Indeed many
houses will become a desolation, great and good ones, without inhabitant’”
).
In
v. 10, the Lord predicts the land will produce only a paltry harvest.
All
this did take place when invading enemy armies devastated the land, Jerusalem
and the cities and towns of Judah were under siege, thousands of Israelites
died in battle, and thousands more died from lack of food and water.
The
Second “Woe”
Vv.
11-17 give us Isaiah’s second “woe,” which condemns people who drank and
partied instead of working for their family’s welfare:
“11 Woe to those who rise early
in the morning
to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
till they are inflamed with wine.
12 They have harps
and lyres at their banquets,
pipes and timbrels and wine,
but they have no regard for the deeds of
the Lord,
no respect for the work of his hands.
13 Therefore my
people will go into exile
for lack of understanding;
those of high rank will die of hunger
and the common people will be parched with thirst.
14 Therefore Death
expands its jaws,
opening wide its mouth;
into it will descend their nobles and
masses
with all their brawlers and revelers.
15 So people will be
brought low
and everyone humbled,
the eyes of the arrogant humbled.
16 But the Lord
Almighty will be exalted by his justice,
and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.
17 Then sheep will
graze as in their own pasture;
lambs will feed among the ruins of the
rich.”
In
Isaiah’s day, heavy drinking among the wealthy was a serious problem and
contributed to the atmosphere of sin. The people would begin drinking and
partying early in the day and continue until late at night. V. 11 in the
original Hebrew text states the accusation bluntly: “Woe to those rising
early in the morning to pursue intoxicating drink, tarrying into the night
until wine inflames them.” Because of the drinking and party atmosphere,
Isaiah observes in v. 12 that the people had
“…no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his
hands.”
The
people’s conduct obviously violated God’s standards for them. They lived as if
they were not accountable to Him and as if He did not exist at all.
Consequently, God finally withdrew His protection and blessing, permitting
foreign armies to invade the land of His people. Isaiah prophesied: “…my
people will go into exile…those of high rank will die of hunger and the common
people will be parched with thirst…” (v. 13), and “Death expands its
jaws, opening wide its mouth; into it will descend their nobles and masses with
all their brawlers and revelers. 15 So people will be brought low
and everyone humbled…” (vv. 14-15).
The
original Hebrew text in v. 14 uses the word שְׁאוֹל (sheol), rather than
“Death” as chosen by the NIV translators or “hell,” used in the
KJV translation. The Hebrew text in v. 14 reads: “Therefore, Sheol has
enlarged its soul and opened its mouth without limit, and her glory and her
multitude go down into Sheol, as do also her uproar and the one who exults in
her.” The Hebrews’ definition of “sheol” was “the underworld, the
place to which people descend at death.”
God
makes it clear that He will not tolerate lawlessness by His people. In
executing His righteous judgment, He proves himself to be holy and exalted by
the judgment He has given (v. 16).
Isaiah
prophesied that once the turmoil ended, the land would return to a more
pastoral existence, with sheep grazing among the ruins of the extensive
properties of the once-wealthy landowners (v. 17).
The
Third “Woe”
Vv.
18-19 record Isaiah’s third “woe,” in which he accuses the people of being so
attached to their sin that they regard that sinful lifestyle as normal.
“18 Woe to those who draw sin
along with cords of deceit,
and wickedness as with cart ropes,
19 to those who say,
‘Let God hurry;
let him hasten his work
so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
let it approach, let it come into view,
so we may know it.’”
Isaiah’s
imagery in this third “woe” is difficult to grasp. He is picturing the sinful
people as burden-bearers who are drawing a heavy load behind them just the oxen
or other beasts of burden would bear the burden when hitched to the loaded cart
with ropes. The word-for-word translation of the original Hebrew text of v. 18
is more revealing for us, but just slightly: “Woe to those drawing iniquity
with cords of vanity and sin as with a cart rope…” I found more clarity by
consulting a reference book entitled The Targum of Isaiah, which
explains that v. 18 refers to the people’s sin as continuing and increasing
until their transgressions become “as strong as cart ropes.” The Targums
are Aramaic translations of the Old Testament dating to more than 400 years
before Christ. When the Jews came back from the captivity in Babylon, the
average person knew Aramaic and no longer spoke Hebrew.
Isaiah
sees the people’s sin as a cynical rejection of God, and he is convinced that
God will act in judgment on sin at the time He chooses. The phrase “…the Holy
One of Israel…” in v. 19 was probably a contemptuous phrase used by the people
to refer to Isaiah's prophetic message, because the people did not believe God
would execute His judgment against them.
The
Fourth “Woe”
Calling
evil good and good evil is the accusation of the fourth “woe,” found in v. 20:
“20 Woe to those who call evil
good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.”
Here,
Isaiah reminds his people that when they confuse right with wrong or fool
themselves into thinking good is bad and bad is good, they will bring grief
upon themselves and judgment from the Lord. There were those among the people
of Jerusalem and Judah who were perverting what was true and right,
representing good as evil and evil as good.
In
Isaiah’s day as well as today, people associate darkness with ignorance, evil
practices, and deception (often done in secret or in darkness), and link light
to openness, honesty, and truth.
The
Fifth “Woe”
Isaiah’s
fifth “woe,” in v. 21, concerned those people who viewed themselves as
wise and full of understanding, but who were actually foolish.
“21 Woe to those who are wise in their own
eyes
and clever in their own sight.”
The
reversal of values expressed in v. 20 may be part of what makes those people of
v. 21 “…wise in their own eyes…” Such a proud people have little regard
for the guidance God provides in his law. In their own estimation of themselves
(“…clever in their own sight…), they see themselves as prudent, with no
need any guidance. Such arrogant persons will not foresee the woe or calamity
they are about to experience.
The
Sixth “Woe”
Condemnation
of leaders who seemed to be competent only at getting drunk, and not protecting
the people, is the subject of the sixth “woe,” in vv. 22-24:
“22 Woe to those who are heroes
at drinking wine
and champions at mixing drinks,
23 who acquit the
guilty for a bribe,
but deny justice to the innocent.
24 Therefore, as
tongues of fire lick up straw
and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord
Almighty
and spurned the word of the Holy One of
Israel.”
The
charge here is directed against men who functioned as judges among the people.
They consumed wine and other intoxicating beverages to such excess that v. 22
in the original Hebrew Masoretic Text records that Isaiah called them “mighty
ones in drinking wine and men of strength in mixing intoxicating drink…”
Drunkenness was not their only sin, however. They were corrupt judges (v. 23)
who accepted bribes to acquit the guilty, deny justice to the impoverished
innocent, and judge in favor of the wealthy in lawsuits against the poor. They
failed to uphold and defend what was right, and for that reason would
experience calamity Isaiah describes “…as tongues of fire lick up straw and
as dry grass sinks down in the flames…” (V. 24).
The
series of “woes” ends with v. 24. God’s anger went well beyond the sins
He condemned in His list of “woes,” and we read about His anger continuing to
burn in vv. 25-30:
“25 Therefore the Lord’s anger
burns against his people;
his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,
and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned
away,
his hand is still upraised.
26 He lifts up a
banner for the distant nations,
he whistles for those at the ends of the earth.
Here they come,
swiftly and speedily!
27 Not one of them
grows tired or stumbles,
not one slumbers or sleeps;
not a belt is loosened at the waist,
not a sandal strap is broken.
28 Their arrows are
sharp,
all their bows are strung;
their horses’ hooves seem like flint,
their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.
29 Their roar is like that of the lion,
they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize their prey
and carry it off with no one to rescue.
30 In that day they
will roar over it
like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks at the land,
there is only darkness and distress;
even the sun will be darkened by clouds.”
It
was the people’s disregard for God’s law that provoked His anger and caused Him
to remove his protection and blessing from them. That allowed the people to
suffer defeats by invading armies and the devastation of their land and cities.
Isaiah
tells of mountains shaking and dead bodies lying in the streets in v. 25. The
conflicts and scarcity of food and water had resulted in tremendous loss of
life, leaving corpses lying in the streets, even while the fighting and
struggle to survive continued. His statement that “The mountains shake…”
in v. 25 has been interpreted over the centuries to indicate his foreknowledge
of the future great earthquake that he will witness in the days of King Uzziah
(Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5).
Vv.
26-30 pictures the Lord encouraging foreigners to enter the land to punish His
disobedient people. He is portrayed as raising up a banner as a signal to
indicate the place for the foreign armies to assemble. He calls them with His
whistling (v. 26).
It
was the Assyrians who came quickly into the land, murdering, enslaving, and
destroying. Isaiah describes the Assyrians as being ready for battle and
well-equipped (vv. 27-28) and ferocious fighters roaring like a lion hungry for
prey (v. 29).
He
adds the hopeless note that there will be “…no one to rescue…” (v. 29)
the people from the invaders. And “…there is only darkness and distress;
even the sun will be darkened by clouds” (v. 30).
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