Tyndale Open Study NotesIsaiah 5

The prophet delivered judgment through a song (Isaiah 5:1–7) and prophecies of sorrow (5:8–30). Although Israel's future will be pure and in fellowship with God (Isaiah 4:2–6), it must address the current sinful state of the people and their leaders.

The Song of the Vineyard is a poem where God criticizes the bad leaders who have hurt Israel, his vineyard. Like some wisdom literature, it first describes a confusing situation (Isaiah 5:1–2) and then explains its spiritual meaning (5:3–7). The theme of the vineyard's change appears again in Isaiah 27 and in Jesus's teachings (Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1).

• my beloved: This refers to the Lord. The prophet was singing this song on the Lord’s behalf.

• At first, the song seems like a love song. But by Isaiah 5:3, readers realize it is actually a complaint.

• For more on Israel as God’s vineyard, see also Isaiah 3:14; Matthew 21:33–46; John 15:1–17.

The Lord cared for his vineyard like an expert farmer. He watched it closely, planting the best vines for sweet grapes. God expected much from Israel as his people (see Exodus 19:5–6), so their bitter grapes (their unrighteous deeds) were useless and disappointing (compare Galatians 5:22–23).

• Clearly, the Lord had kindly done everything possible for the vineyard. He was not responsible for the bitter grapes.

• I extort you to judge: Isaiah wanted the audience to condemn the vineyard before revealing that they were the vineyard themselves (Isaiah 5:7). This rhetorical tactic is similar to the one Nathan used to confront David (2 Samuel 12:1–5).

The Lord promised to turn his vineyard, Israel, into a desolate place because it was only fit for destruction. Later, Isaiah prophesied that Israel would transform from desolation to fruitful vitality (see Isaiah 55:13).

Sometimes, the lack of rain was seen as a divine judgment (Deuteronomy 28:23–24; Haggai 1:11; 2:16). This was particularly harmful to a society that relied heavily on farming.

• The identification of Israel as the vineyard is a surprise. It resolves the riddle of the passage.

• Here, a clever play on Hebrew words is used to accuse Israel. The Lord expected justice (Hebrew mishpat) but saw only oppression (mispakh) of the needy. Instead of righteousness (tsedaqah), there were cries of violence (tse‘aqah) against the poor (see Isaiah 1:21–23). These similar-sounding words make the message memorable.

Woe: The first warning of judgment was against oppressive greed. People took properties, like houses and fields, illegally. The new owners were bullies who used every method to get richer at the expense of the poor (see 1 Kings 21:1–29; Amos 2:6–7).

This section contains six pronouncements of sorrow. They are six warnings of dreadful judgment (Isaiah 5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22). These sorrows highlight some of the "sour grapes" produced by the vineyard of Israel (5:1–7).

As with drought (Isaiah 5:5–6), the reduction of crops was at times a divine judgment (see Haggai 1:6, 9; 2:16).

Woe: The second threat of judgment concerns indulgent lifestyles (lives centered on pleasure and excess). The language in this section shows a life of moral corruption. The people live for pleasure while ignoring justice and righteousness.

These people are self-indulgent and content. They do not think about the Lord. They are too busy enjoying their drunken parties to consider why things went wrong. They do not reflect on why God sent no rain or why they lost a battle.

• Israel and Judah would go into exile to Assyria in 722 BC and to Babylon in 586 BC.

• The people did not respond to the Lord because they did not truly know him (see Isaiah 1:3). They likely knew about him, but their behavior showed that they did not have a close relationship with him.

The grave (Hebrew Sheol) represented the place of the dead in ancient Near Eastern thinking (see Isaiah 14:9).

God's rule is always fair and right, and he will be honored for his justice. When he is honored, oppressors will face judgment (see Isaiah 1:21–23).

Woe: The third threat of judgment was against those who mocked and openly disrespected God's authority.

God's ropes were "cords of kindness, with ropes of love" for Israel (Hosea 11:4).

• The people challenged God to hurry and act. They wanted him to prove that he truly exists and rules the world.

  The verb hurry translates two Hebrew verbs:

  • maher (“be quick”)

  • khush (“be speedy”)

  These same words appear in the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:1).

• God had revealed his plan to Isaiah. The people did not understand that God’s purposes would turn against them. Instead of bringing the kind of help they expected, God’s action would bring judgment.

• Woe: The fourth threat of judgment was against a lack of integrity.

• evil good … darkness to light … sweet with bitter: This distorted view of life corrupts God's holy order.

Woe: The fifth threat of judgment was about the folly (foolishness) of self-deception. Self-deception means lying to oneself. The people believed they were wise and clever. They trusted their own understanding instead of trusting the Lord.

Woe: The sixth threat of judgment was against the indulgent lifestyle of the wicked.

• The image of rotting roots reflects human transience (the short and fragile nature of human life; see Isaiah 11:1; 27:6; 37:31).

• To despise the Lord’s word means to reject or ignore it. It means living without concern for obeying what God has said.

  This attitude leads to folly (foolish living) and ruin (Proverbs 1:30; 5:12; 15:5).

mountains quake: This describes God’s wrath against sinners. The prophets often express God’s anger as the shaking of the earth’s foundations (Isaiah 13:13; 23:11; 24:18–19; 29:6; 54:10). God’s appearance in judgment or salvation through natural events is called a theophany (a visible display of God's presence). In these moments, God reveals himself through smoke, darkness, lightning, or earthquake (see Isaiah 6:1–4, 6; 13:13; Exodus 19:18–19; Psalm 18:7–15; Micah 1:3–4; Revelation 8:5; 16:17–18; 18:21–22).

• The signal was a banner raised on a long pole. It was often placed on a high hill so people could see it from far away (see also Isaiah 13:2; 18:3; 30:17).

  In Isaiah, the phrase a banner for the distant nations appears many times. Sometimes it calls nations to join in battle, as in this passage. In other places, it calls them to share in salvation (Isaiah 11:10, 12; 49:22; 62:10).

• The distant nations here refer to the Assyrians and Babylonians. God used them as instruments (tools) of judgment. Assyria conquered Israel in 722 BC. Babylon destroyed Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC.

  Isaiah describes them as wild animals called in to trample the vineyard (Isaiah 5:1–7). They would fiercely attack Israel and Judah until God's judgment was complete (Isaiah 5:27–30).

• that day: see study note on Isaiah 2:5–22.

• In Old Testament prophecy, darkness often represents God’s alienation (separation), wrath, and judgment (see also Isaiah 8:22). By contrast, light stands for God’s holy presence and blessing (see especially Isaiah 60:2, 19).