Isaiah 1:30

For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

For ye shall be as an oak {H424} whose leaf {H5929} fadeth {H5034}, and as a garden {H1593} that hath no water {H4325}.

for you will be like an oak whose leaf fades, like a garden without any water.

For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.

For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

Commentary

Isaiah 1:30 delivers a stark warning through vivid imagery, illustrating the desolate outcome for those who forsake the Lord and turn to sin, particularly idolatry. This verse serves as a prophetic judgment against the rebellious people of Judah.

Context

This verse is found within the opening chapter of Isaiah, which begins with a profound indictment from God against His chosen people, Israel (specifically Judah and Jerusalem), for their widespread rebellion and spiritual apostasy. God describes their condition as spiritually sick and morally corrupt, despite His continuous blessings. Verses 28-31 specifically detail the fate of those who reject the Lord, emphasizing the futility and shame of their idolatrous practices. The "oaks" and "gardens" mentioned here directly relate to the pagan worship sites described in Isaiah 1:29, where people engaged in rituals under sacred trees and in cultivated groves, believing they would find fertility or divine favor outside of God.

Key Themes

  • Consequences of Apostasy: The primary message is the inevitable decay and desolation that results from turning away from God. Just as a plant withers without water, so too do people's lives and spiritual vitality diminish when they abandon their divine source.
  • Futility of Idolatry: The "fading oak" and "garden that hath no water" symbolize the ultimate barrenness and shame of trusting in false gods or human constructs instead of the Almighty. What was once seen as a source of strength or fertility (the oak, the garden) becomes a symbol of decay and emptiness because it is disconnected from the true source of life.
  • Divine Judgment: This imagery serves as a prophetic declaration of God's judgment against sin and rebellion. It's a vivid picture of the spiritual and physical ruin that awaits the unrepentant.
  • Spiritual Barrenness: The lack of water signifies spiritual fruitlessness. Lives lived apart from God, or in rebellion against Him, cannot produce lasting good fruit; instead, they become dry and unproductive.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "oak" (often 'elah or 'elim) in this context refers to a strong, often revered tree, sometimes associated with pagan worship sites. The phrase "whose leaf fadeth" emphasizes a decline from vitality to decay, contrary to the oak's usual robustness. The "garden" (gannah) typically signifies a place of beauty and cultivation; however, "that hath no water" transforms it into a symbol of utter desolation and barrenness, highlighting the complete absence of life-sustaining elements.

Reflection and Application

Isaiah 1:30 serves as a timeless warning. It reminds us that true life, strength, and fruitfulness come only from being connected to God, the ultimate source of living water. When individuals or societies turn away from Him, seeking fulfillment in other sources (whether ancient idols or modern pursuits like wealth, power, or self-sufficiency), they inevitably face spiritual barrenness and desolation. This verse calls us to examine our own lives: are we drawing from the wellspring of God's grace, or are we becoming like a shrub in the desert, trusting in human strength? The promise of flourishing is for those who remain rooted in Him, as described in Psalm 1:3, like a tree planted by rivers of water.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 17:5

    ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 17:6

    For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, [in] a salt land and not inhabited.

  • Jeremiah 31:12

    Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

  • Isaiah 58:11

    And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

  • Ezekiel 17:24

    And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done [it].

  • Isaiah 5:6

    And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

  • Ezekiel 17:9

    Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
← Back