Isaiah 32:13

Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns [and] briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy [in] the joyous city:

Upon the land {H127} of my people {H5971} shall come up {H5927} thorns {H6975} and briers {H8068}; yea, upon all the houses {H1004} of joy {H4885} in the joyous {H5947} city {H7151}:

for the land of my people, producing thorns and briars, for all the happy homes in the joyful city.

and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers— even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.

Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

Commentary

Isaiah 32:13 is a prophetic warning from the prophet Isaiah, painting a vivid picture of desolation that would come upon the land of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, often referred to as "the joyous city." The verse signifies a period of judgment and abandonment due to the people's spiritual complacency and disobedience.

Context

This verse is part of a larger prophecy in Isaiah 32, which initially describes a time of judgment and desolation (verses 9-14) that will precede a period of spiritual renewal and blessing (verses 15-20). The prophecy addresses the complacent women of Jerusalem, warning them of coming hardship and the ruin of their once-vibrant city. The "land of my people" refers to Judah, and "the joyous city" is a clear reference to Jerusalem, once a place of celebration and spiritual activity, now threatened with ruin.

Key Themes

  • Desolation and Judgment: The primary message is the impending ruin of the land and its once-joyful places. The growth of "thorns and briers" symbolizes neglect, uncultivation, and the absence of human flourishing.
  • Consequences of Spiritual Neglect: This desolation is not random but a direct result of the people's spiritual apathy and turning away from God. Their "houses of joy" will become unproductive wilderness.
  • Loss of Joy and Prosperity: The stark contrast between "houses of joy" and the encroaching "thorns and briers" highlights the profound loss of happiness, security, and prosperity that accompanies divine judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "thorns and briers" (Hebrew: shamir vashayith) is a recurring motif in prophetic literature, signifying wild, unproductive land and often associated with divine curse or abandonment. It suggests a reversal of cultivation and order, where what was once tended becomes overgrown and untamed. This imagery powerfully conveys the extent of the desolation that would consume the land and its formerly vibrant habitations, mirroring the spiritual barrenness of the people.

Practical Application

Isaiah 32:13 serves as a poignant reminder that spiritual complacency and disobedience can lead to barrenness and desolation, not just in a physical land but also in individual lives and communities. Just as physical neglect allows thorns and briers to choke out productive growth, spiritual neglect can allow sin and apathy to overwhelm areas of life that were once sources of joy and fruitfulness. This verse calls for vigilance and a return to God, understanding that true joy and lasting prosperity come from a right relationship with Him. While a warning, this prophecy also sets the stage for God's ultimate plan of restoration and the pouring out of His Spirit, which would transform the wilderness into a fruitful field.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 22:2

    Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain [men are] not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

  • Isaiah 7:23

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns.

  • Isaiah 34:13

    And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, [and] a court for owls.

  • Hosea 9:6

    For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant [places] for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns [shall be] in their tabernacles.

  • Isaiah 6:11

    Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

  • Hosea 10:8

    The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

  • 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.
← Back