Isaiah 5:19

KJV

That say, Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]!

KJV (with Strong's)

That say {H559}, Let him make speed {H4116}, and hasten {H2363} his work {H4639}, that we may see {H7200} it: and let the counsel {H6098} of the Holy One {H6918} of Israel {H3478} draw nigh {H7126} and come {H935}, that we may know {H3045} it!

Complete Jewish Bible

They say, "We want God to speed up his work, to hurry it along, so we can see it! We want the Holy One of Isra'el's plan to come true right now, so we can be sure of it!"

Berean Standard Bible

to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”

American Standard Version

that say, Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 5:19 vividly portrays the audacious spiritual rebellion of Judah, who, entrenched in their sin and dismissive of divine warnings, mockingly challenge God to accelerate His promised judgment. They cynically demand that the "work" and "counsel" of the "Holy One of Israel" manifest swiftly, not out of a desire for righteousness or a longing for God's intervention, but from a hardened heart of unbelief that doubts God's power and willingness to act. This verse serves as a chilling indictment of those who, through their profound arrogance and spiritual complacency, presume upon divine patience and scorn the certainty of God's righteous reckoning.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 5:19 is strategically placed within a scathing prophetic indictment of Judah, immediately following the poignant "Song of the Vineyard" in [Isaiah 5:1-7](/isaiah/5-1-7 "Isaiah 5:1-7 - The Song of the Vineyard"). This song metaphorically depicts God's meticulous cultivation and care for His people, only for them to yield "wild grapes," symbolizing their pervasive injustice and oppression. The chapter then transitions into a series of six "woes" (found in [Isaiah 5:8-23](/isaiah/5-8-23 "Isaiah 5:8-23 - Six Woes Against Judah")), each condemning a specific societal sin prevalent in Judah. Verse 19 serves as the climactic conclusion to the second woe (specifically [Isaiah 5:18-19](/isaiah/5-18-19 "Isaiah 5:18-19 - Drawing Iniquity with Cords of Vanity")), which begins by condemning those who "draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope." This powerful imagery illustrates a people not merely indulging in sin, but actively, laboriously, and eagerly pulling it towards themselves, becoming increasingly bound and entangled by their own wickedness. Their defiant challenge in verse 19 is the natural, arrogant culmination of such deep-seated rebellion, a direct taunt hurled at the very God whose judgment they are actively inviting.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophet Isaiah ministered in Judah during the tumultuous 8th century BCE, a period characterized by significant political instability and severe moral decay. The formidable Assyrian Empire posed an ever-present and looming threat, yet Judah frequently sought unreliable alliances with foreign powers rather than placing their trust in the Lord. Culturally, there was a widespread erosion of covenant fidelity, leading to rampant social injustice, insatiable greed, pervasive drunkenness, and profound spiritual arrogance, particularly among the ruling elite and wealthy classes. The "woes" detailed in [Isaiah 5](/isaiah/5 "Isaiah 5 - The Song of the Vineyard and Woes") directly reflect these specific societal ills. In this context, the people's demand for God to "hasten his work" was not a sincere plea for divine intervention or justice, but a cynical expression of their deep-seated belief that God was either impotent, indifferent, or even non-existent. They had become so entrenched in their sinful ways and so dismissive of prophetic warnings that they dared the very God of Israel to prove Himself, an act of profound hubris in a culture that historically understood divine intervention and judgment as tangible and real possibilities.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Judgment and its Inevitability**, asserting that despite human scoffing and defiance, God's "counsel" will indeed "draw nigh and come." Their rebellion does not alter God's sovereign plan or the certainty of His righteous reckoning. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **Spiritual Blindness and Arrogance**, where God's warnings are met with derision and skepticism rather than contrite repentance. The people's demand to "see" and "know" God's work is born of a hardened, rebellious heart, not a sincere desire for truth or spiritual understanding, echoing the spiritual insensitivity warned against in [Isaiah 6:9-10](/isaiah/6-9 "Isaiah 6:9-10 - Hearts Hardened and Ears Deafened"). Lastly, the recurring and significant title "Holy One of Israel" (used 25 times throughout the book of Isaiah, notably in [Isaiah 1:4](/isaiah/1-4 "Isaiah 1:4 - The Holy One of Israel Despised")) emphasizes God's absolute moral purity, transcendent majesty, and His covenant relationship with His people, standing in stark contrast to the unholiness and moral corruption of His rebellious people. By challenging the "Holy One of Israel," they directly confront the very nature and character of the God who graciously entered into covenant with them, thereby magnifying the egregious nature of their insolence. This profound tension between God's perfect holiness and human sin is a central theological theme throughout the book, ultimately pointing to the desperate need for a divine solution to human depravity, a solution found in the coming Messiah, as powerfully foreshadowed in passages like [Isaiah 7:14](/isaiah/7-14 "Isaiah 7:14 - Prophecy of Immanuel") and [Isaiah 9:6-7](/isaiah/9-6-7 "Isaiah 9:6-7 - The Child Born for Us").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **hasten (Hebrew, _mâhar'_):** (H4116) This primitive root means "to hurry," "to be liquid or flow easily," or "to be eager with excitement." In Isaiah 5:19, it is employed in a deeply sarcastic and taunting sense by the people, implying that God is either slow, hesitant, or incapable of acting. Their defiant challenge, "Let him make speed, and hasten his work," is a dare for God to "hurry up" and prove Himself, reflecting their profound disdain for divine timing and their arrogant presumption of God's impotence in the face of their wickedness.
* **counsel (Hebrew, _ʻêtsâh'_):** (H6098) Derived from a root meaning "to advise," this word signifies "advice," "plan," or "purpose." In this specific context, it refers to God's deliberate, sovereign, and predetermined plan for judgment and, implicitly, for future redemption. The people mockingly demand that this divine "counsel" or "purpose" "draw nigh and come," highlighting their profound unbelief in the wisdom, certainty, and inevitability of God's predetermined will and His active involvement in human affairs.
* **know (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ'_):** (H3045) This highly versatile primitive root encompasses a wide variety of meanings related to "knowing," including "to ascertain by seeing," "to perceive," "to experience," or "to recognize." The people's cynical demand "that we may know it" is not an expression of a sincere desire for intimate, covenantal knowledge of God or His ways. Instead, it is a challenge for empirical, undeniable proof of His existence or power, a demand for God to reveal His judgment in a way that satisfies their skeptical, rebellious, and hardened hearts, rather than through faith or obedience.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"That say, Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]:"** This opening clause introduces the defiant and scornful voice of the people of Judah. Their words are a sarcastic dare, challenging God to accelerate His promised "work," which refers to the divine judgment that the prophet Isaiah has been faithfully proclaiming. The phrase "that we may see it" expresses their demand for tangible, immediate, and undeniable evidence of God's power, a demand born not of genuine faith but of a hardened skepticism that dismisses God's warnings as empty threats and His timing as tardiness.
* **"and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]!"** This second clause reiterates and intensifies the people's audacious challenge. "The counsel of the Holy One of Israel" refers to God's sovereign, righteous plan and purpose, particularly His unwavering intention to bring just judgment upon their pervasive sin. The people audaciously demand that this divine plan "draw nigh and come," implying that it is either perpetually delayed or entirely non-existent. Their desire "that we may know it" is a cynical craving for empirical proof, a defiant refusal to believe in God's active presence and power until they are forcibly confronted with the undeniable reality of His justice and sovereign will.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 5:19 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey the profound depth of Judah's spiritual rebellion and arrogance. **Irony** is central to the verse, as the people unwittingly demand the very judgment they least desire, operating under the deluded belief that it will never actually materialize. Their taunt, "Let him make speed, and hasten his work," is steeped in biting **Sarcasm** and outright **Mockery**, revealing a profound contempt for God's divine authority, His infinite patience, and the certainty of His word. The repeated use of verbs of action and proximity—"make speed," "hasten," "draw nigh," "come"—serves to underscore the people's impatient, challenging, and demanding tone, as if God is tardy, impotent, or simply unwilling to act. Furthermore, the powerful and frequently used title **"Holy One of Israel"** functions as a stark **Contrast** to the unholy, rebellious, and morally corrupt nature of the people, thereby heightening the egregious audacity of their challenge. This epithet emphasizes God's absolute moral purity, His transcendent majesty, and His covenant faithfulness, making their insolence all the more profound and offensive in the divine economy.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 5:19 stands as a stark and timeless reminder of humanity's persistent propensity to scoff at divine warnings and to presumptuously test the limits of God's patience. The people's cynical challenge to the "Holy One of Israel" reveals a dangerous spiritual arrogance, where God's perceived delay in judgment is arrogantly interpreted as indifference, impotence, or even non-existence, rather than as a gracious opportunity for repentance. This attitude is a profound affront to God's absolute sovereignty and the unwavering certainty of His prophetic word. The verse implicitly but powerfully affirms that God's "counsel" and "work" will indeed "draw nigh and come," demonstrating unequivocally that human defiance, no matter how audacious, cannot thwart divine purpose or alter the course of God's righteous plan. It highlights the inherent tension between God's long-suffering nature, which extends grace and time for repentance, and the ultimate inevitability of His righteous judgment, serving as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency, hardened hearts, and the profound folly of underestimating the living and sovereign God.

* [2 Peter 3:3-4](/2_peter/3-3-4 "2 Peter 3:3-4 - Scoffers in the Last Days"): This New Testament passage speaks of scoffers who will emerge in the last days, mockingly asking, "Where is the promise of his coming?" directly echoing the cynical and defiant challenge of Isaiah 5:19.
* [Psalm 14:1](/psalms/14-1 "Psalm 14:1 - The Fool Says There Is No God"): The sentiment of daring God to act, or denying His active presence and power, profoundly reflects the foolishness described in this psalm, where the heart declares, "There is no God," or acts as if there is none.
* [Isaiah 55:11](/isaiah/55-11 "Isaiah 55:11 - God's Word Will Not Return Void"): This verse powerfully declares God's absolute faithfulness, stating that His word, whether of promise or judgment, "shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it," directly refuting the scoffing and doubting attitude expressed in Isaiah 5:19.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 5:19 serves as a profound and sobering warning against the insidious dangers of spiritual arrogance and a dismissive attitude towards God's clear warnings. In our contemporary world, it is remarkably easy to become desensitized to spiritual truths, to question God's divine timing, or to subtly assume that God will not ultimately hold us accountable for our actions. This verse calls us to a necessary posture of profound humility and reverent awe, reminding us that God's patience is never an endorsement of sin but always a gracious invitation to genuine repentance. We must vigilantly guard against the pervasive temptation to mock, disregard, or minimize prophetic warnings, whether they come directly from Scripture or through the Spirit's convicting voice, understanding with absolute certainty that God's "counsel" and "work" will indeed come to pass. Our faith is not to be placed in a distant, indifferent, or impotent deity, but in the "Holy One of Israel" whose word is eternally certain, whose character is perfectly just, and whose judgment is ultimately inevitable. To approach God's revealed word and His warnings with anything less than serious consideration and humble obedience is to walk a perilous path, inviting the very consequences we might presumptuously assume to avoid.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of my life might I be subtly or overtly challenging God's timing or His promised consequences for sin?**
* **How does my personal response to spiritual warnings and biblical admonitions reflect either genuine humility or dangerous arrogance?**
* **What does it truly mean to "know" God in a saving and transformative way, and how does that differ fundamentally from merely demanding empirical proof of His existence or power?**
* **How can I actively cultivate a deeper reverence for the "Holy One of Israel" and a greater conviction regarding the absolute certainty of His word in my daily life and decisions?**

### FAQ

**What does the phrase "Holy One of Israel" signify in this context?**

Answer: The title "Holy One of Israel" (Hebrew: _qâdôwsh Yisrâʼêl_) is a profoundly significant and recurring epithet for God, particularly prominent in the book of Isaiah, where it appears 25 times. It emphasizes God's absolute moral purity, His transcendent majesty, and His distinct separation from all that is sinful, common, or unholy. In [Isaiah 5:19](/isaiah/5-19 "Isaiah 5:19 - Scoffing at the Holy One"), this revered title stands in stark and dramatic contrast to the pervasive unholiness, moral corruption, and spiritual rebellion of the people of Judah. By challenging the "Holy One of Israel," the people are not merely questioning a distant or abstract deity, but directly confronting the very nature and immutable character of the God who graciously entered into a sacred covenant with them. Their profound insolence and spiritual blindness are magnified by the perfect holiness of the One they mock, thereby highlighting the extreme severity of their spiritual rebellion and their deep misunderstanding of God's essential nature and His covenant demands.

**Why do the people mock God's judgment, and what is the danger in such an attitude?**

Answer: The people mock God's judgment primarily due to a dangerous combination of spiritual blindness, profound arrogance, and a deep-seated unbelief in the reality of divine intervention and accountability. Having become comfortable and entrenched in their wickedness, they presumptuously exploit God's patience, interpreting His perceived delay in judgment as a sign of His impotence, indifference, or even non-existence. They are so deeply immersed in their sin that they cynically dare God to act, demanding empirical proof of His "work" and "counsel." The danger inherent in such an attitude is profound and multifaceted: it hardens the heart against any possibility of genuine repentance, it actively invites the very judgment it so flippantly scoffs at, and it ultimately leads to spiritual destruction and eternal separation from God. As [Proverbs 1:24-33](/proverbs/1-24-33 "Proverbs 1:24-33 - Wisdom's Rejection and Consequences") powerfully warns, those who defiantly reject divine wisdom and mock God's counsel will face dire and inescapable consequences when their anticipated disaster finally strikes. Their mockery reveals a dangerous disconnect from spiritual reality, as God's word, unlike human boasts or empty threats, never returns void but always accomplishes His sovereign purpose ([Isaiah 55:11](/isaiah/55-11 "Isaiah 55:11 - God's Word Accomplishes His Purpose")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 5:19, with its poignant depiction of a rebellious people scoffing at God's impending "work" and "counsel," finds its profound and ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the two comings of Jesus Christ. The "work" of God, which the people cynically demanded to "see," was supremely and perfectly accomplished in the person and redemptive mission of Jesus. His first advent, characterized by humility, grace, and self-sacrifice, was the divine "counsel" drawing "nigh and come" in the form of the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Yet, tragically, just as in Isaiah's day, many scoffed at God's ultimate work in Christ, refusing to "know" Him in faith, demanding signs, and rejecting His divine authority ([Matthew 12:38-39](/matthew/12-38-39 "Matthew 12:38-39 - The Demand for a Sign")). However, God's eternal "counsel" also encompasses a future "work" of ultimate and righteous judgment. The very "Holy One of Israel" whom they mocked and whose counsel they disdained will indeed "draw nigh and come" again, not in humility, but in glorious power, to judge the living and the dead ([Acts 17:30-31](/acts/17-30-31 "Acts 17:30-31 - God Commands All People Everywhere to Repent")). Thus, the defiant challenge of Isaiah 5:19 foreshadows humanity's ongoing struggle with unbelief and spiritual arrogance, yet simultaneously points with unwavering certainty to God's sovereign and unstoppable plan, a plan perfectly fulfilled in Christ's first coming as the Savior of the world and His second coming as the righteous and triumphant Judge, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that [Jesus Christ is Lord](/philippians/2-10-11 "Philippians 2:10-11 - Every Knee Will Bow to Jesus").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 12:22

Son of man, what [is] that proverb [that] ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

Jeremiah 17:15

Behold, they say unto me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now.

Jeremiah 23:36

And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.

2 Peter 3:3

¶ Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2 Peter 3:4

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.

Amos 5:18

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end [is] it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light.

Amos 5:19

As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.