Isaiah 5:2

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

And he fenced {H5823} it, and gathered out the stones {H5619} thereof, and planted {H5193} it with the choicest vine {H8321}, and built {H1129} a tower {H4026} in the midst {H8432} of it, and also made {H2672} a winepress {H3342} therein: and he looked {H6960} that it should bring forth {H6213} grapes {H6025}, and it brought forth {H6213} wild grapes {H891}.

He dug up its stones and cleared them away, planted it with the choicest vines, built a watchtower in the middle of it, and carved out in its rock a winepress. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only sour, wild grapes.

He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour!

and he digged it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Commentary on Isaiah 5:2 (KJV)

Isaiah 5:2 is part of the "Song of the Vineyard," a powerful allegory presented by the prophet Isaiah. This verse describes the meticulous care and immense effort invested by the owner of a vineyard, who represents the Lord God Himself, in preparing and cultivating His chosen people, Israel. The imagery is rich with ancient agricultural practices.

Context

This verse is the second part of a detailed description of a vineyard's preparation, building upon the introduction in Isaiah 5:1. The entire passage (Isaiah 5:1-7) vividly portrays God's diligent work and provision for Israel, culminating in His disappointment over their failure to produce righteousness. The "vineyard of the Lord of hosts" is explicitly identified as "the house of Israel" in Isaiah 5:7, and His expectation was for "judgment" (justice) and "righteousness."

Key Themes

  • Divine Investment and Care: The verse highlights God's extraordinary effort. "He fenced it" (protecting it), "gathered out the stones thereof" (clearing obstacles), "planted it with the choicest vine" (selecting the best), "built a tower" (for watchfulness and protection), and "made a winepress therein" (providing all necessary infrastructure for fruit production). This symbolizes God's covenant relationship and His generous provision for Israel.
  • High Expectations: The phrase "he looked that it should bring forth grapes" underscores God's reasonable expectation that His investment would yield good fruit, aligning with His divine purpose for His people.
  • Profound Disappointment: The stark contrast, "and it brought forth wild grapes," reveals the vineyard's utter failure to meet expectations. This represents Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness, their deviation from God's laws, and their production of injustice and oppression instead of righteousness.

Linguistic Insights

The term translated "wild grapes" in the KJV comes from the Hebrew word b'ushim (בְּאֻשִׁים), which literally means "stinkers" or "foul-smelling things." This isn't just sour or inferior grapes; it implies something rotten, offensive, and utterly worthless. It emphasizes the severity of Israel's spiritual decay and the bitter disappointment it caused God, despite His perfect planting of the "choicest vine" (soreq, a noble and highly esteemed variety).

Practical Application

Isaiah 5:2 offers timeless lessons for believers today. Just as God meticulously cared for His vineyard, He continues to invest in His people, providing spiritual nourishment, protection, and guidance. The expectation remains that we, as branches connected to Christ, the true vine, should bear good fruit—fruit of righteousness, love, and obedience. This verse serves as a powerful reminder to examine our own lives: are we producing the "good grapes" that honor God and bless others, or are we, despite His abundant provision, yielding "wild grapes" of sin and unfruitfulness?

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, 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. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 2:21

    Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

  • Deuteronomy 32:32

    For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their clusters [are] bitter:

  • Deuteronomy 32:33

    Their wine [is] the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.

  • Isaiah 1:2

    ¶ Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

  • Isaiah 1:4

    Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

  • Mark 11:13

    And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not [yet].

  • 1 Corinthians 9:7

    Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

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