Isaiah 5:5

And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

And now go to; I will tell {H3045} you what I will do {H6213} to my vineyard {H3754}: I will take away {H5493} the hedge {H4881} thereof, and it shall be eaten up {H1197}; and break down {H6555} the wall {H1447} thereof, and it shall be trodden down {H4823}:

Now come, I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge, and [its grapes] will be eaten up; I will break through its fence, and [its vines] will be trampled down.

Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled.

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Commentary

Isaiah 5:5 is a stark declaration of divine judgment, following the "Song of the Vineyard" (Isaiah 5:1-7). In this prophetic allegory, the vineyard represents the nation of Israel, specifically the house of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. God, the diligent owner, had invested heavily in His vineyard, providing every possible protection and care, expecting it to yield good fruit – justice and righteousness.

Context of the Verse

The preceding verses (Isaiah 5:1-4) describe God's meticulous care for His vineyard: choosing a fertile hill, clearing stones, planting choice vines, building a tower, and even hewing out a winepress. Despite this immense investment, the vineyard produced "wild grapes" – a metaphor for oppression and injustice. Isaiah 5:5 marks the turning point, where God explains the severe consequences of this unfruitfulness. He reveals His intention to withdraw His protective hand, leaving the vineyard vulnerable to destruction.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment: The verse clearly articulates God's decision to bring judgment upon His people due to their persistent sin and failure to produce the expected spiritual fruit.
  • Loss of Protection: The "hedge" and "wall" symbolize God's divine safeguarding over Israel. Their removal signifies the withdrawal of His protection, exposing the nation to external threats and internal decay.
  • Consequences of Unfaithfulness: This verse underscores the principle that blessings and protection are often contingent upon faithfulness. When God's people turn away from Him, they forfeit the benefits of His covenant.
  • God's Sovereignty and Justice: It highlights God's absolute authority to act according to His righteous character, executing justice when His grace and patience are continually spurned.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses "hedge" (Hebrew: gader) and "wall" (Hebrew: chomah or also gader depending on context, implying a stone wall or fence). Both terms denote protective barriers around a vineyard, crucial for warding off animals and trespassers. Their removal means utter exposure. "Eaten up" (Hebrew: ba'ar) suggests consumption by animals or being completely cleared away, while "trodden down" (Hebrew: mirmas) implies being trampled and utterly ruined by people or livestock, signifying complete devastation and disregard. This imagery vividly portrays the desolate state that would befall the unfaithful vineyard.

Related Scriptures

The imagery of Israel as God's vineyard is a recurring theme in Scripture. You can find similar metaphors in Psalm 80:8-16 and Jeremiah 2:21. Jesus Himself later uses this very allegory in the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen in Matthew 21:33-41, drawing directly from Isaiah's prophecy to illustrate God's patience and eventual judgment upon those who reject His Son. The consequences of disobedience are also extensively detailed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Practical Application

For believers today, Isaiah 5:5 serves as a potent reminder of several truths:

  • Accountability for Blessings: God blesses and provides, expecting spiritual fruit in return. We are called to bear fruit worthy of repentance and faith (Matthew 3:8).
  • Warning Against Complacency: We should never assume God's protection or grace will remain if we persistently live in disobedience or spiritual apathy.
  • Call to Repentance: The removal of protection is a severe consequence of sin. This verse encourages self-examination and a turning back to God to prevent such judgment.

Ultimately, Isaiah 5:5 warns that divine patience has limits, and unfaithfulness leads to the withdrawal of God's hand of protection, leaving one vulnerable to the destructive forces of the world.

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

  • Lamentations 1:15

    The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty [men] in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, [as] in a winepress.

  • Isaiah 28:18

    And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

  • Luke 21:24

    And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

  • Genesis 11:4

    And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

  • Deuteronomy 28:49

    The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

  • Deuteronomy 28:52

    And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

  • Genesis 11:7

    Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
← Back