Isaiah 51:21

Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

Therefore hear {H8085} now this, thou afflicted {H6041}, and drunken {H7937}, but not with wine {H3196}:

Therefore, please hear this in your affliction, you who are drunk, but not with wine;

Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine.

Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

Isaiah 51:21 delivers a powerful and poignant message from God to His afflicted people, particularly the exiles in Babylon. It sets the stage for a dramatic shift from judgment to divine intervention and comfort.

Context of Isaiah 51:21

This verse is situated within the "Book of Comfort" in Isaiah (chapters 40-66), which offers hope and reassurance to the Jewish people during their period of exile. The preceding verses, especially Isaiah 51:17-20, vividly describe Jerusalem's devastated state, having "drunk the cup of trembling" and reeling from God's judgment. The prophet addresses the nation directly, identifying their profound suffering and disorientation, preparing them for a message of impending relief.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Compassion for the Afflicted: God directly addresses His people in their lowest state, acknowledging their suffering ("thou afflicted"). This highlights His intimate awareness of their pain and His willingness to intervene.
  • Spiritual Stupor, Not Physical Intoxication: The phrase "drunken, but not with wine" is a powerful metaphor. It describes a state of profound disorientation, helplessness, and stupor caused by overwhelming suffering, the consequences of sin, or the severe judgment they had experienced. It's a spiritual and emotional "drunkenness" that leaves them unable to help themselves or discern a path forward.
  • Transition to Deliverance: This verse serves as a pivotal moment, signaling that God is about to change their circumstances. It precedes the promise that the cup of wrath will be taken from them and given to their oppressors (as seen in Isaiah 51:22).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "afflicted" (עֲנִיָּה, aniyāh) conveys a sense of deep distress, humility, and oppression. The metaphorical "drunkenness" is particularly striking. It paints a picture of a people utterly overwhelmed, staggering under the weight of their calamities, not from alcohol, but from the staggering blows of divine discipline and the ensuing chaos and despair. This imagery effectively communicates their utter incapacitation and desperate need for external intervention.

Practical Application

Isaiah 51:21 speaks powerfully to anyone who feels overwhelmed and disoriented by life's trials, the consequences of past mistakes, or the weight of the world.

  • God Sees Your Suffering: Even when we feel utterly lost or spiritually numb, God sees our "affliction" and our state of "drunkenness" (disorientation). He addresses us directly.
  • Hope Beyond Despair: This verse reminds us that even in our deepest stupor, God is about to speak words of hope and initiate deliverance. He promises to remove the burden that has incapacitated us.
  • Seeking Divine Intervention: When we are "drunken, but not with wine"—overwhelmed by stress, grief, anxiety, or spiritual apathy—we are called to listen for God's voice, for He alone can bring clarity, comfort, and restoration.
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.

  • Isaiah 51:17

    ¶ Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.

  • Isaiah 29:9

    ¶ Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

  • Isaiah 54:11

    ¶ O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, [and] not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

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