Isaiah 7:25

And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

And on all hills {H2022} that shall be digged {H5737} with the mattock {H4576}, there shall not come thither {H935} the fear {H3374} of briers {H8068} and thorns {H7898}: but it shall be for the sending forth {H4916} of oxen {H7794}, and for the treading {H4823} of lesser cattle {H7716}.

You won't visit hills once worked with a hoe, for fear of the briars and thorns; it will be good only for pasturing cattle and being trampled down by sheep.

For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample.

And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not come thither for fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep.

Context

Isaiah 7:25 is part of a series of prophecies delivered by the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz of Judah during the Syro-Ephraimite War. Ahaz was facing a coalition of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) and was considering an alliance with Assyria, against God's counsel. This chapter, particularly from verse 17 onwards, describes the devastating consequences of Ahaz's lack of faith, foretelling a severe Assyrian invasion that would bring widespread desolation to the land of Judah. The preceding verses (Isaiah 7:23-24) vividly paint a picture of fertile vineyards becoming overgrown with briers and thorns, making cultivation impossible.

Meaning of the Verse

This verse continues the somber prophecy of desolation. While earlier verses describe the struggle against thorns for cultivation, Isaiah 7:25 presents a land so utterly transformed by neglect that the very 'fear of briers and thorns' for agricultural purposes ceases. The land will no longer be 'digged with the mattock' for crops because it will be entirely given over to wild growth. Instead, it will revert to a primitive state, serving only 'for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.' This means the once-cultivated hills will become vast, unmanaged pastures where livestock graze freely, a stark sign of the widespread abandonment and economic decline.

Key Themes

  • Desolation and Decline: The primary theme is the severe judgment leading to the ruination of cultivated land, highlighting the consequences of disobedience.
  • Shift in Land Use: The verse depicts a dramatic change from intensive agriculture to extensive pasturage, reflecting a societal and economic downturn.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The land's desolate state serves as a tangible manifestation of the spiritual condition and choices of the people and their king.
  • God's Sovereignty in Judgment: Even in devastation, God's prophetic word is fulfilled, demonstrating His control over the course of history.

Linguistic Insights

The term 'mattock' (Hebrew: ma‘der) refers to a hoe or grubbing tool, emphasizing the laborious nature of traditional farming. The phrase 'there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns' might seem counterintuitive. It doesn't imply relief from thorns, but rather that the struggle against them for cultivation will cease because cultivation itself has stopped. The land is so completely given over to wildness that the notion of fearing thorns in an agricultural context becomes irrelevant; it simply becomes wild grazing land for livestock.

Practical Application

Isaiah 7:25 serves as a powerful reminder that choices have consequences, particularly when faith is lacking. For King Ahaz, his reliance on human alliances over divine protection led to widespread suffering and the desolation of his nation's agricultural heartland. Spiritually, this verse can symbolize areas of our lives that, through neglect or disobedience, become overgrown and unproductive, reverting to a more basic, less fruitful state. It calls us to consider how we 'tend' our spiritual lives and whether we are cultivating what God desires or allowing 'thorns and briers' to take over, much like the parable of the sower describes in Matthew 13:22. While the verse describes judgment, it subtly points to the enduring usefulness of the land, even in its reduced state, suggesting that God can still find purpose even amidst hardship.

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 13:20

    It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

  • Isaiah 13:22

    And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in [their] pleasant palaces: and her time [is] near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

  • Isaiah 17:2

    The cities of Aroer [are] forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid.

  • Zephaniah 2:6

    And the sea coast shall be dwellings [and] cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

  • Isaiah 5:17

    Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

  • Isaiah 7:21

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;

  • Isaiah 7:22

    And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk [that] they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.

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