Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:1

Isaiah: God controls the nations Isaiah declares how God’s people should be living An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Isaiah chapters 1 to 9 www.easyenglish.info Norman Hillyer This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 5 Chapter 5 begins with a parable (a story with a double meaning). A story about a *vineyard v1 I shall sing a song about my friend’s *vineyard. My friend had a *vineyard on a hill where plants grew extremely well. v2 My friend dug the soil and he cleared out the stones. Then he planted the ground with the best *vines. He created a *look-out for a guard. He made a *winepress in the rock. He expected a harvest of good *grapes. But it produced bad *grapes.

v3 Now, inhabitants of *Jerusalem and people in Judah, give judgement between me and my *vineyard. v4 I did all that I could to benefit my *vineyard. I expected a harvest of good *grapes. But it has produced only bad *grapes. v5 I shall tell you what I shall do to my *vineyard. I shall remove its hedges. I shall break up its wall. I shall let animals walk upon the *vineyard and ruin it. v6 I shall make my *vineyard waste ground. Nobody will look after it. It will be full of weeds. I shall command the clouds not to rain on it.

v7 The nation called Israel is like the *vineyard of the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies). The people in Judah are like the *vines that he looked after. The *Lord expected right behaviour. Instead there was murder. He expected his people to deal fairly. Instead there were cries of poor people who suffered.

Verses 1-2

The ‘friend’ means God. The *vineyard means God’s special people, whom he chose. The *vineyard should have produced wonderful red *grapes. The soil was very good. God had made all possible preparations for a rich harvest.

Verses 4-7

Like the *vineyard in the story, God’s special people have been a bitter disappointment to him. God now removes all his protection and care. The result is terrible. *Self-centred people v8 *Woe to you who build more and more houses and buy more and more fields! No room will remain for anybody else because you will possess the whole land for yourselves. v9 Then Isaiah heard the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) make a serious promise. He will ruin many houses and he will empty large and beautiful homes. v10 Ten fields of *vines will yield only one barrel of juice. And whatever quantity of seed that the farmer sows will produce only one tenth of the quantity of grain. v11 *Woe to those who get up early in the morning in a hurry to drink beer! And then they continue to drink until late at night. By then they have become drunks. v12 They are so concentrating on their drinks and musical entertainment that their understanding (mind) is dull (unaware).

They do not care about the *Lord. So they do not realise what he is doing.

Verse 8

God created the land. So it really belongs to him (see Leviticus 25:23).

Verse 10

God controls nature. He uses it to express his judgement.

Verses 11-12

People’s self-interest totally fills their lives. Their conscience no longer warns them about the result of their behaviour. No thought about God enters their minds. God’s judgement v13 Therefore, enemies will take away many of my people to be prisoners in a foreign country. This is because my people have no knowledge of God. Their leaders will die because they have no food. Crowds will die because they have no water. v14 *Sheol is like an animal that opens wide its mouth. It is eagerly waiting to swallow the noble leaders of *Jerusalem and its noisy crowds. v15 Human beings (people) will discover that they have no strength. Noble and powerful men will suddenly become unimportant.

Proud men and women will know shame. v16 The *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) will show how truly great and holy he is by his perfectly fair judgements. v17 Young sheep and young goats will continue to find food to eat in their fields of grass. But also in the towns that enemies have ruined.

Verse 15

The result of God’s judgement is the collapse (total end) of society as people knew it.

Verse 17

Nobody remains to look after the farmer’s animals. People who refuse a moral life v18 People are unable to free themselves from their wicked practices. v19 They even insult the Holy God of Israel and invite him to punish them. ‘Be quick and punish us! We want to see what you can do!’ v20 *Woe to those people! They say that evil things are good. And they say that good things are evil. They say that black is white. And they say that white is black. They say that bitter things are sweet. And they say that sweet things are bitter. v21 *Woe to people who consider that they themselves are so wise. They believe themselves to be so clever. v22 *Woe to people who are so great – so great to be able to drink much alcohol. And so brave – so brave to mix strong drinks. v23 They free a guilty man because of a secret gift. But they send an innocent man to prison.

Verse 18

People continue to behave wickedly until their own evil habits control them. Then they become like prisoners. They cannot even change their attitudes in order to do the right things.

Verse 19

Such people decide that God has no place in their lives.

Verse 20

Their behaviour becomes the exact opposite of God’s standards for his people.

Verse 23

And they even consider that they are above the laws of their country. God’s judgement v24 Therefore wicked people will disappear like straw on fire. They will vanish like flowers that die. Dead flowers will turn into dust that the wind carries off. This is because such people have refused to obey the instruction of the *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies). And they do not respect the word of the Holy God of Israel. v25 That is why the *Lord became extremely angry. He struck his people with great force.

Even the mountains shook. Dead bodies lay in the streets like so much rubbish. But the *Lord’s great anger is still ready to strike again. v26 God will signal to a distant nation and he will call it from the ends of the earth. Its army will arrive with great speed. v27 Not a soldier tires or trips. None rests or sleeps. Not a belt or shoe needs attention. v28 Their arrows are sharp.

Their bows are ready. Their horses’ feet are like iron. The wheels of their carriages for war spin like the wind. v29 Their soldiers roar like lions. The soldiers *seize God’s people and carry them off. And nobody can save them. v30 When that day comes, enemies will roar over God’s people. The sound will be like the roar of the sea.

Look at Israel’s land! Despair is everywhere. Black clouds even cover the sky.

Verse 24

God’s judgement upon people who will not obey him will be sudden and total. His judgement is not mere words.

Verse 25

He uses nature. This includes a great *earthquake (see Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5). Bodies that nobody has buried are a common sight after a major *earthquake.

Verses 26-29

And God uses nations. He will send powerful enemies, first the *Assyrians, and then the *Babylonians.

Verse 30

In all directions, people see nothing but trouble. Their future is without hope.

© 2007, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

February 2007

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