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ISAIAH INSTITUTE TRANSLATION

  Isaiah

5

Isaiah 5

Jehovah’s vineyard yields bad fruit, leading to Assyria’s invasion and covenant curses on offenders.

1 Let me sing for my Beloveda love song about his vineyard:My Beloved had a vineyardon the fertile brow of a hill. 2 He cultivated it, clearing it of stones,and planted it with choice vines.He built a watchtower in its midstand hewed for it a winepress as well.Then he expected it to yield grapes,but it produced wild grapes.
3 Now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and you men of Judea,please judge between me and my vineyard! 4 What more could have been donefor my vineyard than I have done for it?When I expected it to yield grapes,why did it produce wild grapes? 5 Let me now inform youwhat I will do to my vineyard:I will have its hedge removedand let it be burned;I will have its wall broken throughand let it be trampled. 6 I will make it a desolation:it shall neither be pruned nor hoed,but briars and thorns shall overgrow it.Moreover, I will forbid the rainclouds to rain on it.
7 The vineyard of Jehovah of Hosts is the house of Israeland the people of Judah his cherished grove.He expected justice,but there was injustice;he expected righteousness,but there was an outcry.
8 Woe to those who join house to houseand link field to field till no place is left,and you are restricted to dwellin the centers of the land! 9 Jehovah of Hosts spoke this in my hearing:Surely many buildings shall lie desolate,large and fine houses unoccupied. 10 A ten-acrea vineyard shall yield but one bath,ba homerc of seed but an ephah.d
11 Woe to those who go after liquoras soon as they arise in the morning,who linger at night parties, inflamed by wine! 12 There are harps and lyres,drums, flutes, and wine at their banquets,but they regard not what Jehovah does,nor perceive his hands at work.
13 Therefore are my people exiledwithout knowing why;their best men die of famine,their masses perish with thirst. 14 Sheol becomes ravenous,opening its mouth insatiably;into it descend their elite with the masses,their boisterous ones and revelers.
15 Mankind is brought lowwhen men debase themselves,causing the eyes of the high-minded to be downcast. 16 But Jehovah of Hosts will be exaltedby a just judgment,the holy God show himself holyby his righteousness. 17 Then shall his sheep feed in their pasture,and proselytes eat in the ruins of the affluent.
18 Woe to those drawn to sin by vain attachments,hitched to transgression like a trailer, 19 who think, Let him quickly speed up his workso we may see it!Let the plan of the Holy One of Israelsoon come to pass, and we will know!
20 Woe to those who suppose what is evil to be goodand what is good, evil!They put darkness for lightand light for darkness;they make bitterness sweet and the sweet bitter.
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyesand clever in their own view!
22 Woe to those who are valiant at drinking wineand champions at mixing liquor!
23 Woe to those who acquit the guilty for a bribebut deny justice to the innocent! 24 As a blazing fire consumes stubble,and as dry weeds wane before the flame,so shall their roots decay awayand their blossoms fly up like dust.
For they have despised the law of Jehovah of Hostsand reviled the words of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore the anger of Jehovah is kindledagainst his people:he draws back his hand against themand strikes them;the mountains quake, and their corpseslie like litter about the streets.Yet for all this his anger is not abated;his hand is upraised still.
26 He raises an ensign to distant nationsand summons them from beyond the horizon.Forthwith they come, swiftly and speedily. 27 Not one of them grows weary,nor does any stumble;they do not drowse or fall asleep.Their waist-belts come not loosenor their sandal thongs undone. 28 Their arrows are sharp;all their bows are strung.The tread of their warhorses resembles flint;their chariot wheels revolve like a whirlwind. 29 They have the roar of a lion;they are aroused like young lions:growling, they seize the prey, and escape,and none comes to the rescue.
30 He shall be stirred up against them in that day,even as the Sea is stirred up.And should one look to the land,there too shall be a distressing gloom,for the daylight shall be darkenedby an overhanging mist.

  • a10 Hebrew ten-yoke, that is, the land plowed by ten yoke of oxen in one day.
  • b10 About 6 gallons or 22 liters.
  • c10 About 6 bushels or 220 liters
  • d10 A tenth of a homer.


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