Isaiah Chapter 5 — The Song of the Vineyard
This chapter features a parable about a neglected vineyard representing Israel and a series of warnings against social injustice and moral decay.
1Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard.
2He dug it up,
3“Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?
5Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard.
6I will lay it a wasteland.
7For the vineyard of the LORD of Armies is the house of Israel,
8Woe to those who join house to house,
9In my ears, the LORD of Armies says: “Surely many houses will be desolate,
10For ten acres*literally, ten yokes, or the amount of land that ten yokes of oxen can plow in one day, which is about 10 acres or 4 hectares. of vineyard shall yield one bath,†1 bath is about 22 liters or 5.8 U. S. gallons
11Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink,
12The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts;
13Therefore my people go into captivity for lack of knowledge.
14Therefore Sheol*Sheol is the place of the dead. has enlarged its desire,
15So man is brought low,
16but the LORD of Armies is exalted in justice,
17Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture,
18Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood,
19who say, “Let him make haste, let him hasten his work, that we may see it;
20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
22Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine,
23who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
24Therefore as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,
25Therefore the LORD’s anger burns against his people,
26He will lift up a banner to the nations from far away,
27No one shall be weary nor stumble among them;
28whose arrows are sharp,
29Their roaring will be like a lioness.
30They will roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Isaiah 5:7
“For the vineyard of the LORD of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry.”
This verse provides the key to the chapter's opening parable, identifying the vineyard as the nation and the expected fruit as justice.
Isaiah 5:20
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
This is a frequently cited verse describing the total reversal of moral values within a corrupt society.
Chapter Summary
Isaiah 5 begins with the 'Song of the Vineyard,' a parable where a well-tended vineyard fails to produce good fruit, symbolizing God's disappointment with the house of Israel and Judah. Because the people produced 'wild grapes' of oppression rather than justice, the protector of the vineyard promises to remove its hedge and leave it desolate. The text then transitions into a series of 'woes' directed at specific sins: land-grabbing greed, excessive indulgence in wine and music while ignoring God’s deeds, mocking divine judgment, and moral inversion—calling evil good. The chapter concludes with a vivid description of an approaching foreign army, summoned by a signal from the Lord, which will bring darkness and distress upon the land as a consequence of these transgressions and the rejection of the law.
Frequently Asked Questions
The text explicitly states that the vineyard of the Lord of Armies represents the house of Israel and the people of Judah. It illustrates God's care for His people and His expectation that they would produce the 'fruit' of justice and righteousness.
The chapter lists several 'woes' or warnings against specific behaviors, including greed in land ownership, drunkenness, mocking God's work, and confusing moral boundaries by calling evil good. Each woe identifies a specific social or spiritual failing.
It describes the Lord lifting a banner to summon a distant nation whose army is tireless, well-armed, and fierce like lions. This army will bring darkness and sorrow to the land as a consequence of the people's disobedience.
Study Note
The 'Song of the Vineyard' uses a literary form known as a juridical parable, designed to lead the audience to pronounce judgment on themselves before the true subject of the story is revealed.
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