Isaiah 1:8 kjv

And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

Isaiah 1:8 nkjv

So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.

Isaiah 1:8 niv

Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.

Isaiah 1:8 esv

And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

Isaiah 1:8 nlt

Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned
like a watchman's shelter in a vineyard,
like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest,
like a helpless city under siege.

Isaiah 1 verses

Isaiah 1 8 Meaning

Isaiah 1:8 paints a vivid and somber picture of the "daughter of Zion," a personification of Jerusalem and its people. The verse portrays Jerusalem as isolated, desolate, and vulnerable, like temporary structures abandoned after a harvest or a city under relentless siege. This imagery communicates the profound extent of Judah's desolation following divine judgment, illustrating how much has been stripped away and how precariously the city stands, a consequence of its rebellion against the Lord.

Isaiah 1 8 Context

Isaiah 1 opens with a powerful indictment from the Lord against Judah and Jerusalem, His "rebellious children." The preceding verses (Isa 1:2-7) detail their widespread spiritual sickness, rejection of God's ways, and the physical ravages brought upon the land. The land is described as devoured by strangers, desolate, and burned with fire (Isa 1:7). Verse 8, therefore, provides a concrete, vivid illustration of this physical devastation as a direct consequence of their spiritual rebellion. It speaks of Jerusalem, personified as the "daughter of Zion," standing isolated and exposed amidst the widespread ruin, like a single vulnerable structure in a ravaged landscape or a city hemmed in by an invading army. Historically, this likely refers to the Assyrian invasions, particularly Sennacherib's campaign in 701 BC, which devastated most of Judah, leaving only Jerusalem standing as an isolated outpost, though spared ultimate conquest at that specific time through divine intervention (Isa 36-37). The immediate context of Isaiah 1:9 also reveals that a "very small remnant" (שְׁאֵרִית, she’arit) was providentially preserved, preventing Jerusalem from being utterly destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus, verse 8 portrays the peak of vulnerability before the mercy of God intervenes.

Isaiah 1 8 Word analysis

• "And the daughter of Zion" (וְהָיְתָה בַת־צִיּוֹן, vəhayətāh vat-Tsiyyōn):
  • bat-Tsiyyōn literally means "Daughter of Zion." This is a tender and intimate personification of Jerusalem, representing either its inhabitants or the city itself, often depicting it as a maiden or princess. Its use here amplifies the tragedy, as it refers to God's specially chosen, cherished city, now depicted in such a forlorn state.
• "is left" (נוֹתָרָה, nōṯārāh):
  • Derived from yāṯar, meaning "to remain, be left over, survive." It emphasizes the state of being solitary and stripped bare. It implies everything else around has been removed, lost, or destroyed, leaving just this one isolated entity. It conveys a sense of abandonment or isolation after a devastating event, particularly a military assault or invasion.
• "as a cottage in a vineyard" (כְּסֻכָּה בְכֶרֶם, kəsuccāh bəḵerem):
  • succāh: A temporary, flimsy shelter or booth, often made of branches and leaves. These were constructed during the grape harvest season for watchmen to guard the crop from animals and thieves.
  • bəḵerem: "in a vineyard."
  • Significance: Such huts were seasonal and would be abandoned after the short harvest, left to decay and offer no real protection. This vividly pictures Jerusalem's utter lack of permanent defense or inhabitants, being easily overlooked or dismantled once its "use" (or protection) was past. It highlights vulnerability and temporariness.
• "as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers" (כִּמְלוּנָה בְמִקְשָׁה, kiməlūnāh bəmiqšāh):
  • məlūnāh: A temporary dwelling or lodge, similar to a sukkah, used by those guarding ripening crops.
  • bəmiqšāh: "in a cucumber (or melon) garden." These plants mature quickly, and the watchmen's temporary lodges are vacated soon after the brief harvest.
  • Significance: This simile reinforces the theme of the succah – impermanence, extreme vulnerability, and post-harvest abandonment. Jerusalem is portrayed as desolate and useless once its surrounding context (fertile land, protective forces) has been stripped away.
• "as a besieged city." (כְּעִיר נְצוּרָה, kəʿîr nəṣūrāh):
  • ʿîr: "city."
  • nəṣūrāh: Derived from nāṣar, meaning "to be guarded, watched, confined, or besieged." In this context, it unambiguously means "besieged" or "shut up."
  • Significance: This is the literal culmination of the preceding agricultural metaphors, translating the temporary vulnerability into military reality. It directly portrays Jerusalem as surrounded by enemy forces, cut off from supplies and aid, facing imminent destruction. It encapsulates the terror, isolation, and precariousness of the city's situation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the daughter of Zion is left": This phrase underscores the tragic state of Jerusalem, God's beloved city. "Left" conveys not merely surviving, but being abandoned and isolated, the consequence of widespread desolation that has swept away all that surrounded and protected it. It evokes a feeling of being stripped bare.
• "as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers": These parallel similes function as a powerful dual metaphor of transience and exposed vulnerability. They emphasize that Jerusalem, in its current state, is no more substantial or secure than these flimsy, temporary structures. They imply that the fruitful period (analogous to the harvest) has passed, leaving only the discarded shell behind, highly susceptible to any danger.
• "as a besieged city": This final, direct comparison elevates the metaphorical descriptions to a literal and terrifying reality. It reveals the military predicament underlying the preceding images of isolated agricultural shelters. It means the city is surrounded by an enemy, cut off from relief, experiencing extreme hardship, and teetering on the brink of collapse or surrender, awaiting its fate with a profound sense of helplessness.

Isaiah 1 8 Bonus section

• The progression of the three similes (temporary agricultural structures leading to a permanent urban reality) forms a climax. It moves from the specific rural picture of Judah's ruined countryside (from where the "daughter of Zion" stands out) to the ultimate vulnerable status of Jerusalem itself. This artistic choice amplifies the impact and gravity of Jerusalem's condition.
• The Hebrew word for "cottage" (sukkah) has significance beyond just a temporary dwelling; it's also associated with the Feast of Booths (Sukkot), where Israelites remember God's provision and their temporary dwellings in the wilderness. Here, the positive association is reversed, emphasizing dereliction and lack of security, a stark reminder that even in its present desolate state, Zion's security should ultimately be found in God's faithfulness, not in its own fortifications.
• Despite the immediate image of desolation and the impending judgment, the term "daughter of Zion" often carries connotations of future glory and redemption in prophetic literature (e.g., Zech 9:9). This latent hope contrasts sharply with its present degraded state, setting up the broader narrative arc of Isaiah, which promises restoration and a future flourishing for Zion beyond its present suffering.
• The precise historical event often linked to this passage is Sennacherib's Assyrian campaign against Judah in 701 BC. While much of Judah was laid waste, Jerusalem itself, despite being surrounded and seemingly on the brink of falling, was miraculously delivered (Isa 37). This particular historical moment provides a strong backdrop for the specific imagery of a "besieged city" that is left but not utterly consumed.

Isaiah 1 8 Commentary

Isaiah 1:8 paints a devastating portrait of Judah's state through a trio of progressively intense similes. "The daughter of Zion," Jerusalem, once vibrant and the spiritual heart of God's people, is depicted as an isolated remnant amidst widespread destruction. The initial images of "a cottage in a vineyard" and "a lodge in a garden of cucumbers" convey extreme vulnerability and impermanence. These temporary, easily collapsible shelters, abandoned once the harvest is over, strikingly illustrate how Jerusalem is perceived—a place left exposed and undefended, devoid of the security or sustenance that once surrounded it. The land has been ravaged, and what remains offers no safety. The culmination of these metaphors is "as a besieged city," explicitly stating Jerusalem's perilous military predicament. This final comparison reveals a city surrounded by enemies, cut off and suffering, on the verge of ruin.

This dire physical state is presented as the direct consequence of the nation's spiritual apostasy and rebellion against God, detailed earlier in chapter 1. The verse thus serves as a powerful visual aid for divine judgment, a tangible manifestation of God's displeasure. Yet, while depicting profound desolation and impending doom, it also implicitly sets the stage for God's redemptive work. The very act of being "left" as a solitary entity, though precarious, hints at a preservation, albeit a fragile one. As clarified by the next verse, a "very small remnant" within this besieged city would be spared, preventing total annihilation like Sodom and Gomorrah, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation for future restoration.