Isaiah 18 5

Isaiah 18:5 kjv

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

Isaiah 18:5 nkjv

For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect And the sour grape is ripening in the flower, He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks And take away and cut down the branches.

Isaiah 18:5 niv

For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away the spreading branches.

Isaiah 18:5 esv

For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.

Isaiah 18:5 nlt

Even before you begin your attack,
while your plans are ripening like grapes,
the LORD will cut off your new growth with pruning shears.
He will snip off and discard your spreading branches.

Isaiah 18 verses

Isaiah 18 5 meaning

Isaiah 18:5 portrays a powerful and vivid metaphor of divine judgment, focusing on the premature destruction of a formidable yet ungodly entity. It describes a scenario where, just as a fruit-bearing plant is about to reach its peak — the blossoms have faded, and the grapes are beginning to ripen, indicating imminent harvest — God intervenes decisively. He acts like a Vinedresser who, instead of preparing for a successful yield, takes up pruning knives to cut off and completely remove the burgeoning shoots and spreading branches. This signifies God's absolute sovereignty and His swift, unalterable judgment upon those who oppose His purposes or seek glory apart from Him, frustrating their ambitions precisely when their power or plans seem closest to fruition.

Isaiah 18 5 Context

Isaiah chapter 18 opens with a "Woe" oracle concerning the land beyond the rivers of Cush (modern Ethiopia/Sudan), a powerful nation known for sending swift messengers across the waters. Judah, under threat from Assyria, was likely considering an alliance with Cush or watching with interest as Cush seemed to be gaining strength. Verse 4 of this chapter portrays God observing in quiet serenity, like the warm, clear sunlight or dew at harvest time, indicating His calm watchfulness before taking action. Verse 5 immediately follows this with a stark declaration of God's decisive and preemptive judgment. The nation (likely Cush, or any proud nation symbolized by it) appears to be on the verge of success, its plans and power blooming and maturing, but God will abruptly intervene, cutting off its growth and destroying its potential. The historical backdrop is the height of Assyrian power and expansion, when Judah frequently wrestled with the temptation to rely on regional powers for salvation instead of trusting Yahweh. This chapter, therefore, warns against placing confidence in any human alliance or might, highlighting God's exclusive authority to bring down nations, irrespective of their apparent strength.

Isaiah 18 5 Word analysis

• For (kî): A conjunction introducing the reason or explanation for the divine action alluded to in the preceding verse, confirming the inevitability and timing of God's intervention.
• before (liphnê): Signifies a specific timing – preceding a pivotal event. This indicates the judgment occurs at an opportune, not a delayed, moment for God.
• the harvest (qaṣîr): Refers to the time of gathering ripened crops, often symbolizing completion, outcome, or a designated time of judgment/reward in Scripture.
• when the blossom (k'tam pereḥ): Literally "the blossom is finished/completed." pereḥ refers to the flower or bloom, the early stage of promising growth. Its completion signifies passing from potential to nascent fruit.
• is over (k'tam): Katam means to cover over, be finished, cease. Here, it conveys that the flowering stage has definitively passed.
• and the grape (ûbōser): Bōser specifically refers to the unripe or sour grape, emphasizing that the fruit is still developing and not yet fully matured.
• is ripening (gōmēl yihyeh): Gōmēl means to ripen, come to maturity, complete. The phrase bōser gōmēl yihyeh suggests the unripe grape is about to become ripe, it is on the cusp of completion or readiness for harvest, creating a sense of heightened expectation for a successful yield.
• he will cut off (w'khārat 'et): Kārat is a strong Hebrew verb meaning to cut, cut off, destroy, or separate. It often implies a decisive, unalterable act of judgment or breaking a covenant.
• the shoots (hazzalzallîm): Refers to tender, luxuriant tendrils or vigorous, spreading shoots of a vine. This symbolizes burgeoning life and promising growth.
• with pruning knives (bammazmerôt): Mazmērah refers to a pruning hook or knife. While usually used for beneficial trimming, its application here with "cutting off" implies destructive, final severing rather than healthful cultivation.
• and cut down (w'et-han'tūshôt hēsîr hikhrît): This phrase has two key verbs: hēsîr (remove, take away, abolish) and hikhrît (a more intense form of kārat, meaning to utterly cut off or destroy). It signifies a complete and final eradication.
• and take away (hēsîr): Implies thorough removal and abolition.
• the spreading branches (han'tūshôt): Refers to branches that extend widely or luxuriantly, suggesting extensive growth and possibly unchecked power or influence.

Word-groups by word-groups analysis:

• For before the harvest, when the blossom is over and the grape is ripening: This phrase precisely defines the timing of God's intervention. It's not at the very beginning (blossom), nor at the absolute peak (full harvest), but precisely at the point of greatest anticipation and seeming success, just as potential turns to near-fruition. It signifies God's precise timing in thwarting human pride.
• he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives: God's deliberate, active, and specific judgment. The "pruning knives" (often associated with care) are repurposed for destruction, showing that even what might seem beneficial or part of growth will be used for judgment.
• and cut down and take away the spreading branches: This reinforces the completeness and finality of God's destructive act. The redundancy emphasizes total removal. The "spreading branches" indicate significant influence and power, all of which will be annihilated.

Isaiah 18 5 Bonus section

The vineyard/vine imagery throughout the Bible often refers to Israel (Isa 5:1-7, Ps 80:8). In this chapter, applying the metaphor to a foreign, aggressive power like Cush (or any nation trusting in its own might) is a significant shift, emphasizing God's universal sovereignty. He is not just the Lord of Israel's vineyard, but of all creation and all nations. The swift and total destruction described also serves as a potent message of assurance for Judah: they do not need to fear or form alliances with such powers, for God will handle their enemies. It illustrates the concept of irresistible grace in judgment; when God purposes to cut off, no counter-force can prevent it. This serves as a reminder that human ambition, when divorced from divine purpose, is ultimately perishable, a testament to the unchanging truth of God's dominion over all.

Isaiah 18 5 Commentary

Isaiah 18:5 stands as a profound declaration of God's sovereign control over the destiny of nations. Following a period of patient observation (Isa 18:4), God steps into the natural cycle of growth, turning an anticipated harvest into an act of judgment. The timing is crucial: the judgment falls before the fruit reaches full maturity. This implies that the plans, power, and achievements of the addressed nation, even when appearing strong and almost victorious, will never reach their intended climax. Their boasted might will be rendered futile and barren. The imagery of cutting off young shoots and luxuriant branches with pruning knives highlights a deliberate, precise, and surgical destruction rather than random calamity. It is a work of purposeful judgment, executed by God Himself, frustrating human designs that seek to usurp His authority or defy His will. The verse underscores that no human power, however formidable or strategically placed, can stand against the predetermined counsel of the Lord.