Isaiah 22 13

Isaiah 22:13 kjv

And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

Isaiah 22:13 nkjv

But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

Isaiah 22:13 niv

But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! "Let us eat and drink," you say, "for tomorrow we die!"

Isaiah 22:13 esv

and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

Isaiah 22:13 nlt

But instead, you dance and play;
you slaughter cattle and kill sheep.
You feast on meat and drink wine.
You say, "Let's feast and drink,
for tomorrow we die!"

Isaiah 22 verses

Isaiah 22 13 meaning

Isaiah 22:13 describes the defiant hedonism of the people of Jerusalem in the face of imminent judgment. Instead of heeding God's call to repentance and mourning (v. 12), they choose to engage in extravagant feasting and revelry. Their rationale for this self-indulgence is a cynical, fatalistic outlook: "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die." This verse starkly contrasts human defiance with divine expectation, highlighting a profound spiritual insensitivity and rebellion against the Lord's clear instruction.

Isaiah 22 13 Context

Isaiah chapter 22 is a prophecy concerning "the Valley of Vision," which primarily refers to Jerusalem, seen as a hub of prophetic insight, yet one that has become spiritually blind. The historical backdrop for this chapter is a period of great alarm for Jerusalem, likely during the Assyrian threat, possibly the siege under Sennacherib (circa 701 BC). However, the specific behavior described in verse 13 suggests a deeper spiritual crisis. While the people were making military preparations and storing water within the city (v. 8-11), they had profoundly misunderstood God's message for their spiritual state.

God's actual call, explicitly stated in verse 12, was for humility, repentance, weeping, mourning, and shaving heads—a clear summons to lamentation and brokenness before Him. Yet, instead of repentance, the prophet beholds a scene of audacious revelry. The populace turns away from genuine contrition to excessive feasting, slaughtering livestock, consuming large amounts of meat and wine, and rationalizing their behavior with the fatalistic sentiment, "for tomorrow we shall die." This collective decision reflects not a faithful reliance on God during crisis, but a defiant, cynical hedonism that directly opposed divine instruction.

Isaiah 22 13 Word analysis

• and behold (וְהִנֵּה, wəhinnēh): This is an emphatic particle that draws immediate attention, often to something unexpected, ironic, or shocking. Here, it underscores the sharp contrast between what God commanded (v. 12) and what the people actually did. It serves as an exclamation of profound surprise or disappointment.
• joy and gladness (שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה, śāśôn wəśimḥâ): These Hebrew terms are strong words for exuberant happiness and celebratory delight. They are often associated with festivals, feasts, and times of great national rejoicing (e.g., inauguration of temple, Sukkot). The prophet's use here highlights the stark inappropriateness and defiance of such joy in a time of national peril and divine judgment, indicating a superficial and misplaced revelry.
• slaying oxen and killing sheep (שְׁחֹט בָּקָר וְשָׁחֹט צֹאן, šəḥōṭ bāqār wəšāḥōṭ ṣō’n): This phrase describes abundant slaughtering of livestock, far beyond mere sustenance. The scale suggests lavish feasting, where resources were expended freely, indicative of self-indulgence rather than the scarcity and somberness that should accompany a siege or impending doom. These were costly acts of consumption.
• eating meat and drinking wine (אֲכֹל בָּשָׂר וְשָׁתֹה יַיִן, ’ăḵōl bāśār wəšātōh yayin): These are fundamental elements of celebratory meals and feasts. The directness emphasizes the indulgence. Wine, in particular, could signify merriment but also escapism or dulling of senses. Here, it is consumed as part of the overall defiance against God's call to sober reflection.
• let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die (אָכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ כִּי מָחָר נָמוּת, ’āḵōl wəšātô kî māḥār nāmût):
  • let us eat and drink: This is an imperative, indicating a collective decision and exhortation to embrace immediate, sensual gratification. It's a defiant command to themselves and to one another. The repetition of the theme from the previous phrases emphasizes the willful plunge into revelry.
  • for tomorrow we shall die: This clause provides the cynical justification. It reveals a fatalistic worldview that denies divine sovereignty and the possibility of repentance altering fate. The emphasis is on the inevitability of death, used not as a call to spiritual urgency but as an excuse for reckless abandon. It ignores the quality of life and death, and particularly the spiritual implications of a defiant end.
• Group analysis: "joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine": This sequence graphically illustrates the material focus and the excessive nature of their revelry. It paints a picture of a society consuming its resources and its moral fabric in an act of communal denial and spiritual blindness. It’s an indulgence born of desperation and defiance rather than genuine peace or thankfulness.
• Group analysis: "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die": This concluding phrase articulates the philosophical core of their behavior. It is a proto-Epicurean sentiment, where the awareness of impending mortality leads to the pursuit of transient pleasure rather than a turning towards eternal truth or spiritual repentance. It reveals a deep-seated unbelief and a profound misinterpretation of the true nature of God's warnings.

Isaiah 22 13 Bonus section

The profound offense of the people's conduct described in Isaiah 22:13 is further elucidated by God's response in verse 14. "The Lord of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: 'Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you till you die,' says the Lord GOD of hosts." This pronouncement indicates that their particular sin of defiant hedonism, celebrating when they should mourn and repent, was not just a mistake, but an unpardonable act of insolence in that context, ensuring their fate. This elevates their feasting from simple indulgence to a high act of spiritual treason.

This passage also highlights a critical theological point: God's mercy is contingent on a repentant heart. When presented with the opportunity for grace through sorrow and turning, rejecting it for fleeting pleasure leads to a sealing of judgment. The concept of "carpe diem" ("seize the day") finds an ancient, godless echo here, demonstrating its dangers when detached from divine wisdom and eternal perspective. It's a striking example of spiritual blindness leading to ruin, despite clear divine revelation and imminent threat.

Isaiah 22 13 Commentary

Isaiah 22:13 captures a pivotal moment of moral and spiritual failure in Jerusalem. Despite God's explicit call for contrition and lament in verse 12, the people brazenly turn to excessive feasting and self-indulgence. This isn't merely revelry; it's an act of defiance, a public rejection of divine will. Their justification, "for tomorrow we shall die," reveals a profound spiritual darkness: they use the prospect of death not as motivation for repentance and seeking God, but as an excuse for unrestrained pleasure, embracing a fatalistic cynicism that rejects accountability to the living God. This attitude provokes God's specific and severe judgment in the very next verse, where such iniquity is declared unforgivable until death. The verse serves as a timeless warning against prioritizing fleeting worldly pleasures over a right relationship with God, especially in times of crisis.