Isaiah 32 10

Isaiah 32:10 kjv

Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.

Isaiah 32:10 nkjv

In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come.

Isaiah 32:10 niv

In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come.

Isaiah 32:10 esv

In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come.

Isaiah 32:10 nlt

In a short time ? just a little more than a year ?
you careless ones will suddenly begin to care.
For your fruit crops will fail,
and the harvest will never take place.

Isaiah 32 verses

Isaiah 32 10 meaning

Isaiah 32:10 delivers a severe prophetic warning of impending judgment, specifying a short and certain timeframe—"within a year and a few days"—for the "careless women" of Judah. This judgment manifests as profound trouble and economic devastation, highlighted by the complete failure of the vital grape vintage and summer fruit harvest, signifying an end to their presumed security, abundance, and joy. It is a direct consequence of their spiritual complacency and heedlessness.

Isaiah 32 10 Context

Isaiah chapter 32 is a profound prophetic chapter moving from promises of righteous rule under the Messiah (v. 1-8) to stern warnings of judgment for the present generation (v. 9-14), ultimately transitioning to a glorious promise of the Holy Spirit's outpouring and a renewed, fruitful land of peace and righteousness (v. 15-20). Verse 10 specifically falls within the segment of divine judgment (v. 9-14) directed at the "careless women" and, by extension, the complacent society of Judah, particularly Jerusalem. This judgment is set against the backdrop of King Hezekiah's reign, when Judah was facing imminent military threats from the powerful Assyrian Empire. Despite the impending danger, many within Judah, especially those in positions of comfort and privilege, were living in self-assured complacency, relying on human alliances or their perceived security rather than on God's protection. The prophecy of failed harvests serves as a vivid picture of the socio-economic collapse and widespread distress that would accompany God's corrective judgment.

Isaiah 32 10 Word analysis

• "Within a year and a few days": עַד יָמִים תִּשְׁעָה וָשָׁנָה (ad yamim tish`ah vashanah). This Hebrew phrase literally means "until days, nine, and a year" or "at the end of a year plus nine days." It is a highly specific, yet somewhat enigmatic, temporal marker, signaling a precise and unavoidable timeframe for the unfolding of judgment. It highlights the immediacy and certainty of God's word, removing any doubt about its swift fulfillment.

• "ye shall be troubled": תִּרְגַּזְנָה (tirgāznāh). Derived from the verb רָגַז (ragaz), meaning "to tremble, be agitated, quake, be troubled." This denotes a deep emotional and physical distress, a state of fear and alarm that starkly contrasts with their previous carefree state. It points to profound disquiet and the shattering of their false sense of peace.

• "ye careless women": בַּחוּרוֹת שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת (baḥūrōṯ sha'ănanōṯ).

  • בַּחוּרוֹת (baḥūrōṯ): Often refers to "young women" or "maidens," but in this context, it generally signifies women living in comfort and luxury, implying idleness or those detached from hardship.
  • שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת (sha'ănanōṯ): From שָׁאֲנָן (sha'anan), meaning "to be at ease, secure, tranquil." It consistently carries a negative connotation in prophetic literature, indicating a false sense of security, spiritual complacency, self-indulgence, or overconfidence without true dependence on God. They are women living heedlessly, assuming continued prosperity without anticipating any trouble.

• "for the vintage shall fail": כִּי כָּלָה בָצִיר (kî kālāh bāṣîr).

  • כָּלָה (kālāh): "To cease, fail, be finished, perish, consumed." This verb emphasizes complete termination and devastation.
  • בָצִיר (bāṣîr): Refers specifically to the "grape harvest" or "vintage." Grapes were a vital part of the agricultural economy and culture, symbolizing abundance, joy, and celebration. Its failure signifies economic collapse and loss of happiness.

• "the gathering shall not come": וְאֶסֶף לֹא יָבוֹא (wə'eseph lō' yāḇô').

  • אֶסֶף (ʾeseph): "Gathering" or "ingathering," referring to the general collection of summer fruits and produce. This complements "vintage," confirming a complete agricultural disaster, extending beyond just grapes.
  • לֹא יָבוֹא (lō' yāḇô'): "Shall not come" or "shall not arrive." This firm negative declaration underscores the absolute certainty that the expected harvest, and with it, prosperity, will be completely absent.

• "Within a year and a few days ye shall be troubled": This opening phrase establishes the immediacy and painful reality of the judgment. The precise timeframe emphasizes God's sovereignty over time and His determined plan, shattering the "careless women's" illusion of extended peace. Their ease will be replaced by terror and distress.

• "ye careless women": This phrase directly addresses and condemns a specific group representing the spiritual apathy and worldly self-assurance prevalent in Judah. It is an indictment of their lifestyle, marked by comfort without concern for God or the impending crisis. Their complacency makes them particularly vulnerable to the shock of divine judgment.

• "for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come": These two clauses articulate the core of the impending judgment. The consecutive failures of the primary harvests (grapes and other summer fruits) denote total economic devastation, leading to famine and extreme hardship. Beyond mere material loss, it represents the crushing of their social life, as feasts and joy were tied to harvest, leading to widespread mourning. This outcome is directly linked as the reason ("for") their future trouble.

Isaiah 32 10 Bonus section

The prophecy of "within a year and a few days" in Isaiah 32:10 is often linked by scholars to the historical events surrounding Sennacherib's Assyrian campaign against Judah in 701 BC. While Jerusalem itself was miraculously delivered, the surrounding regions of Judah were heavily devastated, their crops and fields laid waste. This exact fulfillment highlights God's specific timing and power to execute His word, bringing distress and economic hardship upon those who had lived in careless self-reliance. The judgment on the "careless women" can also be understood as a symbolic representation of the spiritual condition of the nation's elite or the broader community who neglected spiritual responsibilities for worldly indulgence. The suffering brought by this judgment serves as a catalyst, preparing the way for the profound spiritual renewal promised in the latter part of Isaiah 32 (vv. 15-20), where the outpouring of the Spirit transforms the wilderness into a fruitful field, signifying an eventual shift from barrenness and despair to righteousness and peace.

Isaiah 32 10 Commentary

Isaiah 32:10 serves as a potent oracle of judgment directed at the spiritually complacent in Judah. The specific temporal marker "within a year and a few days" highlights the absolute certainty and imminent arrival of God's decree, dispelling any notion that their current "peace" would endure. The target audience, the "careless women," embodies a broader societal problem of self-indulgent living and a false sense of security, characterized by a lack of dependence on God. Their presumed ease and comfort are about to be shattered by intense "trouble" and alarm. The prophetic pronouncement vividly outlines the nature of this judgment: the comprehensive failure of the grape vintage and the general ingathering of summer fruits. This agricultural disaster symbolizes not only severe economic collapse and physical famine but also the cessation of joy, celebration, and prosperity—the very foundations of their complacent lifestyle. God's judgment directly attacks the source of their material security, forcing them to confront their spiritual emptiness and the reality of His power, preparing the ground for future spiritual revival mentioned later in the chapter. It's a clear warning that an unchecked pursuit of worldly comforts and a neglect of God lead to the painful collapse of perceived stability.