Isaiah 5:1 kjv
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
Isaiah 5:1 nkjv
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill.
Isaiah 5:1 niv
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
Isaiah 5:1 esv
Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
Isaiah 5:1 nlt
Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
Isaiah 5 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 80:8-9 | You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out nations and planted it... | God planting Israel from Egypt. |
| Jer 2:21 | I planted you as a choicest vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned... | God's good planting of Israel. |
| Eze 15:1-3 | Son of man, how is the wood of a vine better than any wood... | Unfruitful vine worthless. |
| Mt 21:33-41 | Hear another parable: There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard... | Jesus' parable of wicked tenants. |
| Mk 12:1-9 | And he began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard... | Parallel to Matthew's parable. |
| Lk 20:9-16 | He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard..." | Parallel to Matthew's parable. |
| Jn 15:1 | "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser." | Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel as God's vine. |
| Isa 27:2 | In that day: "A pleasant vineyard, sing of it!" | Later prophetic hope for renewed Israel. |
| Hos 10:1 | Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit... | Israel described as a vine. |
| Gen 49:22 | Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well... | Jacob's blessing with vine imagery for a tribe. |
| Song 1:6 | My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards... | Use of "vineyard" imagery in love poetry. |
| Isa 65:8 | As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, "Do not destroy it..." | Imagery of the grape and future hope. |
| Zeph 3:2 | She listens to no voice... she has not drawn near to her God. | Links unresponsiveness to impending judgment. |
| Rom 11:17-24 | ...and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others... | Gentile inclusion into God's cultivated plant. |
| Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring... | Spiritual offspring as inheritors of God's promises. |
| Mt 7:16 | You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes...? | Judging by spiritual fruit. |
| Lk 13:6-9 | And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard..." | Parable of the unfruitful fig tree. |
| Jer 11:16 | The Lord once called you 'A green olive tree, beautiful with good fruit.' | God's initial blessing and planting of Israel. |
| Eze 17:6-8 | ...and it became a sprawling vine, low of stature, with its branches... | Israel depicted as a spreading, unfaithful vine. |
| Ps 147:19-20 | He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. | God's specific covenant with Israel. |
| Mic 6:8 | He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require...? | Expectation of justice, love, and humility. |
| Zeph 3:5 | The Lord within her is righteous... every morning he brings his justice to light. | God's presence and expectation of justice. |
Isaiah 5 verses
Isaiah 5 1 Meaning
Isaiah chapter 5 verse 1 introduces a poignant parable, framed as a "song of the Beloved" or "love song" from the prophet (Isaiah) to Yahweh, the "Beloved" or "one he loves." The song immediately identifies its subject as the "Beloved's vineyard," which is situated "on a very fruitful hill." This opening verse sets the scene for a narrative illustrating God's meticulous care and investment in His people, Israel (the vineyard), by highlighting its optimal and divinely-provided conditions for yielding abundant, quality fruit.
Isaiah 5 1 Context
Isaiah 5:1 initiates the "Song of the Vineyard," a crucial prophetic section (Isa 5:1-7) within the broader Book of Isaiah. This song serves as an allegory for God's covenant lawsuit against Judah and Jerusalem. It immediately follows the initial pronouncements of judgment (chapters 1-4) against the nation for their apostasy and social injustice. Historically, Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (around 740-681 BC), a time when the Southern Kingdom of Judah enjoyed a period of relative prosperity and stability, yet was marked by moral decay, corruption, and a superficial adherence to the Law. The prophet uses this familiar agricultural imagery to highlight the stark contrast between God's generous care for Israel and their spiritual barrenness, thereby justifying the severe judgment that would follow. The "love song" form initially disarms the audience, only to powerfully condemn them.
Isaiah 5 1 Word analysis
- "Let me sing": The Hebrew Ashira (אֲשִׁירָה) indicates a personal, volitional act. The prophet Isaiah takes on the role of a bard, or singer, creating a performative element. This directly involves the prophet in the narrative, lending his voice to the "Beloved's" perspective.
- "for my beloved": The term lîdîdî (לִידִידִי) directly refers to God. Yadid (יָדִיד) signifies "beloved" or "my dear friend," a term often used in love poetry (e.g., Song of Solomon). Its use here imbues the divine relationship with intimacy and deep affection, setting a tender tone that contrasts sharply with the eventual pronouncement of judgment.
- "my love song": The Hebrew shîrat dôdî (שִׁירַת דּוֹדִי) is ambiguous, meaning either "song of my beloved" (i.e., sung by my beloved) or "a love song about my beloved." The traditional rendering "song of my beloved" often implies it's a song from God about His vineyard, delivered by Isaiah. This establishes the intimate, personal nature of the complaint. It functions as a legal challenge disguised as a lament or a love song.
- "concerning his vineyard": The noun karmah (כַּרְמוֹ) universally symbolizes Israel in prophetic literature (Ps 80, Jer 2). The song's subject is immediately clear: God's chosen people.
- "My beloved had a vineyard": Repetition emphasizes the direct connection between God ("my beloved") and His special possession, Israel ("a vineyard"). This confirms the subject established in the opening phrase.
- "on a very fruitful hill": The Hebrew bəqeren ben-shāmen (בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן־שֶׁמֶן) literally means "on a horn of oil/fatness." Qeren (קֶרֶן) can mean "horn" (symbolizing strength or abundance) or "peak/ridge." Shamen (שֶׁמֶן) means "fatness," often referring to richness, fertility, or oil. Therefore, "very fruitful hill" signifies a highly fertile, ideal location for a vineyard, blessed with natural resources, implying divine favor and provision. This also functions as a subtle polemic against pagan fertility cults; it is not Baal or other deities that grant fertility, but Yahweh.
Isaiah 5 1 Bonus section
The structure of this verse, opening with the "love song" motif, effectively draws the listeners in under the guise of an affectionate lament before pivoting to a sharp indictment in the verses that follow. The choice of "song" (shira) suggests a performative element, likely sung aloud to a live audience, enhancing its impact. The rich imagery of the vineyard, prevalent in ancient Near Eastern literature and throughout the Bible, resonates deeply with an agricultural society, immediately making the parable accessible and its message profoundly relatable.
Isaiah 5 1 Commentary
Isaiah 5:1 acts as the preamble to the "Song of the Vineyard," skillfully crafted to engage the audience. By presenting the prophet as singing a tender "love song" from/to his "beloved" (God) about a perfectly situated vineyard (Israel), the verse sets up an expectation of idyllic outcomes. The chosen terminology – "beloved" and "fruitful hill" – underscores God's deep affection, careful provision, and significant investment in His chosen people. The land's natural fertility, divinely ordained, means the vineyard had every advantage to produce the expected "good grapes." This initial picture of divine beneficence starkly contrasts with the bitter disappointment described in subsequent verses, laying the foundation for a compelling case of ingratitude and a just verdict against Judah's unrighteousness.