Isaiah 5 2

Isaiah 5:2 kjv

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Isaiah 5:2 nkjv

He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes.

Isaiah 5:2 niv

He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.

Isaiah 5:2 esv

He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

Isaiah 5:2 nlt

He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.

Isaiah 5 verses

Isaiah 5 2 Meaning

Isaiah 5:2 details the meticulous efforts of a vineyard owner, symbolic of the Lord, in preparing a fertile vineyard, which represents the nation of Israel (specifically Judah). The owner dug the ground, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the highest quality vines. He also constructed a protective watchtower and hewed out a winepress, demonstrating complete investment and foresight for a bountiful harvest. However, despite all this thorough preparation and expectation, the vineyard yielded only sour, wild, and useless grapes, indicating Israel's profound failure to produce the righteousness and justice the Lord desired and expected.

Isaiah 5 2 Context

Isaiah 5:2 is part of the "Song of the Vineyard" (Isaiah 5:1-7), an allegorical poem through which the prophet Isaiah pronounces a prophetic judgment against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The song sets up the Lord as a benevolent vineyard owner who meticulously cultivates His vineyard. This imagery was highly recognizable and potent for the original audience, as grape cultivation was a vital part of ancient Israel's agrarian society and economy. Historically, Judah had become steeped in social injustice, moral corruption, and idolatry, departing from the covenant with the Lord. This verse, with its detailed description of the owner's extensive care, highlights the profound disparity between God's generous investment in His people and their utter failure to yield righteous conduct, thereby laying the groundwork for the impending judgment described in the latter part of the chapter and the subsequent "six woes" (Isaiah 5:8-23). The song serves as both a lament and a stern indictment, drawing on a familiar pastoral scene to illustrate divine disappointment.

Isaiah 5 2 Word analysis

• He dug it up and cleared it of stones (ויעזקהו ויסקלהו, vayazqehu vayisqlehu):

  • dug it up (ויעזקהו, vayazqehu): From the root עזק (azak), meaning "to hoe, dig about." Implies thorough, arduous tilling of the soil to make it receptive for planting. It signifies a profound level of effort and care invested in preparing the ground.
  • cleared it of stones (ויסקלהו, vayisqlehu): From the root סקל (saqal), meaning "to clear of stones" or "to stone." This action denotes purification and removal of obstacles that would hinder growth. It indicates God's removal of gentile nations (obstacles) from the land to establish Israel, and His work to purge idolatry and sin.

• and planted it with the choicest vines (ויטעהו שׂרק, vayita'ehu soreq):

  • choicest vines (שׂרק, soreq): This refers to a particularly esteemed, dark-red grape variety known for producing the finest wine. It signifies a premium, excellent quality planting. It emphasizes God's intention to cultivate His people as the best, set apart for His glory, capable of bearing exquisite fruit. (Refer Jer 2:21 where Israel is identified as this specific "soreq vine").

• He built a watchtower in it (ויבן מגדל בתוכו, vayiven migdal betokho):

  • watchtower (מגדל, migdal): A common feature in vineyards, serving both for security against intruders (human or animal) and as a shelter for the vineyard workers during harvest. It symbolizes God's protective provision over His people and His constant watchfulness, ensuring their security and welfare.

• and cut out a winepress as well (וגם יקב חצב בו, vegām yeqev chatzav bo):

  • cut out (חצב, chatzav): Implies shaping and digging out of rock, indicating significant effort and permanence.
  • winepress (יקב, yeqev): A facility, usually a large vat, for pressing grapes to extract their juice. It symbolizes the purpose of the vineyard: to produce fruit ready for processing, indicating God's expectation for Israel to produce the "juice" of righteousness, justice, and obedience, ready for divine pleasure and consumption.

• Then he looked for (ויקו, vayeqav): From the root קוה (qavah), meaning "to wait, hope, expect." This highlights the earnest expectation and anticipation of the vineyard owner. It conveys a deep, legitimate hope for a positive outcome commensurate with the immense effort expended.

• a crop of good grapes (ענבים טובים, anavim tovim): Literally "good grapes," emphasizing the rightful expectation of a yield that matches the quality of the seed planted and the meticulous care provided.

• but it yielded only bad fruit (באשים, ba'ushim):

  • bad fruit (באשים, ba'ushim): Derived from the root באש (ba'ash), meaning "to stink, be rotten, be offensive." This is a severe contrast to "choicest vines" and "good grapes." It refers not merely to sour or unpalatable grapes, but to grapes that are noxious, putrid, and completely worthless, perhaps even poisonous. This term signifies the complete moral and spiritual degradation of Israel, whose "fruit" (as revealed in Isa 5:7) was injustice and oppression rather than righteousness.

Isaiah 5 2 Bonus section

The detailed description of the vineyard's preparation in Isaiah 5:2 is not just illustrative but serves as a polemic against any notion that Israel's failure was due to a lack of divine provision or care. It implicitly rejects the idea that God was somehow remiss in establishing His people. Instead, the thoroughness of the owner's actions amplifies the culpability of the vineyard itself. Furthermore, the soreq vine, the "choicest vine," contrasts sharply with Jesus identifying Himself as "the true vine" (John 15:1), suggesting that Israel, as the earthly soreq vine, ultimately failed, paving the way for the establishment of a new covenant "vine" through Christ that would indeed bear good fruit for the Father's glory. The transformation from "choicest vines" to "bad fruit" serves as a theological warning against taking divine grace for granted, reminding believers of the ongoing call to bear spiritual fruit worthy of repentance and faith (Matt 3:8).

Isaiah 5 2 Commentary

Isaiah 5:2 powerfully sets the stage for God's indictment of His people, Israel, using the metaphor of a vineyard. Every action of the vineyard owner, meticulously described, emphasizes the immense investment, care, and hopeful expectation God placed upon Israel. The extensive preparation, from clearing stones to building a tower and a winepress, showcases the thoroughness of divine providence and His provision of every resource necessary for the nation to thrive and be fruitful in righteousness. God established them as a "choicest vine," designed for an excellent harvest. Yet, despite this comprehensive benevolence and purposeful design, the vineyard produced only "bad fruit"—a stark symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness and failure to live up to God's covenant expectations. This profound disappointment highlights the severity of their spiritual corruption and forms the theological justification for the impending judgment God will bring, echoing a recurring biblical principle: with great blessing comes great responsibility and accountability for fruitfulness. The "bad fruit" is not merely absence of good, but the presence of offensive wickedness, demonstrating active rebellion against their divine Vinedresser.