Isaiah 5 26

Isaiah 5:26 kjv

And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

Isaiah 5:26 nkjv

He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.

Isaiah 5:26 niv

He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily!

Isaiah 5:26 esv

He will raise a signal for nations far away, and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!

Isaiah 5:26 nlt

He will send a signal to distant nations far away
and whistle to those at the ends of the earth.
They will come racing toward Jerusalem.

Isaiah 5 verses

Isaiah 5 26 Meaning

Isaiah 5:26 reveals the Lord's impending judgment upon Israel, specifically Judah, due to their profound unfaithfulness. It describes God's sovereign act of summoning distant, foreign nations to serve as instruments of His wrath. He uses powerful and evocative imagery of raising a banner and whistling to gather these enemies from the very ends of the earth. This action signifies an effortless and immediate mobilization of forces, leading to their swift and unstoppable descent upon the land, highlighting the inevitability and rapid execution of divine retribution.

Isaiah 5 26 Context

Isaiah chapter 5 presents a lament often called the "Song of the Vineyard," detailing God's loving care for Israel (His vineyard) and His bitter disappointment with their outcome (wild grapes, not righteousness). This metaphorical opening leads into six "woes" pronounced upon various sins of Judah: greed for land, drunkenness, defiant questioning of God, moral confusion, self-conceit, and injustice in their legal system. After outlining these grave sins (verses 8-25) which explain why judgment must come, verse 26 begins to describe how this judgment will be executed. It introduces the instrument of God's wrath: formidable foreign armies. The chapter therefore moves from exposition of sin to declaration of the terrifying, impending divine retribution, which historically culminated in the Assyrian invasion (for the Northern Kingdom) and later the Babylonian captivity (for Judah). The historical context is pre-exilic Judah, where the people felt secure in their alliance with God, yet were practicing grave injustices, unaware of or indifferent to the profound consequences.

Isaiah 5 26 Word analysis

• He will raise (וְנָשָׂא - wᵉnāsāʼ): The verb נָשָׂא (nasaʼ) means to lift, carry, bear. Here, it implies an active, deliberate action by God. It emphasizes His sovereignty; He initiates and directs the raising of this standard. It's not a natural political development, but a divinely orchestrated one.
• a banner (נֵס - nēs): A נֵס (nes) is a pole, standard, or signal, often used to rally troops or indicate a gathering point. In other contexts, it can represent salvation or hope (e.g., in Moses' bronze serpent or Messiah as a banner). However, here, its purpose is hostile: it is a rallying point for enemies. This directly opposes any notion that Judah's God would protect them regardless of their sin. It's a visible sign to unseen nations, signaling God's readiness to execute judgment.
• for the distant nations (לַגּוֹיִם מֵרָחוֹק - lagōyīm mēraḥôq): גּוֹיִם (goyim) means "nations" or "gentiles," indicating non-Israelite peoples. מֵרָחוֹק (mēraḥôq) means "from afar" or "distant." This highlights the extensive reach of God's command. These nations are far-removed from Judah, seemingly unconnected, emphasizing God's universal control over all peoples, even pagan ones, making them instruments for His purposes. This serves as a polemic against the idea that God only governs Israel, or that faraway nations are outside His jurisdiction.
• and whistle (וְשָׁרַק - wᵉshāraqq): The verb שָׁרַק (sharaq) means to whistle, hiss, or beckon. It's an easily audible and common signal, often used for calling animals (like a shepherd whistling for his sheep, or a beekeeper for his bees as in Isa 7:18). Its use here signifies the utter ease and minimal effort with which God will gather these formidable armies. There is no resistance, no difficulty for Him to mobilize distant powers against His people. This suggests God's control is so complete that the armies are like obedient creatures.
• for those at the end of the earth (לוֹ מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ - lō miqqəṣēh hā’āreṣ): מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ (miqqəṣēh hā’āreṣ) means "from the end/extremity of the earth." This is hyperbolic language, stressing that no place is too remote for God to draw His instruments of judgment. It further amplifies the unexpected and overwhelming nature of the coming attack. These enemies are not immediate neighbors but unfamiliar, unknown threats from the fringes of the known world.
• and behold, quickly, speedily, they come! (וְהִנֵּה מָהֵר קַלּוֹ יָבוֹא - wəhinnēh māhēr qallōʾ yābō’):
  • וְהִנֵּה (wəhinnēh): "and behold!" An interjection often used to draw urgent attention, signaling an immediate and significant event. It imparts a sense of sudden revelation or surprise.
  • מָהֵר (māhēr): "quickly," "swiftly." Denotes rapid action.
  • קַלּוֹ (qallōʾ): Literally "lightly" or "quickly." Often used adverbially to emphasize haste or lack of burden. Some scholarly discussions ponder its exact nuance, but the overall meaning conveys unhindered swiftness. Some interpretations suggest "none laggard."
  • יָבוֹא (yābō’): "they come," "he comes." (It's a singular verb, referring to the collective entity of the summoned force, or "it" (the event of coming), indicating inevitability.) This phrase together emphasizes the suddenness, rapidity, and unhindered advance of these judgment forces. There will be no delay, no opportunity for Judah to prepare or escape.

Words-Group/Phrases analysis:

• "He will raise a banner... and whistle...": This pairing of actions depicts divine mobilization. The "banner" is a visual signal for distant, human armies, while the "whistle" is an audible one for those closer, or perhaps more intrinsically linked to nature's responsiveness to God (like insects in Isa 7:18). Together, they signify comprehensive, easy, and irresistible summons. It reveals God as the orchestrator of history, pulling invisible strings of geopolitics.
• "for the distant nations... for those at the end of the earth": This dual geographic emphasis underscores the universality of God's power. He is not confined to the land of Israel; His authority reaches the extremities of the known world. This foreshadows His eventual use of mighty empires like Assyria and Babylon. The remoteness of the enemy also highlights the terrifying and alien nature of the judgment – an unknown and utterly foreign threat.
• "behold, quickly, speedily, they come!": This trio of adverbs and the interjection delivers a powerful impact, stressing the abruptness, rapidity, and certainty of the invaders' arrival. It indicates that the judgment will not be delayed, allowing no time for repentance or preparation, underscoring the finality and immediacy of God's action once the summons is made. The enemies are portrayed as eager and relentless in their march.

Isaiah 5 26 Bonus section

The "banner" and "whistle" imagery highlight the paradox of God's method of judgment. A banner is usually a signal of identity, victory, or rallying a people together under one cause (e.g., God's banner over His beloved is love in Song of Solomon). Here, it's repurposed for destruction against His own rebellious people. Similarly, whistling can be gentle, but here it evokes the image of a shepherd calling in fierce wolves, or a master easily summoning vast, destructive forces. This repurposing of common imagery for a destructive divine purpose emphasizes God's creative power even in judgment. The shift from an almost pastoral care for His vineyard to the summoning of foreign armies demonstrates the drastic nature of God's response to continued sin. It foreshadows the later, more explicit declarations of specific nations like Assyria (Isa 7, 10) and Babylon (Isa 39, Jer 25) as "My servants" used to chastise Israel, indicating that no nation or human ruler operates outside of God's ultimate decree and plan.

Isaiah 5 26 Commentary

Isaiah 5:26 is a vivid depiction of God's sovereign hand in judgment, a direct consequence of the spiritual decay and social injustice described throughout the preceding verses and "woes" of the chapter. Having carefully tended His "vineyard" (Israel) only to find it yielding wild, worthless grapes, the Lord announces His decisive and terrifying action. He is not merely observing but actively initiating their downfall. The imagery of raising a banner and whistling demonstrates an effortless command over the nations of the world, even pagan and geographically distant ones. These foreign powers are mere instruments in His hands, responding to His silent summons like obedient creatures, rushing in with a speed and ferocity that brooks no delay or resistance.

This verse serves as a chilling reminder that divine justice, though patient, is inexorable. It emphasizes God's absolute control over all human history and geopolitics; nations, regardless of their own motives or agendas, can become unwitting tools in His grand redemptive-judgmental plan. Judah's false sense of security in their chosen status, or reliance on human alliances, is shattered by the terrifying truth that their very God will summon a destructive force against them. It illustrates that when sin runs rampant and divine grace is persistently rejected, God will raise up unlikely and formidable agents to execute His righteous wrath, ensuring His justice is ultimately upheld. The swiftness mentioned indicates the sudden, overwhelming nature of this judgment, offering no time for evasion once it begins.