Isaiah 5 8

Isaiah 5:8 kjv

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

Isaiah 5:8 nkjv

Woe to those who join house to house; They add field to field, Till there is no place Where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!

Isaiah 5:8 niv

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.

Isaiah 5:8 esv

Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land.

Isaiah 5:8 nlt

What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field,
until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.

Isaiah 5 verses

Isaiah 5 8 Meaning

Isaiah 5:8 pronounces a severe prophetic "woe" against the wealthy and powerful in Judah who greedily acquire land and houses, joining vast estates together until no room is left for others. This rapacious accumulation, driven by an insatiable desire for property and power, dispossesses the vulnerable and violates the foundational principles of Israelite communal land ownership. The verse predicts a direct and ironic divine judgment: those who sought to dwell alone in their expansive properties will ultimately be made to dwell alone through desolation, depopulation, or exile, a stark consequence of their unrighteous accumulation.

Isaiah 5 8 Context

Isaiah chapter 5 begins with the poignant "Song of the Vineyard" (verses 1-7), where the Lord, as the owner of a carefully tended vineyard (Judah), expresses His disappointment that it yielded only "wild grapes" (injustice and oppression) instead of good fruit (righteousness and justice). Immediately following this parable, the prophet pronounces six "woes" (verses 8-23) that elaborate on the specific failures and sins of Judah, listing reasons for God's impending judgment. Isaiah 5:8 is the first of these woes, addressing the prevalent issue of greedy land acquisition. Historically, during the 8th century BCE when Isaiah prophesied, Judah was experiencing social and economic stratification. A powerful elite, in disregard of Mosaic land laws which sought to prevent such accumulation and protect family inheritances (Lev 25, Num 26), was consolidating vast estates at the expense of the poor and landless, causing severe social imbalance and injustice within the covenant community.

Isaiah 5 8 Word analysis

• Woe (הוֹי, hoy): This is an exclamation of lament, sorrow, and prophetic denunciation. It introduces a solemn pronouncement of judgment, functioning as a curse or an announcement of impending disaster. In Isaiah, "woe" frequently signals divine condemnation against particular sins or categories of people.
• to those who join house to house (מַגִּיעֵי בַיִת בְּבַיִת, maggi'ei bayit b'vayit): This phrase describes the aggressive expansion of property holdings. The Hebrew literally means "causing house to touch house," emphasizing the continuous merging of individual family homes and plots into large, consolidated estates. It points to a disregard for the integrity of smaller, ancestral landholdings.
• who add field to field (שָׂדֶה בְּשָׂדֶה יַקְרִיבוּ, sadeh b'sadeh yaqrivu): Similar to the previous phrase, this signifies the ruthless annexation of agricultural land. The verb "add" (יַקְרִיבוּ, yaqrivu, meaning to bring near or add) reinforces the idea of ever-increasing acquisitions, diminishing communal space and opportunities for others to farm or own land.
• until there is no more room (עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֹם, 'ad 'efes maqom): This hyperbole expresses the insatiable nature of their greed. It indicates a drive to acquire all available property, leaving absolutely no space, no opportunity, and no livelihood for anyone else. It's the ultimate expression of covetousness leading to monopolization.
• and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land (וְהֹשַׁבְתֶּם לְבַדְכֶם בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, v'hoshovtem l'vadkhem b'qerev ha'aretz): This is the divine judgment, an ironic and devastating consequence. The powerful who sought exclusive ownership will find themselves desolate and solitary. "Dwell alone" can refer to depopulation due to war and exile, where the land becomes uninhabited. Alternatively, it reflects the emptiness of their achievement – they have their vast properties, but are left isolated in the midst of a desolate or depopulated land, or perhaps, alone in facing God's judgment without the benefit of a thriving community. It underscores the ultimate futility of their grasping ambition.
• "join house to house" / "add field to field": These parallel expressions emphasize the relentless and systematic nature of the greedy accumulation. It's not a one-time purchase but a continuous process of absorption, violating the Mosaic system designed to ensure every family had land.
• "until there is no more room" / "dwell alone in the midst of the land": This juxtaposition highlights the grim irony of God's justice. Their unbounded desire for sole possession (no room for others) will lead to their own desolate solitude. Their self-serving acquisition isolates them from community and, ultimately, brings upon them an enforced and tragic isolation.

Isaiah 5 8 Bonus section

• This "woe" introduces the primary reason for God's indictment against Judah—a profound societal failure rooted in a disregard for biblical laws designed to ensure land equity and protect family inheritances.
• The phrase "in the midst of the land" ("b'qerev ha'aretz") intensifies the judgment, emphasizing that their desolation will occur within the promised land itself, the very place God gave them, highlighting the reversal of blessing due to sin.
• The six woes in Isaiah 5 function as a prophetic sermon, meticulously outlining various dimensions of Judah's spiritual and moral decay, from land hoarding (v.8) to debauchery (vv.11-12), defiance of God (v.18), moral relativism (v.20), arrogance (v.21), and perversion of justice (vv.22-23). This first woe sets the tone for a people whose economic and social systems had become unjust, provoking divine wrath.

Isaiah 5 8 Commentary

Isaiah 5:8 unveils God's profound displeasure with the oppressive economic practices prevalent in Judah, setting a powerful precedent for social justice in biblical prophecy. It highlights that true covenant faithfulness extends beyond ritual worship to include righteous conduct and equitable treatment within the community. The greed described, a relentless drive for more at the expense of others, leads to the disenfranchisement of the vulnerable and undermines the very fabric of society established by divine law. God’s judgment in this verse is tailored to the crime: those who craved exclusive ownership would experience it, but in the desolate solitude of judgment, where their vast, empty properties would serve as monuments to their folly rather than symbols of success. This prophetic word serves as an enduring warning against unchecked materialism and social injustice, affirming God's unwavering concern for the marginalized and His commitment to establishing righteousness and justice in the earth. This warning is as relevant today, cautioning against corporate greed, monopolistic practices, and the accumulation of wealth that leads to the displacement and impoverishment of the vulnerable.