Isaiah 51 21

Isaiah 51:21 kjv

Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

Isaiah 51:21 nkjv

Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, And drunk but not with wine.

Isaiah 51:21 niv

Therefore hear this, you afflicted one, made drunk, but not with wine.

Isaiah 51:21 esv

Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine:

Isaiah 51:21 nlt

But now listen to this, you afflicted ones
who sit in a drunken stupor,
though not from drinking wine.

Isaiah 51 verses

Isaiah 51 21 meaning

Isaiah 51:21 addresses a suffering and disoriented Jerusalem, personified as a woman, urging her to listen to God's message of impending deliverance. She is described as "afflicted" (due to sustained hardship and oppression) and "drunken" (in a state of stupor and helplessness), yet specifically notes "not with wine." This distinction highlights that her intoxication is not from alcohol but from a divinely administered "cup of staggering," a metaphor for God's judgment and the devastating consequences it has brought upon His people. The verse serves as a crucial transition, acknowledging the depth of their suffering while signaling God's imminent intervention and the reversal of their desolate state.

Isaiah 51 21 Context

Isaiah 51:21 is situated within the "Book of Comfort" (chapters 40-55) of Isaiah, following the prophet's call for Zion to remember God's past faithfulness and present power. This specific chapter shifts from a general call to heed God (vv. 1-16) to a direct address to Jerusalem (vv. 17-23). The preceding verses vividly describe Jerusalem's utter desolation, having drunk the "cup of the Lord's wrath," which caused her to stagger helplessly (v. 17). Verses 18-20 lament her lack of helpers and the double ruin of desolation and destruction. Against this backdrop of profound suffering and apparent abandonment, verse 21 dramatically introduces a message of hope. It marks a transition point, acknowledging the depth of Jerusalem's historical and present anguish but immediately preparing for the glorious declaration in the subsequent verses (51:22-23) that God will remove the cup of judgment from her hand and place it into the hands of her tormentors. Historically, this likely refers to the experience of Babylonian exile and its aftermath, where Judah endured foreign oppression as a consequence of national sin, but through which God promised eventual restoration and salvation.

Isaiah 51 21 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵ֗ן - lakhēn): This conjunctive adverb signals a logical consequence. It links the upcoming message directly to God's steadfast character, His promises of comfort for Zion (Isa 51:3), and His power displayed in creation and past deliverances (Isa 51:9-16). It suggests that despite Zion's dire state, because of who God is and what He has declared, a new action is warranted.
• hear now this (שִׁמְעִי־נָ֤א זֹאת֙ - shim'i nāh zo't): An imperative verb, "hear," combined with the particle of entreaty "na," emphasizes an urgent, attentive call. The feminine singular form ("hear, you [feminine]") specifically addresses Jerusalem/Zion personified. "This" refers to the message of reversal and deliverance that immediately follows in subsequent verses. It's a command for spiritual readiness to receive truth.
• you afflicted (עֲנִיָּ֔ה - ʿǎniyyâ): This term, in feminine singular, directly characterizes Jerusalem. It describes a state of deep suffering, humiliation, and oppression. It reflects not just physical distress but often carries connotations of spiritual and national degradation, implying an abject, helpless condition resulting from God's hand in judgment or external forces allowed by Him.
• and drunken (וְשִׁכֹּ֖רֶת - wǝšikkōraṯ): Also feminine singular, modifying Jerusalem. This is a metaphorical "intoxication." It signifies a state of being utterly stunned, disoriented, and paralyzed, stripped of one's faculties, as one would be from extreme drunkenness. It emphasizes a complete lack of control or ability to respond to their dire circumstances.
• but not with wine (וְלֹ֣א מִיָּֽיִן - wǝlōʾ miyyayin): This phrase is crucial for understanding the nature of the "drunkenness." It explicitly denies literal alcoholic intoxication, thereby affirming a deeper, spiritual reality. Their stupor and disorientation were not self-inflicted through ordinary means but were caused by the "cup of staggering" or "cup of God's wrath" mentioned in verse 17. It denotes a profound divine judgment that left them helpless.

• "you afflicted, and drunken": This grouping emphasizes Jerusalem's twin descriptors of suffering and spiritual stupor. The suffering (`aniyah`) is deep and comprehensive, encompassing both physical desolation and spiritual despondency. The "drunkenness" (`shikkōrat`) adds the dimension of utter helplessness and disorientation, a national paralysis brought on by judgment. Together, they paint a complete picture of despair.
• "drunken, but not with wine": This is a powerful contrast. By explicitly stating "not with wine," the text highlights the supernatural, divine origin of Jerusalem's condition. Her stupefaction is not a result of human indulgence or mere happenstance but a deliberate act of divine judgment, profound and all-encompassing. It underscores that her problem is spiritual, requiring a spiritual, divine solution.

Isaiah 51 21 Bonus section

The direct address to Jerusalem as feminine ("you afflicted," "you drunken") underscores a deeply personal relationship between God and His people, often likened to a husband and wife in covenant. Even in judgment, God's voice conveys a profound intimacy, calling her to attention as He would a beloved but errant spouse. The unique phrase "not with wine" not only clarifies the source of their stupor but also distinguishes their experience from common societal failings; it is a profound divine spiritual consequence, far more severe than simple inebriation. This type of divine, spirit-induced disorientation also appears in other prophetic texts (e.g., Isa 29:9-10) highlighting a purposeful spiritual hardening or blinding as part of God's judgment, ultimately paving the way for His sovereign grace and renewed revelation. This deep state of "intoxication" signifies not merely external affliction but an internal, spiritual numbness that requires an equally profound, divine awakening.

Isaiah 51 21 Commentary

Isaiah 51:21 represents a pivotal moment in the prophet's address to Israel, transitioning from a description of their devastating judgment to a powerful declaration of imminent hope. God intimately addresses Jerusalem, recognizing her profound suffering, encapsulated in being "afflicted" (aniyah), and her state of bewildered helplessness, being "drunken." The key distinction "not with wine" clarifies that this intoxication is not self-indulged but a divinely ordained consequence, having drunk the "cup of His wrath" (Isa 51:17). This emphasizes the severity and spiritual dimension of their predicament. By calling them to "hear now this," God signals that despite their stupor and sorrow, a new divine word of deliverance is at hand, offering a reversal of fortune and ultimately, comfort, because the very hand that administered the judgment is now prepared to restore. It affirms that God sees, acknowledges, and acts to redeem His people even in their lowest state, transforming a season of divine chastisement into one of compassionate intervention.