Isaiah 59:5 kjv
They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Isaiah 59:5 nkjv
They hatch vipers' eggs and weave the spider's web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.
Isaiah 59:5 niv
They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider's web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
Isaiah 59:5 esv
They hatch adders' eggs; they weave the spider's web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
Isaiah 59:5 nlt
They hatch deadly snakes
and weave spiders' webs.
Whoever eats their eggs will die;
whoever cracks them will hatch a viper.
Isaiah 59 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 59:4 | "None call for justice, none plead for truth; they trust in vanity and speak lies..." | Isaiah 59:4 (preceding verse context) |
| Psalm 7:14-15 | "...he conceives mischief and is delivered of wickedness! He dug a pit..." | Psalm 7:14-15 (consequences of evil actions) |
| Proverbs 30:26 | "...Yet their houses are left by owls." | Prov 30:26 (insects that make fragile homes) |
| Matthew 12:34 | "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." | Matt 12:34 (heart's connection to speech) |
| Ephesians 4:29 | "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good..." | Eph 4:29 (contrast to corrupting speech) |
| James 3:6 | "And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set..." | James 3:6 (destructive nature of the tongue) |
| Jeremiah 5:26 | "In my house I found them as wicked men revelling among priests." | Jer 5:26 (wickedness in sacred places) |
| Job 8:14 | "For his trust shall be like his leavings, and his house shall be built..." | Job 8:14 (fragile foundations) |
| Romans 3:13-14 | "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive..." | Rom 3:13-14 (description of wicked speech) |
| Psalm 58:3 | "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth..." | Psalm 58:3 (inherent wickedness) |
| Isaiah 30:9-10 | "That this is a rebellious people, lying children..." | Isa 30:9-10 (description of deceitful people) |
| Jeremiah 9:3 | "They bend their tongues like a bow; to shoot lies..." | Jer 9:3 (words as weapons) |
| John 8:44 | "You are of your father the devil..." | John 8:44 (origin of lies) |
| Galatians 5:19-20 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality..." | Gal 5:19-20 (works of flesh) |
| Proverbs 24:32 | "Then I saw, and considered it; I looked, and received instruction." | Prov 24:32 (lesson learned from observing) |
| Habakkuk 2:6-7 | "Shall not all these take up a proverb against him..." | Hab 2:6-7 (woe for the oppressor) |
| Romans 1:29-31 | "...disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy..." | Rom 1:29-31 (characteristics of ungodliness) |
| Psalm 36:3-4 | "For he flatters himself in his own iniquity until his vile deeds are revealed..." | Ps 36:3-4 (flattery and deceit) |
| Amos 3:10 | "They do not know how to do right, declares the Lord..." | Amos 3:10 (lack of understanding of righteousness) |
| Luke 12:1-2 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." | Luke 12:1-2 (leaven as hypocrisy) |
| 2 Peter 2:12-13 | "But these creatures, naturally without reason, like animals that..." | 2 Peter 2:12-13 (like natural brute beasts) |
Isaiah 59 verses
Isaiah 59 5 Meaning
This verse vividly describes the wicked people who are characterized by their poisonous and destructive words, which they spin like spiders' webs. These webs are futile, providing no shelter or protection. Their actions and pronouncements are fundamentally evil and built upon deceit, leading to inevitable judgment.
Isaiah 59 5 Context
Isaiah 59 presents a stark indictment of Israel's sinfulness. The prophet describes a nation that has turned away from God, resulting in their separation from Him. The chapter details their moral corruption, injustice, and the spiritual barrenness that ensues. This particular verse, Isaiah 59:5, emerges within this broader theme of national sin and its devastating consequences, directly following the depiction of widespread deceit and injustice in verse 4. The prophet is revealing the foundational rot within the people.
Isaiah 59 5 Word Analysis
“They hatch”: The Hebrew word used here, yiqəṣû (יִקְצוּ), can mean "to brood" or "to hatch," evoking imagery of producing something harmful or illegitimate, like a bird of prey hatching eggs.
“adders' eggs”: beṣayê nāḥāš (בִּצֵי נָחָשׁ). This is a strong metaphor. "Adders" refers to venomous snakes. Their "eggs" are not literal eggs in this context but represent the destructive words, plans, and ideas that are brought forth. These are things that will hatch into poisonous realities. The imagery connects to the serpent in Genesis 3, the ultimate source of sin and deception.
“and weave”: yiphərō (יִפְרֹ֫עוּ). This word conveys the sense of spinning or weaving, particularly the fine, intricate work of a spider. It emphasizes the deceptive skill involved in their harmful pronouncements.
“a spider’s web”: ʿaḵ (עַךְ). This is a direct reference to a spider's web, which is delicate, sticky, and traps prey. It symbolizes the flimsy, deceitful, and ultimately entrapping nature of their words and schemes.
“He that eateth of them”: This refers to someone who consumes or is ensnared by what is produced, whether by believing the lies or by being caught in the schemes.
“shall die”: wəmut (וּמֹ֫תוּ). This signifies not just physical death but a spiritual death or ruin, separation from God, and facing divine judgment. The futility of the web is such that engaging with it leads to destruction.
“and that which is crushed”: wešabbərēʿîh (וְשַׁבֵּר עָרוּ); can also be interpreted as "what is hatched out" or "what is broken open". It links to the eggs that are hatched or the fragile nature of the web itself which, when broken, reveals its futility.
“breaketh out into a viper”: tsepa' adəgəlah (צֶפַע עַדֶגֵּלָה) - means a venomous snake, potentially a cobra or asp. This signifies that what seems minor or a mere "egg" will grow into something deadly and destructive. The cycle of evil continues and escalates.
Word Group Analysis: The grouping of "adders' eggs" and "spider's web" creates a powerful, dual metaphor for evil speech and actions. The eggs represent the inherent poison, while the web represents the method of entrapment – intricate, deceptive, and ultimately lethal. The parallel between eating the eggs and the web breaking out into a viper emphasizes how engaging with their wicked devices leads to inescapable doom.
Isaiah 59 5 Bonus Section
The imagery of the serpent's eggs and spider's web connects to a broader theme in Scripture where cunning deceit leads to bondage and destruction. The subtle but deadly nature of these images speaks to how sin often begins small, with tempting whispers or seemingly harmless choices, but grows into something that ultimately devours the perpetrator and anyone who trusts in it. This verse serves as a warning against relying on worldly schemes or trusting in corrupt systems, emphasizing that only in God is true refuge and righteousness found. The venom associated with serpents directly points to the corrupting and poisonous nature of sin and falsehood when it infects individuals and societies.
Isaiah 59 5 Commentary
This verse paints a picture of deep-seated wickedness. The wicked produce "adders' eggs" and "weave spider's webs," not as a means of sustenance or protection, but as tools of destruction and deception. These are not accidental wrongdoings, but deliberate machinations designed to ensnare others. The outcome is dire: anyone who consumes or engages with these destructive devices (whether by believing the lies or participating in the schemes) will face death or ruin. The fragility of the spider's web and the eventual hatching of a venomous viper underline the insidious and fatal nature of their actions. God sees through their cunning designs and judges them accordingly. Their plans are ultimately futile and lead to their own undoing and the doom of those who are ensnared by them.