Isaiah 7:23 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Isaiah 7:23 kjv
And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7:23 nkjv
It shall happen in that day, That wherever there could be a thousand vines Worth a thousand shekels of silver, It will be for briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7:23 niv
In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7:23 esv
In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7:23 nlt
In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns.
Isaiah 7 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:17-18 | "...cursed is the ground for your sake... Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you..." | Thorns as a result of divine curse on the ground. |
| Num 33:55 | "...those who remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides..." | Enemies acting as irritants, a form of judgment. |
| Deut 28:38-40 | "You shall carry much seed to the field and gather little... you shall plant vineyards..." | Curses on agricultural efforts for disobedience. |
| Deut 29:23 | "...the whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning... not sown, nor bearing, nor any grass growing in it..." | Ultimate desolation for forsaking the covenant. |
| Ps 107:33-34 | "He turns rivers into a wilderness... a fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it." | God's judgment leading to land desolation. |
| Prov 24:30-31 | "I went by the field of the lazy man... And there it was, all overgrown with thorns..." | Thorns as a sign of neglect and lack of effort. |
| Isa 1:7 | "Your country is desolate... Your land, strangers devour it in your presence..." | Widespread desolation of Judah. |
| Isa 5:1-7 | Parable of the vineyard producing wild grapes, resulting in desolation. | God's chosen "vineyard" (Israel) bearing bad fruit, leading to ruin. |
| Isa 7:24 | "With arrows and with bows men shall come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns." | Immediate context: hunters and the need for defense against wild animals. |
| Isa 9:18 | "For wickedness burns like fire... it devours briers and thorns..." | Sin consuming a land like a destructive fire. |
| Isa 10:17 | "And the Light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame... it will consume his thorns and his briers..." | God Himself consumes the ungodly elements of His people. |
| Isa 27:4 | "I have no fury... Who would set briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them..." | God's power over opposing forces, symbolized by thorns. |
| Isa 32:13 | "...upon the land of my people will come up thorns and briers..." | Direct prophecy of thorns and briers due to sin. |
| Isa 34:13 | "Thorns shall come up in its palaces, Nettles and brambles in its fortresses..." | Desolation of Edom, similar to Judah's judgment. |
| Jer 12:10-11 | "Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard... they have trampled My portion underfoot..." | Prophets lamenting the destruction of God's land/people. |
| Hos 10:8 | "...and the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars..." | Thorns and thistles as symbols of divine judgment. |
| Mic 6:15 | "You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread out the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil..." | Futility of labor, echoing agricultural curses. |
| Zeph 1:13 | "Therefore their goods shall become a plunder, And their houses a desolation..." | Broader judgment and plunder as a consequence. |
| Matt 13:7 | "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them." | Parable of the sower: spiritual fruit choked by worldly concerns. |
| Heb 6:7-8 | "For the land which drinks in the rain... but bears thorns and briers, is rejected and near to being cursed..." | Warning against unproductivity and spiritual unfruitfulness. |
| Rev 14:18-19 | "...gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are ripe." | The vintage of wrath, symbolizing ultimate judgment. |
Isaiah 7 verses
Isaiah 7 23 meaning
Isaiah 7:23 is a prophetic declaration detailing the future desolation of the land of Judah as a consequence of national unfaithfulness and reliance on foreign powers. It starkly contrasts the land's previous high value and productivity with its forthcoming state of ruin. Specifically, valuable vineyards, once worth a thousand silverlings per thousand vines, are prophesied to revert to an uncultivated wilderness overrun by briers and thorns. This signifies economic collapse, agricultural devastation, and the severe judgment of God, reversing all human labor and prosperity.
Isaiah 7 23 Context
Isaiah chapter 7 records a pivotal moment in Judah's history during the Syro-Ephraimite War (c. 735-734 BC). King Ahaz of Judah faces an alliance of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) threatening to overthrow him and replace him with a puppet ruler. God, through the prophet Isaiah, repeatedly urges Ahaz to trust Him and promises deliverance. He offers Ahaz a sign of His assurance (v. 10-11), but Ahaz, feigning piety, refuses to ask for one, indicating his intention to rely instead on Assyria for help. In response, God, despite Ahaz's lack of faith, promises a sign anyway—the birth of Immanuel (v. 14). The broader context of chapter 7, particularly verses 17-25, outlines the devastating consequences that would befall Judah as a direct result of Ahaz's unfaithfulness and his subsequent alliance with Assyria. Instead of bringing peace, the Assyrians, once invited, would become an oppressive force. Verse 23 is part of this judgment description, vividly portraying the economic and agricultural ruin that would transform previously productive, valuable land into a wild, untamed wilderness fit only for grazing, highlighting a profound reversal of blessing and prosperity.
Isaiah 7 23 Word analysis
- And it shall come to pass: (V'haya) - A prophetic introductory phrase, often used to signify a future event, carrying the weight of certainty and divine decree. It marks the transition from current circumstances to a coming reality, often one of judgment or restoration.
- in that day: (bayyom hahu) - A significant prophetic idiom that points to a specific, decisive future period of divine intervention. While often with eschatological overtones, in Isaiah 7 it refers more immediately to the consequences of the Syro-Ephraimite war and Assyrian intervention, serving as a distinct marker for the fulfillment of the prophecy.
- that every place: (kol-maqom) - Emphasizes the widespread and comprehensive nature of the coming desolation. Not just isolated areas, but all formerly valuable regions.
- shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings: (asher yihyeh-sham elef gefen b'elef kesef)
- A thousand vines (elef gefen): Indicates a large, productive vineyard. The "vine" (gefen) is a common biblical metaphor for Israel/Judah, making the destruction of literal vines particularly poignant.
- at a thousand silverlings (b'elef kesef): "Silverlings" (kesef) are pieces of silver, a standard measure of wealth or currency. This phrase denotes the high monetary value or productivity of the vineyard. It underscores the immense loss – a place of significant capital, investment, and yield will be rendered useless.
- it shall even be for briers and thorns: (lashamir vashayit yihyeh)
- Briers (shamir) and thorns (shayit): These two terms are frequently paired in the Old Testament to signify wild, uncultivated, useless vegetation. They are powerful symbols of desolation, the curse upon the land, and the reversal of creation's order and human labor. The land's state will transform from valuable cultivation to overgrown wildness.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And it shall come to pass in that day": This sets a solemn, prophetic tone, indicating a certain, future fulfillment of God's word, underscoring the irreversible nature of the coming events. It calls for immediate attention to the divine message.
- "every place...where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings": This phrase paints a vivid picture of extreme wealth and prosperity turned to waste. It highlights the direct contrast: areas that were prime agricultural investments, indicative of stability and blessing, will be lost entirely, representing profound economic and social ruin. The quantitative nature (thousand vines, thousand silverlings) emphasizes the scale of the former abundance and the magnitude of its destruction.
- "it shall even be for briers and thorns": This describes the end state. The change is radical and complete; from carefully tended, highly profitable land to a wild, hostile landscape. This symbolizes the divine judgment sweeping away not only the physical bounty but also the perceived security and the very foundations of the people's life. The transition to a land dominated by thorns and briers often signifies a curse (Gen 3:18) or neglect due to unfaithfulness (Isa 5:6).
Isaiah 7 23 Bonus section
The specific detail of "a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings" not only emphasizes economic value but might also subtly imply the diligent labor and intricate care involved in cultivating such a vineyard. The future transformation of this meticulously kept land into an unmanageable thicket of thorns highlights the futility of human endeavor when divine blessing is withdrawn. This reversal meant a change in the people's very way of life; rather than agriculture and settled village life, the land would support a pastoral existence focused on fewer livestock (v. 21-22), indicating a significant de-urbanization and economic downgrade. The prevalence of thorns and briers also suggests an increased threat from wild animals (referenced in the subsequent verse 24), turning former farmlands into hunting grounds for sheer survival rather than prosperous living.
Isaiah 7 23 Commentary
Isaiah 7:23 serves as a chilling prophecy of the catastrophic decline awaiting Judah due to King Ahaz's failure to trust God and his ill-advised reliance on Assyria. The verse vividly juxtaposes past prosperity with future desolation, painting a picture of reversal. What was once valuable agricultural land, maintained with significant labor and yielding considerable wealth, will become overgrown with briers and thorns—symbols of abandonment, curse, and unproductive wilderness. This wasn't merely a natural disaster; it was God's judgment, an undoing of human effort and the natural order for national sin and a departure from divine covenant. It demonstrates that true security and prosperity come not from human alliances or military strength but from faithful dependence on the Lord, without which even the most flourishing land can revert to ruin. The physical transformation of the land thus powerfully communicates a spiritual truth about the consequences of faithlessness.