Isaiah 5:2-5

Context

5:2 He built a hedge around it,¹ removed its stones,

and planted a vine.

He built a tower in the middle of it,

and constructed a winepress.

He waited for it to produce edible grapes,

but it produced sour ones instead.²

5:3 So now, residents of Jerusalem,³

people⁴ of Judah,

you decide between me and my vineyard!

5:4 What more can I do for my vineyard

beyond what I have already done?

When I waited for it to produce edible grapes,

why did it produce sour ones instead?

5:5 Now I will inform you

what I am about to do to my vineyard:

I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture,⁵

I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there.⁶

[5:2] ¹tn Or, “dug it up” (so NIV); KJV “fenced it.’ See HALOT 810 s.v. עזק.

[5:2] ²tn Heb “wild grapes,” i.e., sour ones (also in v. 4).

[5:3] ⁴tn Heb “men,” but in a generic sense.

[5:5] ⁵tn Heb “and it will become [a place for] grazing.” בָּעַר (ba’ar, “grazing”) is a homonym of the more often used verb “to burn.”

[5:5] ⁶tn Heb “and it will become a trampled place” (NASB “trampled ground”).