2. The wildness of the grapes 5:8-25

Yahweh's crop was worthless because it produced wild grapes that manifested six blights. The word "woe"(Heb. hoy), a term of lament and threat, introduces each one (cf. Amos 5:18; 6:1; Rev. 8:13; 9:12). Two double "therefore"sections break the laments into two groups by concluding them (vv. 13-14, 24-25). The "woe"sections emphasize the crop produced, and the "therefore"sections the harvest (judgment) to come. In the "woes"there is a chiastic progression.

AThe property motive (vv. 8-10)

BSelf-indulgence (vv. 11-12)

CSin pursued (vv. 18-19)

C'Sin justified (v. 20)

B'Self-conceit (v. 21)

A'The money motive (vv. 22-23)⁶¹

 Sins of the upwardly mobile 5:8-17

 Sins of the cynically unbelieving 5:18-25

Isaiah proceeded to expose the attitude that resulted in the people not allowing their knowledge of God to affect the way they lived (cf. v. 13). They thought that God would not act and that they knew what was better for themselves than He did. The prophet identified more "sour grapes"that issued from these attitudes.