Verses 1-30

1-24. Judah, God's unfruitful vineyard, and the judgment upon it.

1. I] i.e. Isaiah. To my] rather, 'for my,' or 'of my.' The beloved, as appears later, is Jehovah: cp. our Lord's parable (Matthew 21:33). The allegory is rhythmical in form: cp. Song of Solomon 8:11-14.

2. Tower] watch-tower: see on Isaiah 1:8.

3f. God speaks.

7. Judgment] i.e. justice. Oppression] perhaps better, 'bloodshed.' A cry] i.e. of the oppressed.

8-10. Unjust seizure of land resulting in barrenness and want of population.

8. Place] RV 'room.'

10. Bath] about 8 gallons. And the seed, etc.] RV 'and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah.' An ephah is the tenth part of a homer, which was 10 or 12 bushels (Ezekiel 45:11).

11. That continue until night] RV 'that tarry late into the night.'

12. Regard not, etc.] i.e. have no regard for the working of the Lord's will in the events of history.

13. Are gone into captivity] an example of the 'prophetic perfect.' The future is regarded as so certain that it is described as past.

14. Hell] Heb. Sheol, i.e. the place of departed spirits, RM 'the grave': cp. Genesis 37:35.

15. Cp. Isaiah 2:9, Isaiah 2:17.

17. After their manner] RV 'as in their pasture.' So desolate will the cities be.

Strangers] RM 'wanderers.' The meaning is that nomad tribes wander over the land at pleasure.

18. The people have chained themselves to sin like beasts of burden.

19. They scoff at the declared judgments of God.

20. The perverting of all moral distinctions.

23. Bribery and injustice.

25-30. The position of these vv. is doubtful. Very probably they should be connected with the prophecy, Isaiah 9:8 to Isaiah 10:4. In that section the closing words of Isaiah 5:25 occur four times as a sort of refrain.

26. Lift up an ensign] i.e. as a signal to muster them: cp. Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 18:3; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 62:10. Nations] i.e. those under the dominion of the Assyrian king and serving in his army. Hiss] The metaphor is from collecting a swarm of bees (Isaiah 7:18).

30. They shall roar against them] i.e. the enemies against God's people.