The Meaning of Isaiah 5:21 Explained

Isaiah 5:21

KJV: Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

YLT: Woe to the wise in their own eyes, And -- before their own faces -- intelligent!

Darby: Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent in their own esteem!

ASV: Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Woe  unto [them that are] wise  in their own eyes,  and prudent  in their own sight! 

What does Isaiah 5:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Their fifth error was conceit. They thought they were wiser and cleverer than Yahweh.

Context Summary

Isaiah 5:18-30 - Warning Against Pride, Intemperance, And Corruption
The wild grapes of Judah are here continued: blind atheism, Isaiah 5:18-20; proud self-conceit, Isaiah 5:21; drunkenness, Isaiah 5:22; injustice in the courts, Isaiah 5:23-24. What a terrible description is that given in Isaiah 5:18 of the inevitable progress of sin! The bacchanalian procession which is seen, in Isaiah 5:14, descending with music and flowers into the open gates of Hades is described in Isaiah 5:18 as being drawn down by a cable. Men begin with a thread, but the thread of habit becomes a rope, and the rope grows to a cable, which ultimately lands a man in the pit. From Isaiah 5:25 onward we have the description of impending judgment. Earthquakes, armed raids, civil strife, and famine fever, the devastating inroads of hostile invasion, a desolate land and a hungry sea such would be the forces of destruction which Judah's sin would unloose. Recent events have revealed the terror of such a visitation. Remember that the wrath of love is as severe as a consuming fire. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 5

1  Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8  His judgments upon covetousness
11  Upon lasciviousness
13  Upon impiety
20  And upon injustice
26  The executioners of God's judgments

What do the individual words in Isaiah 5:21 mean?

Woe to [those who are] wise in their own eyes and in their own sight prudent
ה֖וֹי חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וְנֶ֥גֶד ! פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם נְבֹנִֽים

ה֖וֹי  Woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֹוי  
Sense: ah!, alas!, ha!, ho!, O!, woe!.
חֲכָמִ֣ים  to  [those  who  are]  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם  in  their  own  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְנֶ֥גֶד  and  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
! פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם  their  own  sight 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
נְבֹנִֽים  prudent 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.