The Meaning of Isaiah 5:11 Explained

Isaiah 5:11

KJV: Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

YLT: Woe to those rising early in the morning, Strong drink they pursue! Tarrying in twilight, wine inflameth them!

Darby: Woe unto them that, rising early in the morning, run after strong drink; that linger till twilight, till wine inflameth them!

ASV: Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Woe  unto them that rise up early  in the morning,  [that] they may follow  strong drink;  that continue  until night,  [till] wine  inflame  them! 

What does Isaiah 5:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 5:1-17 - A Disappointing Harvest
In a picture of great beauty, Isaiah describes a vineyard situated on one of the sunny heights visible from Jerusalem. Every care which an experienced vine-dresser could devise had been expended on it, but in vain. The vine-dresser himself is introduced, demanding if more could have been done. When God selects a nation, a church, or an individual for high and holy work in the world and expends care and pains on the preparation of the instrument, and His plans miscarry through no failure on His part but through the obstinancy or obtuseness of the human soul, the measure of what might have been is the gauge of its doom. The worst weeds grow on the richest soil. This picture is the counterpart of Paul's dread of being a castaway, 1 Corinthians 9:27.
The six woes which follow, arising from drunkenness and avarice remind us of sorrows that menace the selfish heart. How different such a lot to the blessedness of the humblest soul that possesses God and is possessed by Him! "Evil shall slay the wicked; and they that hate the righteous shall be condemned. Jehovah redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them that take refuge in Him shall be condemned," Psalms 34:21-22. [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 5:11 mean?

Woe to those who rise early in the morning intoxicating drink [That] they may follow who continue until night [till] wine inflames them
ה֛וֹי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י בַבֹּ֖קֶר שֵׁכָ֣ר יִרְדֹּ֑פוּ מְאַחֲרֵ֣י בַנֶּ֔שֶׁף יַ֖יִן יַדְלִיקֵֽם

ה֛וֹי  Woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֹוי  
Sense: ah!, alas!, ha!, ho!, O!, woe!.
מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י  to  those  who  rise  early 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
בַבֹּ֖קֶר  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
שֵׁכָ֣ר  intoxicating  drink 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁכָר  
Sense: strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor.
יִרְדֹּ֑פוּ  [That]  they  may  follow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
מְאַחֲרֵ֣י  who  continue 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: אָחַר  
Sense: to delay, hesitate, tarry, defer, remain behind.
בַנֶּ֔שֶׁף  until  night 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁף  
Sense: twilight.
יַ֖יִן  [till]  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
יַדְלִיקֵֽם  inflames  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּלַק  
Sense: to burn, hotly pursue.