The Meaning of Isaiah 5:5 Explained

Isaiah 5:5

KJV: And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

YLT: And now, pray, let me cause you to know, That which I am doing to my vineyard, To turn aside its hedge, And it hath been for consumption, To break down its wall, And it hath been for a treading-place.

Darby: And now, let me tell you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trodden under foot;

ASV: And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And now go to; I will tell  you what I will do  to my vineyard:  I will take away  the hedge  thereof, and it shall be eaten up;  [and] break down  the wall  thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 

What does Isaiah 5:5 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 5:5 mean?

now let Me tell please you - what I will do to My vineyard I will take away its hedge and it shall be burned [And] break down its wall trampled down
וְעַתָּה֙ אוֹדִֽיעָה־ נָּ֣א אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־ אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֖ה לְכַרְמִ֑י הָסֵ֤ר מְשׂוּכָּתוֹ֙ וְהָיָ֣ה לְבָעֵ֔ר פָּרֹ֥ץ גְּדֵר֖וֹ לְמִרְמָֽס

וְעַתָּה֙  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
אוֹדִֽיעָה־  let  Me  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
נָּ֣א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֹשֶׂ֖ה  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְכַרְמִ֑י  to  My  vineyard 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: כֶּרֶם 
Sense: vineyard.
הָסֵ֤ר  I  will  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מְשׂוּכָּתוֹ֙  its  hedge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְשׂוּכָּה 
Sense: hedge.
וְהָיָ֣ה  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְבָעֵ֔ר  burned 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.
פָּרֹ֥ץ  [And]  break  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: פָּרַץ  
Sense: to break through or down or over, burst, breach.
גְּדֵר֖וֹ  its  wall 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדֵר  
Sense: fence, wall.
לְמִרְמָֽס  trampled  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִרְמָס  
Sense: trampling place, trampling.