Isaiah 28:23
Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Isaiah 28:23
Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The prophet isn't just asking for attention; he's emphatically repeating the call to listen, using two different phrases for "hear." This isn't redundancy, but a way to underscore that what's coming is crucial, requiring more than a casual ear – it demands deep attentiveness to God's "voice" and "speech."
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a series of harsh pronouncements against the pride and drunkenness of the people of Judah, detailing severe judgments God will bring upon them. To explain and justify God's seemingly harsh actions, Isaiah is about to introduce a parable drawn from the careful, varied methods of a farmer. He calls for the people to listen closely to this illustration, which will reveal God's wise and intentional approach to dealing with His people, tempering justice with purpose.
Why does God sometimes seem gentle and other times severe? It's not random, but a wise, intentional approach, like a farmer tending a field.
In Isaiah 28, God is about to bring judgment on His people. To explain why He uses different, sometimes 'strange' methods, the prophet uses an agricultural parable.
The Farmer's Wisdom
A farmer doesn't use the same technique for every crop or every stage of growth. They plow, sow, and then thresh differently depending on the plant and the soil. God, the Divine Farmer, applies this same principle to His people.
This shows God's intricate wisdom in how He works with us, even when His methods are difficult to understand.
The verse starts with a repeated command to 'give ear' and 'hearken.' What's behind this urgent call to pay attention?
Isaiah 28:23 isn't just a casual invitation; it's a profound call to listen. The repetition of 'give ear' and 'hearken' emphasizes the seriousness and importance of what God is about to reveal.
More Than Just Hearing
This isn't about passively hearing sounds, but about active engagement. The Hebrew words used here imply a deep, attentive listening that leads to understanding and obedience. It's the kind of listening that a student gives to a teacher or a child to a parent.
This verse, found within Isaiah's prophecy, is set against the backdrop of looming Assyrian and later Babylonian threats and exiles. It serves as a call to listen and understand God's warnings and His varied methods of discipline, illustrated by the farmer's wisdom in cultivating the land.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Empire's Dominance
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, a superpower, exerted significant influence and control over the region, including the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. This period was marked by threats of invasion and deportation.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, fell to the Assyrians. This event led to the deportation of many Israelites, a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
Early 7th Century BC
Hezekiah's Reforms and Assyrian Pressure
King Hezekiah of Judah implemented religious reforms and initially resisted Assyrian dominance, but later paid tribute to Sennacherib, illustrating the precarious political situation.
c. 605 BC
Babylonian Ascendancy Begins
Following the decline of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian Empire rose to power. This marked the beginning of a new era of foreign domination for Judah.
This verse echoes Isaiah's call to attentiveness, urging the reader to 'incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding.' Both passages emphasize the importance of actively listening to God's instruction.
Jeremiah 7:2Similar to Isaiah's plea, Jeremiah implores his audience to 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah... doing your deeds.'
Matthew 11:15Jesus uses a similar phrase, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear,' which highlights the spiritual discernment required to truly grasp God's message, just as Isaiah is calling for deep attention beyond mere hearing.
Luke 8:18This passage warns against inattentiveness to God's word, stating, 'Pay attention to how you hear.' It underscores Isaiah's call for active, engaged listening by showing the consequences of not doing so.
barnesIsaiah 28:23: "Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech."
Give ye ear - In this verse the prophet introduces an important and striking illustration drawn from the science of agriculture. It is connected with the preceding part of the chapter, and is designed to show the propriety of what the prophet had said by an appeal to what they all observed in the cultivation of their lands. The previous discourse consists mainly of reproofs and of threatenings of punishment on God's pe…
bensonIsaiah 28:23: "Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech."
Isaiah 28:23-25 . Give ye ear — Observe what I say, and do you judge if it be not reasonable. “We have here the last member of this section, in which this severe judgment of God, denounced in the preceding verses, is defended by a parable taken from agriculture, wherein the prophet represents allegorically the intentions and methods of the divine judgments.” “As the husbandman uses various methods in preparing his land…
The prophet isn't just asking for attention; he's emphatically repeating the call to listen, using two different phrases for "hear." This isn't redundancy, but a way to underscore that what's coming is crucial, requiring more than a casual ear – it demands deep attentiveness to God's "voice" and "speech."
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a series of harsh pronouncements against the pride and drunkenness of the people of Judah, detailing severe judgments God will bring upon them. To explain and justify God's seemingly harsh actions, Isaiah is about to introduce a parable drawn from the careful, varied methods of a farmer. He calls for the people to listen closely to this illustration, which will reveal God's wise and intentional approach to dealing with His people, tempering justice with purpose.
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a series of harsh pronouncements against the pride and drunkenness of the people of Judah, detailing severe judgments God will bring upon them. To explain and justify God's seemingly harsh actions, Isaiah is about to introduce a parable drawn from the careful, varied methods of a farmer. He calls for the people to listen closely to this illustration, which will reveal God's wise and intentional approach to dealing with His people, tempering justice with purpose.
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By urging them to listen, Isaiah is setting the stage for them to understand God's purposes, even when they are difficult or unexpected.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, exiling King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of the Judean elite and skilled workers to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, with the remaining population deported to Babylon. This was a catastrophic event for the Jewish people.
Mid-6th Century BC— this verse
Exile in Babylon and Prophetic Ministry
During the exile, prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah ministered to the people, offering messages of both judgment and hope for restoration. This verse likely comes from Isaiah's ministry prior to these events, but speaks to the consequences of such actions.
"Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech." — The prophet isn't just asking for attention; he's emphatically repeating the call to listen, using two different phrases for "hear." This isn't redundancy, but a way to underscore that what's coming…