Isaiah 5:12
They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The list of instruments and wine isn't just about their extravagant parties; it highlights the specific ways they are actively choosing to drown out God's voice. These aren't just random indulgences, but tools they use to deliberately ignore the "work of the LORD," demonstrating a willful turning away from divine awareness.
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a severe judgment, a "woe," against the Israelites for their greed and oppression of the poor, followed by another woe against those who indulge in excessive drinking and revelry. This verse continues that critique, highlighting how their luxurious lifestyle, filled with music and wine, has completely disconnected them from any awareness or appreciation of God's actions and presence in their lives. They are so consumed by their worldly pleasures that they are blind to both God's past deeds of deliverance and the present consequences of their sin.
Imagine a lavish party filled with music, laughter, and plenty of wine. Now, imagine that amidst all this revelry, no one is talking about God or what He's doing in the world. That's the scene Isaiah paints.
Isaiah 5:12 contrasts a scene of intense enjoyment with a profound spiritual emptiness.
The Sounds of Indulgence
The verse lists musical instruments—lyre, harp, tambourine, flute—alongside wine, all common elements of celebration. These weren't inherently sinful; in fact, some of these instruments were used in worship (like the harp in Psalm 33:2). However, their purpose here is entirely secular and self-serving. They are used to amplify pleasure and distract from anything serious.
The Silence of God
Juxtaposed with this lively scene is a striking silence: "but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands." Their feasting has created a bubble where God is irrelevant. The great acts of God, both in creation and in the unfolding of history (especially His dealings with Israel), are completely ignored. Their focus is solely on their own present pleasure.
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What happens when a people, blessed by God, systematically forget Him? Isaiah warns that it leads not to freedom, but to a spiritual blindness that invites disaster.
The verse highlights a deliberate turning away from God, a form of spiritual amnesia that has severe consequences.
A People Chosen and Cared For
The context of Isaiah 5 reveals that Israel, God's 'vineyard,' had received incredible care and blessing (Isaiah 5:1-7). God had provided for them, protected them, and expected good fruit—justice and righteousness. Yet, they produced 'wild grapes'—oppression and cries of injustice.
Ignoring the Evidence
Their feasting and revelry (v. 11-12) weren't just innocent pastimes; they were a symptom of a deeper problem: a refusal to acknowledge God's hand in their lives. They 'do not regard' and 'do not consider' His works. This isn't ignorance; it's willful neglect. They choose to ignore the blessings they've received, the warnings God sends through prophets like Isaiah, and the very evidence of His power and providence around them. This blindness makes them ripe for judgment.
Understand the original words
pōʿal · Hebrew Noun
The totality of God’s redemptive and judicial acts in history. It refers to what God is actively doing in the world, which the wicked fail to perceive because of their spiritual blindness.
The vibrant feasts described in Isaiah 5:12, filled with music and wine, stand in stark contrast to the perilous political climate of the 8th century BC. Judah, facing the formidable Assyrian Empire, is called to remember God's past deeds and present faithfulness, yet the people choose revelry and obliviousness over repentance and reliance on the LORD.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Power Grows
The Neo-Assyrian Empire is at its height, exerting significant military and political pressure on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. This era is marked by increasing Assyrian dominance and the eventual deportation of the northern kingdom of Israel.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry in Judah, during the reign of King Uzziah and later Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He witnesses the moral and spiritual decline of Judah amidst the rising Assyrian threat.
c. 730 BC
Syro-Ephraimitic War
The kings of Aram (Syria) and Israel attempt to force Judah into an alliance against Assyria. Isaiah advises King Ahaz to trust in the LORD, not in alliances, but Ahaz seeks Assyrian aid, marking a turning point toward greater foreign entanglements and tribute.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Israel
The capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, falls to the Assyrians under Sargon II, leading to the deportation of its people and the effective end of the northern kingdom. This serves as a stark warning to Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem. Despite the siege, Jerusalem is miraculously spared, partly due to a plague that strikes the Assyrian army and possibly due to Hezekiah's reforms and faith.
This passage describes a similar scene of luxurious feasting and musical indulgence by the wealthy, directly contrasting it with their indifference to the suffering of others and God's judgment.
Psalm 28:5This psalm expresses a lament over the people's disregard for God's deeds and destructive ways, mirroring Isaiah's complaint that the people do not regard or consider God's work and the operation of His hands.
Matthew 11:16-19Jesus criticizes a generation that was indifferent to both sober and celebratory calls from God, much like the people in Isaiah's time who indulged in feasting while ignoring God's warnings.
Luke 12:16-21The parable of the rich fool highlights how focusing solely on material possessions and earthly pleasures, without regard for God or the brevity of life, leads to spiritual ruin.
barnesIsaiah 5:12: "And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands."
The prophet proceeds to state still further the extent of their crimes. This verse contains an account of their dissipated habits, and their consequent forgetfulness of God. That they commonly had musical instruments in their feasts, is evident from many passages of the Old Testament; see Amos 6:5-6 . Their feasts,…
gillIsaiah 5:12: "And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands."
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe,.... Instruments of music; some struck with a bow or quill, or touched with the fingers; and others blown with the mouth: and wine are in their feasts; so that they lived jovially and merrily, like sons of Bacchus, more than like the people of God: but they regard no…
The list of instruments and wine isn't just about their extravagant parties; it highlights the specific ways they are actively choosing to drown out God's voice. These aren't just random indulgences, but tools they use to deliberately ignore the "work of the LORD," demonstrating a willful turning away from divine awareness.
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a severe judgment, a "woe," against the Israelites for their greed and oppression of the poor, followed by another woe against those who indulge in excessive drinking and revelry. This verse continues that critique, highlighting how their luxurious lifestyle, filled with music and wine, has completely disconnected them from any awareness or appreciation of God's actions and presence in their lives. They are so consumed by their worldly pleasures that they are blind to both God's past deeds of deliverance and the present consequences of their sin.
The prophet Isaiah has just delivered a severe judgment, a "woe," against the Israelites for their greed and oppression of the poor, followed by another woe against those who indulge in excessive drinking and revelry. This verse continues that critique, highlighting how their luxurious lifestyle, filled with music and wine, has completely disconnected them from any awareness or appreciation of God's actions and presence in their lives. They are so consumed by their worldly pleasures that they are blind to both God's past deeds of deliverance and the present consequences of their sin.
"They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands." — The list of instruments and wine isn't just about their extravagant parties; it highlights the specific ways they are actively choosing to drown out God's voice. These aren't just random indulgence…
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