Isaiah 5:13-14
Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse starkly contrasts the "honorable men" with the "multitude," but the true shock is that both are destined for the same grim fate of hunger and thirst. It’s not just the common folk who suffer; their leaders, the ones who should have known better, are equally caught in the destructive consequences of ignorance.
The prophet Isaiah is launching into a series of "woes" against the people of Israel, specifically calling out their greed, excess, and rejection of God's ways. In the verses immediately preceding this one, he's described their luxurious banquets and excessive drinking, highlighting their carefree indulgence. This verse serves as the devastating consequence of that lifestyle, showing that their chosen path of ignorance and excess will ultimately lead to exile, hunger, and thirst.
Why would God allow His people to be taken captive? The answer lies not in a sudden punishment, but in a profound absence.
Isaiah declares that his people go into exile 'for lack of knowledge' (Isaiah 5:13). This isn't just about not knowing facts; it's about a deep, experiential ignorance of God and His ways.
A Willful Blindness
This 'lack of knowledge' is often a result of people choosing not to know. They are deaf to God's warnings and blind to the consequences of their actions. The commentaries highlight that they 'did not foresee that this must be the outcome of their conduct' (Ellicott) and that they had 'no serious consideration of God’s works, and of their own duty and danger' (Benson).
The Cost of Ignorance
When people ignore or reject God's truth, the consequences are severe. Exile, hunger, and thirst are physical manifestations of this spiritual destitution. It's a state where essential sustenance—both physical and spiritual—is lost because the foundation of knowing God has crumbled.
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The powerful and the common people alike face the same devastating fate. What does this stark contrast reveal about God's justice?
Isaiah pinpoints two groups who suffer: 'their honored men' and 'their multitude' (Isaiah 5:13). This shows that no one is exempt from God's judgment when a nation turns away from Him.
From Honor to Hunger
The 'honored men'—the nobles, the leaders—who likely enjoyed lavish lifestyles, are now 'famished.' Their status and privilege offer no protection from the resulting famine. This is a direct reversal, a punishment for their accountability, or perhaps their complicity, in the nation's sin.
Thirst for the Masses
The 'multitude,' the common people, are 'parched with thirst.' This imagery contrasts sharply with the gluttony and drunkenness condemned in the preceding verses (Isaiah 5:11-12). The very things they indulged in have been replaced by their extreme opposites: starvation and dehydration.
A Shared Consequence
Both leaders and the populace face these dire physical needs. Their shared exile and suffering underscore that spiritual ignorance affects all levels of society, and God's justice, while specific in its application, is comprehensive in its reach.
Understand the original words
gālâ · Hebrew Noun
The forced removal of God's people from their land as a consequence of covenant disobedience. It signifies divine judgment and separation from the presence of God in the Promised Land.
daʿat · Hebrew Noun
The critical discernment or experiential acquaintance with God and His will. Its absence leads to covenantal failure and divine judgment, as the people have rejected the revelation of the Law.
šəʾôl · Hebrew Noun
The place of the dead, the grave, or the underworld. In this context, it is personified as a ravenous entity that consumes those who have rejected God, illustrating the finality of judgment.
This prophecy, delivered before the major exiles, warns that a lack of understanding God's ways and His coming judgment will lead to devastating consequences, including hunger, thirst, and captivity, affecting all levels of society.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Invasions and Raids
The Northern Kingdom of Israel faced repeated Assyrian incursions, leading to significant deportations and instability.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria besieged Jerusalem. While the city was spared, the surrounding Judean territories were devastated, highlighting Judah's vulnerability.
609 BC
Josiah's Death in Battle
King Josiah, a righteous ruler, was killed fighting the Egyptians at Megiddo, plunging Judah into political turmoil and weakness.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon began its campaigns against Judah, resulting in the first major deportation of Judean nobles and skilled workers to Babylon.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, deported King Jehoiachin and more of the elite, and installed a puppet ruler.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, with the remaining population largely exiled to Babylon, fulfilling the prophetic warnings.
This passage echoes Isaiah's theme of 'lack of knowledge' leading to destruction, stating 'my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge' and directly linking this ignorance to the rejection of God's law.
Luke 19:42Jesus, speaking about Jerusalem's impending destruction, expresses a similar sorrow, lamenting 'would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.' This highlights the tragic consequences of a people's spiritual blindness.
Matthew 21:43This verse, part of Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants which reflects Isaiah's prophecy, explicitly states that 'the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruits,' showing a similar pattern of divine judgment on an unfaithful people.
Psalm 107:4-5This psalm vividly describes a group wandering in the wilderness, 'hungry and thirsty,' their 'soul faint within them,' mirroring the physical suffering and desolation Isaiah predicts for the people due to their lack of wisdom and turning away from God.
barnesIsaiah 5:13: "Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst."
Therefore my people are gone - This is evidently used with reference to the "future." The prophet described events as "passing before his eyes" as a vision (note, Isaiah 1:1 ); and he here seems to "see" the people going into captivity, and describes it as an event actually occurring. Into captivity - Referring, doubtless, t…
clarkeIsaiah 5:13: "Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst."
And their honorable men "And the nobles" - These verses have likewise a reference to the two preceding. They that indulged in feasting and drinking shall perish with hunger and thirst; and Hades shall indulge his appetite as much as they had done, and devour them all. The image is strong and expressive in the highest degree.…
The verse starkly contrasts the "honorable men" with the "multitude," but the true shock is that both are destined for the same grim fate of hunger and thirst. It’s not just the common folk who suffer; their leaders, the ones who should have known better, are equally caught in the destructive consequences of ignorance.
The prophet Isaiah is launching into a series of "woes" against the people of Israel, specifically calling out their greed, excess, and rejection of God's ways. In the verses immediately preceding this one, he's described their luxurious banquets and excessive drinking, highlighting their carefree indulgence. This verse serves as the devastating consequence of that lifestyle, showing that their chosen path of ignorance and excess will ultimately lead to exile, hunger, and thirst.
The prophet Isaiah is launching into a series of "woes" against the people of Israel, specifically calling out their greed, excess, and rejection of God's ways. In the verses immediately preceding this one, he's described their luxurious banquets and excessive drinking, highlighting their carefree indulgence. This verse serves as the devastating consequence of that lifestyle, showing that their chosen path of ignorance and excess will ultimately lead to exile, hunger, and thirst.
"Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure,…" — The verse starkly contrasts the "honorable men" with the "multitude," but the true shock is that both are destined for the same grim fate of hunger and thirst. It’s not just the common folk who suf…
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