For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is the intentional, beautiful wordplay Isaiah uses: God looked for "judgment" (mishpat) but found "bloodshed" (mishpach), and longed for "righteousness" (tzedakah) but heard an "outcry" (tza'akah). This isn't just a complaint; it's a linguistic masterpiece highlighting the stark, terrible contrast between God's desire and Israel's reality.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
English Standard Version (ESV)
After describing the meticulous care God took in establishing Israel as His own special vineyard, this verse reveals the bitter disappointment of the owner. Instead of the justice and righteousness He had cultivated, God found only bloodshed and the cries of the oppressed within the very people He had so lovingly planted.
God poured immense care into His people, like a gardener tending a prized vineyard. What did that investment look like, and why was it so special?
Isaiah uses the powerful metaphor of a vineyard to describe God's relationship with Israel and Judah. This wasn't just any patch of land; it was God's chosen vineyard, his "pleasant planting" (v. 7).
God's Diligence:
This imagery highlights God's deep commitment and the immense value He placed on His people. It wasn't a casual relationship but one marked by intentional love and dedicated effort.
God looked for something specific from His carefully tended vineyard. What He found instead was a shocking and tragic reversal.
The heart of Isaiah's lament in verse 7 lies in the stark contrast between God's expectation and the reality He discovered. The Hebrew language itself emphasizes this painful disconnect through a clever use of wordplay.
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God's Expectation:
Israel's Reality:
This isn't just a poetic observation; it's a devastating indictment. The original Hebrew emphasizes this reversal with words that sound remarkably similar but carry opposite meanings. The 'elegance of language' (as described by the commentators) serves to underscore the tragic failure of God's people to reflect His character.
Understand the original words
Yahweh Tseva'ot · Hebrew Noun phrase
Refers to the God of the armies of heaven, emphasizing His supreme authority, power, and sovereign control over all forces—both angelic and earthly—in the universe.
kerem · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical image used to describe God’s people, suggesting God’s ownership, care, cultivation, and the expectation of spiritual fruitfulness.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The standard of God's moral law requiring fair treatment of others and adherence to His revealed will; it is the practical application of living in a right relationship with God and neighbor.
mishpah · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew term refers specifically to the 'shedding of blood,' connoting violent crimes or murder; it represents a fundamental violation of the covenant relationship and sanctity of life.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
Living in conformity to God's character and requirements. It encompasses both internal integrity and external actions that align with God’s holiness.
tse'aqah · Hebrew Noun
A cry of distress or a shriek, often used in scripture to denote the agonizing plea of the oppressed crying out to God for deliverance from injustice.
This prophecy comes at a critical time when Judah, despite being God's chosen people ('his pleasant planting'), is deeply mired in injustice and violence. The profound wordplay in Hebrew between 'justice' and 'bloodshed,' and 'righteousness' and 'outcry,' highlights the stark contrast between God's expectations and the reality of Judah's moral and social decay.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry during a period of relative stability but growing internal corruption and external threats in the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
An alliance of Syria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel attacks Judah. Isaiah urges King Ahaz to trust in the Lord, not in Assyria, foreseeing both judgment and eventual restoration.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and its population is exiled. This serves as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. Isaiah's prophecies during this crisis emphasize God's sovereignty and ultimate deliverance.
This passage also uses the vineyard metaphor to describe Israel's unfaithfulness, highlighting how God planted them as a choice vine, but they turned into a 'wild vine of degenerate stock'.
Matthew 21:33-41Jesus retells a similar vineyard parable, directly referencing the idea of a landowner expecting fruit from his tenants, but instead facing their violence and rejection of his messengers.
Hosea 10:1-2Hosea speaks of Israel as a 'vine that yields its fruit,' but because of their sin, their fruitfulness turned to wickedness and idolatry, mirroring God's disappointment in Isaiah.
Psalm 80:8-16This psalm is a prayer lamenting Israel's plight, directly comparing them to a vine God brought from Egypt, but which has now been destroyed, echoing the deep sorrow of God's disappointed care.
barnesIsaiah 5:7: "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry."
For the vineyard ... - This is the application of the parable. God had treated the Jews as a farmer does a vineyard. This was "his" vineyard - the object of his faithful, unceasing care. This was his "only" vineyard; on this people alone, of all the nations of the earth, had he bestowed his sp…
jfbIsaiah 5:7: "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry."
- Isaiah here applies the parable. It is no mere human owner, nor a literal vineyard that is meant.vineyard of the Lord—His only one (Ex 19:5; Am 3:2).pleasant—"the plant of his delight"; just as the husbandman was at pains to select the sorek, or "choicest vine" (Isa 5:2); so God's election…
What's easily missed is the intentional, beautiful wordplay Isaiah uses: God looked for "judgment" (mishpat) but found "bloodshed" (mishpach), and longed for "righteousness" (tzedakah) but heard an "outcry" (tza'akah). This isn't just a complaint; it's a linguistic masterpiece highlighting the stark, terrible contrast between God's desire and Israel's reality.
After describing the meticulous care God took in establishing Israel as His own special vineyard, this verse reveals the bitter disappointment of the owner. Instead of the justice and righteousness He had cultivated, God found only bloodshed and the cries of the oppressed within the very people He had so lovingly planted.
After describing the meticulous care God took in establishing Israel as His own special vineyard, this verse reveals the bitter disappointment of the owner. Instead of the justice and righteousness He had cultivated, God found only bloodshed and the cries of the oppressed within the very people He had so lovingly planted.
"For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an o…" — What's easily missed is the intentional, beautiful wordplay Isaiah uses: God looked for "judgment" (mishpat) but found "bloodshed" (mishpach), and longed for "righteousness" (tzedakah) but heard an "…
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Last reviewed October 2026