They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that their wicked actions are not just inherently destructive but also incredibly fragile and ultimately useless. Their schemes are like venomous eggs that bring death if consumed and break open into vipers when crushed, while their efforts are as insubstantial and easily destroyed as a spider's web.
They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah is detailing the deep-seated sinfulness and corruption within Judah, describing how their actions and intentions are fundamentally opposed to God's ways. Following accusations of injustice and deceit, this verse uses vivid imagery to illustrate the destructive nature of their wicked schemes, showing that these plans are inherently harmful, whether embraced or resisted.
Ever felt like something seemed harmless at first, but turned out to be dangerous? Isaiah uses vivid imagery to expose the deceptive nature of evil.
The people Isaiah addresses are not just passively doing wrong; they are actively hatching wicked plans, like carefully tending to the eggs of venomous snakes.
The Peril of Promising Evil
What happens when you engage with evil? Isaiah doesn't mince words about the fatal results, whether you consume the 'eggs' or crush them.
Isaiah powerfully illustrates that there is no escape from the consequences of dealing with wickedness. Engaging with these deceptive plans, in any way, leads to destruction.
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The Double-Edged Sword of Wickedness
Understand the original words
eph'eh · Hebrew Noun
A venomous snake often used in Scripture as a symbol of treachery, hidden danger, and the deadly consequences of sin.
This proverb mirrors the danger of engaging with wickedness, comparing foolish actions to a spider's web that is both ineffective and ensnaring, much like the deceptive plans in Isaiah.
Jeremiah 7:18This passage also speaks of people actively working against God's will, likening their actions to 'making cakes for the queen of heaven,' which suggests a deliberate and harmful devotion to false practices, similar to 'hatching eggs' of evil.
Matthew 12:34Jesus' statement, 'For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,' highlights how corrupt intentions (like hatching venomous eggs) naturally lead to destructive words and deeds, connecting the inward source of sin to its outward manifestation.
Romans 1:29-32This New Testament passage lists various wicked practices that are 'inventors of evil things,' which aligns with the idea of conceiving and hatching harmful plans, and describes the resulting destruction and lack of remorse, echoing the futility and danger seen in Isaiah's imagery.
pulpitIsaiah 59:5: "They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper."
Verse 5. - They hatch cockatrice' eggs. (On the cockatrice, see the comment upon Isaiah 11:8.) The meaning here is that the people gave themselves to brooding on and hatching purposes which were as pernicious and destructive as the eggs of venomous serpents. And weave the spider's web; i.e. "their purposes were as flimsy and unsubstanti…
gillIsaiah 59:5: "They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper."
They hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave the spider's web,.... Invent false doctrines according to their own fancies, which may seem fair and plausible, but are poisonous and pernicious; as the "eggs of the cockatrice", which may look like, and may be taken for, the eggs of creatures fit to eat; and spin out of their brains a fine scheme o…
The verse highlights that their wicked actions are not just inherently destructive but also incredibly fragile and ultimately useless. Their schemes are like venomous eggs that bring death if consumed and break open into vipers when crushed, while their efforts are as insubstantial and easily destroyed as a spider's web.
The prophet Isaiah is detailing the deep-seated sinfulness and corruption within Judah, describing how their actions and intentions are fundamentally opposed to God's ways. Following accusations of injustice and deceit, this verse uses vivid imagery to illustrate the destructive nature of their wicked schemes, showing that these plans are inherently harmful, whether embraced or resisted.
The prophet Isaiah is detailing the deep-seated sinfulness and corruption within Judah, describing how their actions and intentions are fundamentally opposed to God's ways. Following accusations of injustice and deceit, this verse uses vivid imagery to illustrate the destructive nature of their wicked schemes, showing that these plans are inherently harmful, whether embraced or resisted.
"They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched." — The verse highlights that their wicked actions are not just inherently destructive but also incredibly fragile and ultimately useless. Their schemes are like venomous eggs that bring death if consume…
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Last reviewed October 2026