The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

4. do, v. 5, what God will do to His rebellious, ungrateful vineyard} “He dug it all around, removed its stones” This first VERB (BDB 740, KB 810, Piel IMPERFECT) isfound only here in the OT. The KJV has “fenced.” Although I do not believe this is an accuratetranslation of the Hebrew word, it does fit the context. When stones were dug out of a rocky field inPalestine, they were usually stacked into a fence. Often the vineyards were protected by a ditch (alsopossible meaning of first VERB) with a stone hedge (LXX, Peshitta, Vulgate). It is surely possible thatIsaiah is describing terracing techniques. The stones would be used to level parts of the field.It is also possible that the stones were put in piles and used to keep the grape clusters off theground (James Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, pp. 360-363).} “the choicest vine” This refers to the bright red grapes known as “sorek” (BDB 977 I, cf. Jer. 2:21).These grapes got their name from a valley in Palestine (cf. Jdgs. 16:4). They are mentioned in Jer. 2:21as being the most expensive and sought after variety of grapes. This grapevine species is evenmentioned in a Messianic passage (cf. Gen. 49:11).} “tower” This (BDB 153, “watchtower” built from stones dug out of the field) was for securitypurposes and was usually occupied only during the planting time and the harvest time in September (itwould serve the same purpose as the word “booth” mentioned in 1:8). This same word can refer to amilitary tower (cf. Isa. 2:15). Context, context, context!} “hewed out a wine vat” This would have been a shallow man-made depression in a rock surfacewhich allowed the women to crush the grapes with their feet and then a channel in the rock to a deeperdepression where the juice would be stored.}NASB“worthless one”NKJV, NRSV,NJB, REB “wild grapes”TEV, JB “every grape was sour”LXX“thorns”The Hebrew term (BDB 93) can refer to1. stinking or noxious weeds, SINGULAR, cf. Job 31:402. stinking things, worthless things, PLURALThe basic root refers to the stink of1. corpses, Isa. 34:3 (cf. 5:25); Joel 2:20; Amos 4:102. locusts, Joel 2:20 (metaphor for dead army)The MT in this context refers to “wild grapes,” which were not sweet and plump, but small andsour, unfit to make wine.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:3-63"And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,Judge between Me and My vineyard.4What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?5So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.72