Isaiah 18:5

For before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, He will cut off the shoots with a pruning knife and remove and discard the branches.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord speaks through Isaiah to declare impending judgment, using the precise moment before the grape harvest as the temporal marker. The prophet receives this message to convey that divine assessment will occur during the early stages of agricultural maturity.

The words — The supplied Hebrew includes קָצִיר (ka.Tzir) meaning "harvest" and גֹּמֵל (go.Mel) meaning "ripening." These terms establish the agricultural timeline where unripe grapes are about to mature before divine intervention.

The thread — The vineyard imagery and pruning motif appear in Isaiah 17:10 regarding forgotten refuge, and in Song of Solomon 2:13 and 2:15 describing blooming vines and guarding them from ruin.

Why it lands — The text states that God will cut off the shoots and discard the branches before the grapes fully ripen. It requires the reader to accept that divine judgment arrives ahead of human expectations of completion or safety.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּֽי־ki-for לִפְנֵ֤יli/f.Nei<to>/ before קָצִיר֙ka.Tzirharvest כְּתָם־ke./tom-when/ is finished פֶּ֔רַחPe.rachbud[s]וּבֹ֥סֶרu./Vo.serand/ unripe grape[s]גֹּמֵ֖לgo.Melripening יִֽהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit will become נִצָּ֑הni.Tzahblossom וְכָרַ֤תve./kha.Ratand/ he will cut off הַזַּלְזַלִּים֙ha./zal.za.Limthe/ shoots בַּמַּזְמֵר֔וֹתba./maz.me.Rotwith <the>/ pruning knives וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַנְּטִישׁ֖וֹתha./ne.ti.Shotthe/ tendrils הֵסִ֥ירhe.Sirhe will remove הֵתַֽז׃he.Tazhe will cut away

King James Version

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

Cross-references

Isaiah 17:10 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge. Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots and set out cuttings from exotic vines—
Song of Solomon 2:13 The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come away, my darling; come away with me, my beautiful one.”
Song of Solomon 2:15 Catch for us the foxes—the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—for our vineyards are in bloom.
Ezekiel 17:6 It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.