Isaiah 5:4-13

4What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?

5Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.

6I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”

7The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

Woes and Judgments 8Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.

9The LORD Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants.

10A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath That is, about 6 gallons or about 22 liters of wine; a homer That is, probably about 360 pounds or about 160 kilograms of seed will yield only an ephah That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms of grain.”

11Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine.

12They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands.

13Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; those of high rank will die of hunger and the common people will be parched with thirst.