King James Version
What Does Isaiah 5:10 Mean?
“Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.”
Context
8
Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! they: Heb. ye
9
In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. In: or, This is in mine ears, saith the LORD, etc Of a: Heb. If not, etc
10
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.
11
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! inflame: of, pursue
12
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(10) **Ten acres.**—The disproportion was as great as that which we have seen in recent times in vine countries suffering from the *Phylloxera *or the *oidium, *or in the potato failures of Ireland. The *bath *was equal to seventy-two Roman sextarii (Jos. *Ant. viii.* 2-9), about seven and a half gallons, and this was to be the whole produce of ten acres, from which an average yield of 500 *baths *might have been expected. The Hebrew word for “acre” means primarily the ground that could be ploughed in a day by a yoke of oxen.
**The seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.**—Here also there is an all but total failure. The *homer *was a dry measure of thirty-two pecks, and the *ephah *was equal to one-tenth of a *homer *(Ezekiel 45:11; Exodus 16:36). This scanty crop—Ruth’s gleanings for a single day (Ruth 2:17)—one-tenth of the seed sown, was to take the place of the “thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundredfold” (Genesis 26:12; Matthew 13:8) of average or prosperous years.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Isaiah 5:10 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Isaiah 5:10
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge