What is the meaning of Isaiah 5:17? Then the lambs will graze as in their own pastures “Then the lambs will graze as in their own pastures” (Isaiah 5:17a) pictures the land of Judah after divine judgment has fallen on its proud and disobedient people (see the immediate context of Isaiah 5:1-16). • Lambs symbolize simple, innocent life reclaiming ground once dominated by arrogant land-grabbers (Isaiah 5:8-10). • The pastures are “their own,” stressing God’s reversal of human schemes; property seized by the wealthy now lies open to creatures that make no claims of ownership (Psalm 37:9-11). • Similar prophetic scenes show abandoned estates becoming grazing fields (Isaiah 7:23-25; 32:13-14), underscoring the certainty of God’s word: judgment strips away human pride, yet creation endures. • For the faithful remnant, this image quietly reassures that God still sustains life even amid national collapse (Micah 5:4-5). And strangers will feed in the ruins of the wealthy “and strangers will feed in the ruins of the wealthy” (Isaiah 5:17b) intensifies the reversal. • “Strangers” are foreigners who had no stake in Judah’s elite society. Their presence in the ruined mansions echoes covenant warnings that outsiders would consume what the unfaithful had stored up (Deuteronomy 28:33; Jeremiah 6:12). • The “ruins” point to total desolation—once-lavish vineyards and houses now lie empty (Isaiah 5:9; Zephaniah 1:13). God’s justice levels social distinctions: the mighty fall, the humble passers-by gather the leftovers (Proverbs 13:22; James 5:1-5). • This clause also previews the exile, when invading nations would literally occupy and enjoy Judah’s resources (2 Kings 25:12; Lamentations 5:2). • Spiritually, it warns every generation that unchecked greed invites loss, while stewardship under God secures true wealth (Luke 12:20-21). summary Isaiah 5:17 paints a vivid reversal: after God’s righteous judgment, innocent lambs freely graze where self-indulgent landowners once ruled, and foreign outsiders benefit from the wreckage of ill-gotten wealth. The verse affirms that the Lord dismantles human pride, vindicates His covenant warnings, and preserves life for those who trust Him, urging us to walk humbly and steward His gifts with obedience. |
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