What does Isaiah 5:13 mean?
Over the last few verses, Isaiah has described two ways in which the people of Judah and Jerusalem have been living only for themselves. Those who are wealthy have been buying up properties—both houses and land—taking advantage of those who must sell. After purchasing, they are left isolated in the middle of huge chunks of land. (Isaiah 5:8–9). In addition, at least some in Judah have been living only for pleasure, drinking from morning to night, engaging in whatever activities their passions lean toward (Isaiah 5:11). They throw elaborate feasts with live music, partying late into the evening (Isaiah 5:12). They have stopped paying any attention to God.Now the Lord says that because of these things, the people will be dragged into exile. Isaiah is referring to the coming defeat and captivity of the people by the Babylonians in 586 BC (2 Kings 24:14). They have stopped paying attention to God's revelation of Himself to them. And they have stopped seeing how He is working in and through them in the world. They have become a people with no relationship with their God.
As a result, those who have been buying up land will be removed from their land (Isaiah 5:8). Those seemingly important men in the community won't even be able to acquire enough food. Those who have made drinking the point of their lives will experience thirst for even a drop of water.
Once again, the Lord's response to Israel's dependence on anything but Him alone is to remove that thing from them, including material gain and the escapism of alcohol.
Isaiah 5:8–30 contains Isaiah's dire predictions about the upcoming judgment of Israel. The first "woes" are to the greedy and the pleasure-seeking drinkers. They will go into exile and to the grave for refusing to acknowledge God. The Lord then will be exalted for restoring justice and righteousness. The next woes are to those who embrace sin and mock the coming judgment. These are also those people who have mixed evil and good and believe they know better than God. The final listed woes are those who make it a point of pride how much alcohol they can drink, as well as how they can work the system with bribes. The Lord will summon the armies of the nations to bring judgment on His people.
Isaiah 5 begins with a parable about a farmer who builds a vineyard that produces sour grapes. The owner says he will lay waste to the vineyard. Isaiah reveals the owner to be the Lord and the vineyard to be Israel. Israel's bad fruit includes the greed of the wealthy and the hedonism of the people. They will go hungry and thirsty, into exile, and the grave. The Lord will be exalted for His righteousness. Isaiah pronounces woe on the sinners, the mockers, and the unjust rulers. The Lord will summon the nations to judge His people.
