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I have given you the story of God’s people. They are the vineyard that I spoke about. Israel and Judah are his pleasant acreage! He expected them to yield a crop of justice, but found bloodshed instead. He expected righteousness, but the cries of deep oppression met his ears.[a] You buy up property so others have no place to live. Your homes are built on great estates so you can be alone in the midst of the earth! But the Lord Almighty has sworn your awful fate—with my own ears I heard him say, “Many a beautiful home will lie deserted, their owners killed or gone.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:7 crop of justice, but found bloodshed instead . . . expected righteousness, but the cries of deep oppression met his ears. Here is an example of serious punning often used by the prophets: the Hebrew words for “justice” and “bloodshed” sound very much alike, as do those for “righteousness” and “cry.”

The vineyard(A) 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,(B) but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness,(C) but heard cries of distress.(D)

Woes and Judgments

Woe(E) to you who add house to house
    and join field to field(F)
till no space is left
    and you live alone in the land.

The Lord Almighty(G) has declared in my hearing:(H)

“Surely the great houses will become desolate,(I)
    the fine mansions left without occupants.

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