The passage illustrates how God’s judgment humbles the wealthy by leaving their fields desolate so that even helpless creatures and outsiders may feed there, a reversal of fortune that highlights the fleeting nature of prideful prosperity.
“Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture, And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy.” (Isaiah 5:17)
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah continues describing the consequences of Israel’s wayward behavior, which included injustice and the indulgence in selfish pursuits. Isaiah lived in the eighth century BC, primarily preaching in the southern kingdom of Judah. When he says, “the lambs will graze as in their pasture,” (v.17), it signifies a future time when the once-plush lands, formerly inhabited by the wealthy, will be left deserted or destroyed. They become open feeding grounds, occupied by helpless creatures who benefit from the empty fields. This indicates a reversal in fortunes: the proud who hoarded and corrupted are gone, and now simple lambs roam freely among their deserted holdings.
Next, Isaiah states, “And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy” (v.17). This suggests that foreigners—people outside the enriched and indulgent society—will move in to occupy the once-prosperous territory, benefiting from what remains. What was once a symbol of abundance and comfort has now become ruined, and new people are consuming what is left behind. This is a mark of God’s judgment on those who trusted in their own affluence and misused their power rather than obeying God’s righteous law of loving one another. The passage highlights that prosperity founded on exploitation or arrogance can swiftly be turned into ruin, reminding us that all blessings ultimately belong to God.
Likewise, this verse fits a broader biblical theme found elsewhere: God humbles the proud and raises the humble. It echoes how He can bring desolation on a land that has turned to wicked ways, and how strangers or the weak might gain from that downfall. When viewed through the lens of the New Testament, Jesus’s teachings on humility (Matthew 23:12) reinforce the concept that those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Such an idea parallels Isaiah’s warning to his generation. God’s call is to trust in His righteousness rather than in human strength or wealth.
This verse shows how God’s justice extends even to society’s most privileged segments, and He ensures that misuse of power and resources do not endure. The sign of lambs grazing and strangers feeding in a place formerly occupied by the wealthy serves as a vivid reminder that only by aligning ourselves with God’s ways—mercy, justice, and humility—can we expect continuing blessings.
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Isaiah 5:17 meaning
“Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture, And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy.” (Isaiah 5:17)
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah continues describing the consequences of Israel’s wayward behavior, which included injustice and the indulgence in selfish pursuits. Isaiah lived in the eighth century BC, primarily preaching in the southern kingdom of Judah. When he says, “the lambs will graze as in their pasture,” (v.17), it signifies a future time when the once-plush lands, formerly inhabited by the wealthy, will be left deserted or destroyed. They become open feeding grounds, occupied by helpless creatures who benefit from the empty fields. This indicates a reversal in fortunes: the proud who hoarded and corrupted are gone, and now simple lambs roam freely among their deserted holdings.
Next, Isaiah states, “And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy” (v.17). This suggests that foreigners—people outside the enriched and indulgent society—will move in to occupy the once-prosperous territory, benefiting from what remains. What was once a symbol of abundance and comfort has now become ruined, and new people are consuming what is left behind. This is a mark of God’s judgment on those who trusted in their own affluence and misused their power rather than obeying God’s righteous law of loving one another. The passage highlights that prosperity founded on exploitation or arrogance can swiftly be turned into ruin, reminding us that all blessings ultimately belong to God.
Likewise, this verse fits a broader biblical theme found elsewhere: God humbles the proud and raises the humble. It echoes how He can bring desolation on a land that has turned to wicked ways, and how strangers or the weak might gain from that downfall. When viewed through the lens of the New Testament, Jesus’s teachings on humility (Matthew 23:12) reinforce the concept that those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Such an idea parallels Isaiah’s warning to his generation. God’s call is to trust in His righteousness rather than in human strength or wealth.
This verse shows how God’s justice extends even to society’s most privileged segments, and He ensures that misuse of power and resources do not endure. The sign of lambs grazing and strangers feeding in a place formerly occupied by the wealthy serves as a vivid reminder that only by aligning ourselves with God’s ways—mercy, justice, and humility—can we expect continuing blessings.