Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still.## Introduction - In Plain Language: God’s wrath burns against His people because of their disobedience, and He acts decisively — judgment brings violent destruction; yet His anger remains, and His hand is still outstretched against them. - Big idea: Isaiah 5:25 describes a fierce, ongoing divine judgment in response to covenant unfaithfulness. - Key points: - The verse uses dramatic imagery (fire, trembling hills, torn bodies in the streets) to portray total devastation. - “His hand stretched out” is a repeated biblical motif showing God actively executing judgment. - Even after terrible punishments, God’s anger has not yet been turned away — the danger and call to repentance continue. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Isaiah 5 is a prophetic indictment often called “The Song of the Vineyard” followed by a sequence of “woes” (pronouncements of judgment). Verse 25 is part of the climactic list of consequences that follow Israel’s persistent sin. - Story timeline: Isaiah prophesied in the 8th century BC (roughly 740–700 BC) to Judah during rising Assyrian power. The immediate audience is Judah (and by extension Israel), warned that their social injustice and idolatry invite foreign invasion and divine punishment. - Surrounding passage: - Verses just before (Isaiah 5:20–24) list moral distortions and social injustice; verse 24 compares God’s consuming judgment to fire devouring stubble and hills. - Verses after (Isaiah 5:26–30) continue the theme: God summons distant nations as instruments of judgment; the land reels and people mourn. Verse 25 sits between the image of consuming fire and the summoning of foreign invaders — showing both the effect and the continued intention of God’s judgment. ## Explanation - Quick take: This verse paints a stark picture of God’s wrath in poetic language — He actively punishes the people, the land and cities are devastated, and, critically, the punishment has not satisfied His justice: more judgment still hangs over them. - In Depth: Isaiah uses intense, concrete images to communicate an abstract spiritual reality: divine anger. “Anger … kindled” likens God’s reaction to a fire that ignites and spreads. “He hath stretched forth his hand against them” is an idiom in the Hebrew Bible meaning God reaches out with power — often to punish, sometimes to protect — here clearly to strike. The verbs “smitten” and the scene of “hills trembl[ing]” and “their carcases … torn in the midst of the streets” are not a literal forensic report but poetic description of total social collapse: violence in the cities, bodies left in the streets, the natural order disturbed. The last line — “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still” — is the theological hinge: the experience of disaster has not softened God’s resolve. That stresses two things: (1) the seriousness of sustained sin, and (2) the call to urgent repentance, because the means and purpose of judgment continue until change happens. Historically, many interpreters read this as a portrayal of Assyrian (and later Babylonian) invasions used by God to discipline Judah. Poetically, Isaiah blends natural catastrophe, military defeat, and social breakdown into one image so readers feel the moral and existential gravity. ## Key Words - “Anger” (Hebrew: af) — often pictured as a burning fire or lifted hand; expresses God’s moral displeasure in covenant context. - “Stretched forth his hand” (mashoch yado) — idiom for divine intervention, often punitive here (but elsewhere used for salvation/protection depending on context). - “Carcases” (gəviyot) — bodies or corpses; the term intensifies the brutality and social collapse of the scene. ## Background - Ancient cultural/historical/literary background: In the ancient Near East, prophets used vivid, often violent imagery to describe consequences of covenant breach. Armies, famine, disease, and social chaos were real threats, so prophetic language could be stark. The “hand of God” was a common way to speak of divine action; nations were sometimes called God’s instruments. Isaiah’s audience would have understood these images as both political (foreign invasion) and theological (God’s righteous response to covenant unfaithfulness). ## Theology - Theological insights in plain language: - God is holy and righteous; persistent injustice and idolatry bring serious consequences. - Divine judgment is not capricious cruelty but a response to covenant betrayal — it is both corrective and punitive. - The continued extension of God’s “hand” indicates that judgment can be sustained; it urges repentance rather than complacency. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: Treat others fairly; systemic injustice in your workplace matters — small compromises add up and have real consequences for communities. - For parents: Model repentance and moral courage; demonstrate that wrong actions have effects and teach the importance of accountability and restoration. - For seekers and those worried about God’s justice: This verse shows God takes moral order seriously, but the broader prophetic message invites repentance and restoration — judgment is not the final word in Isaiah’s book. - For church leaders: Use this passage as a sober reminder that ministry without justice and faithful living can become self-deception; call congregations to concrete acts of righteousness. - Reflection question(s): Where in my life or community have I minimized injustice or shrugged off sin? If hardship or brokenness is present, might it be a call to repentance and structural change? - Short prayer: Lord, open my eyes to where I — and my community — need to repent; give us the courage to turn back from ways that cause harm and to seek your restoration. ## Translation Comparison - King James Version (KJV): “Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” - New International Version (NIV): “Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people; he stretched out his hand and struck them. The mountains shook, and their bodies were torn asunder in the streets. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is still upraised.” - English Standard Version (ESV): “Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and the mountains quaked; and their corpses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.” - New Living Translation (NLT): “Therefore the Lord’s anger blazed against his people. He reached out and struck them. Mountains shook, and the dead lay in the streets. Still he refused to turn away from them; his hand was still outstretched.” - Why differences matter: Translators weigh literalness and readability. “Carcases/corpses/bodies” are similar but carry slightly different tones (KJV’s “carcases” sounds archaic). “Torn” versus “laid” or “torn asunder” affects perceived violence level. “Stretched out his hand” vs “hand upraised” vs “reached out” alters nuance — a hand “stretched out” is clearly active punishment; “reached out” could be ambiguous. These choices shape whether readers hear more of God’s violence or of God’s pervasive power calling for repentance. ## FAQs - Q1: Does this verse mean God enjoys or commands violence? Short answer: No. The verse depicts God’s righteous anger and the consequence of persistent rebellion. Biblical justice and judgment are portrayed as responses to covenant breach, not as arbitrary or gleeful cruelty. Isaiah’s imagery emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the natural, communal consequences of turning from God: social breakdown, war, and death often follow persistent injustice. Many prophetic texts show God’s judgment as a painful but necessary wake-up call to bring about repentance and restoration. Importantly, elsewhere in Scripture God calls for mercy, repentance, and promises restoration when people return (see Hosea, Joel, Isaiah 55). Read in the wider biblical narrative, judgment and mercy are held in tension — God is both just and compassionate. - Q2: Is Isaiah 5:25 referring to the Assyrian invasion specifically? Short answer: The verse is often read as referring to historical invasions (Assyria in Isaiah’s time, later Babylon), but it has both immediate and theological layers. Historically, Isaiah warned of foreign powers being used as instruments of God’s discipline, and many scholars see Assyria or similar threats behind the imagery. Theologically, Isaiah uses the image to teach a timeless lesson: nations or forces may be used to punish unfaithfulness. So the verse functions simultaneously as a contemporary warning to Isaiah’s audience and as a broader statement about the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. ## Cross References - Isaiah 1:24–28 — Similar theme: God will act against Judah for their sin. - Isaiah 10:5–6 — God’s use of Assyria as an instrument of judgment. - Nahum 1:2–6 — God’s wrath and its power over nature and nations. - Jeremiah 25:30–33 — Visions of corpses and cosmic disturbance in divine judgment. - Amos 4:6–11 — God sends calamities as warning; people still refuse to repent. ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most commentaries read Isaiah 5:25 as dramatic prophetic poetry describing real political/military danger (often tied to Assyria) and its theological meaning: God’s wrath against injustice. Scholars highlight the repeated idiom of God’s “stretched-out hand” (used elsewhere for both blessing and punishment) and note Isaiah’s combination of natural catastrophe imagery with social descriptions (streets, carcasses) to stress total societal collapse. Many commentators emphasize the verse’s pastoral use: it’s a warning meant to provoke repentance, not to glorify violence. - 3–4 bullets for group study: - Read the verse aloud and list the sensory images Isaiah uses. How do they make the judgment feel immediate? - Discuss whether you hear nuance more of God’s punitive action or a description of consequences that follow human choices. Why? - Identify present-day systems of injustice that could produce similar “collapse.” What practical steps toward repentance and repair might your group take? - Spend time in confession and praying for communities affected by injustice, asking God to use you for restoration. ## Related verses (to compare and contrast - and why) - Isaiah 10:5–7 — Why: Explicitly names Assyria as the “rod of my anger,” showing how God can use a nation to carry out judgment; compare the instrumentality with Isaiah 5:25’s images. - Nahum 1:2–3 — Why: Echoes the theme of God’s jealous anger and power that makes mountains quake; compare tone and purpose (Nahum directed against Nineveh). - Hosea 6:1–3 — Why: Offers contrast — while Isaiah describes ongoing judgment, Hosea highlights the hopeful turn: repentance leads to healing. Comparing the two shows both judgment’s purpose and the open door to restoration. ## Talk to the Bible Try the ‘Talk To The Bible’ feature to explore this verse interactively — it can help you ask follow-up questions, get breakdowns, and draft prayers or study plans. Suggested prompts: - “Explain Isaiah 5:25 line by line in everyday language and suggest how a small church might respond.” - “Show historical evidence linking Isaiah’s warnings to Assyrian invasions and summarize the key points.” - “Create a 20-minute small-group study on Isaiah 5:20–26 with discussion questions, a short prayer, and an action step.”
