Isaiah 5:11, 12

Isaiah 5:11

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

a. NLT: What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.

b. NIV: Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine.

c. YLT: Wo to those rising early in the morning, Strong drink they pursue! Tarrying in twilight, wine inflameth them!

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Woe unto those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink, who tarry late into the night till wine inflames them!

e. Septuagint: Woe [to them] that rise up in the morning, and follow strong drink; who wait [at it till] evening: for the wine shall inflame them.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Woe to those who arise early in the morning to persue liquor, who stay late at night while wine inflames them.

1. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning…”

a. Woe [1945 * howy] [Strong: a prolonged form of 1930 (akin to 188); oh!:--ah, alas, ho, O, woe.]

b. them that rise up early [7925 * shakam] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative from 7926; literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning:--(arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up) early (betimes), morning.]

c. in the morning [1242 * boqer] [Strong: from 1239; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning:--(+) day, early, morning, morrow.]

2. “…that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!”

a. that they may follow [7291 *  radaph] [Strong: a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r).]

b. strong drink [7941 * shekar] [Strong: from 7937; an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor:--strong drink, + drunkard, strong wine.]

c. that continue [309 * ‘achar] [Strong: a primitive root; to loiter (i.e. be behind); by implication to procrastinate:--continue, defer, delay, hinder, be late (slack), stay (there), tarry (longer).]

d. until night [5399 * nesheph] [Strong: from 5398; properly, a breeze, i.e. (by implication) dusk (when the evening breeze prevails):--dark, dawning of the day (morning), night, twilight.]

e. till wine [3196 * yayin] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).]

f. enflame them [1814 * dalaq] [Strong: a primitive root; to flame (literally or figuratively):--burning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute(-or), pursue hotly.]

1). This word is found 9 times in the Old Testament and, some of it uses are very enlightening. How many times in the past have I or a friend been inflamed with alcohol to the point that we did or said something that we regretted? Too many. The list is long.   

a). Genesis 31:36  And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

b). Proverbs 26:23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

Isaiah 5:12

And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

a. NLT: They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—but they never think about the LORD or notice what he is doing.

b. NIV: They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands.

c. YLT: And harp, and psaltery, tabret, and pipe, And wine, have been their banquets, And the work of Jehovah they behold not, Yea, the work of His hands they have not seen.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the Lord, neither do they consider the operation of His hands [in mercy and in judgment].

e. Septuagint: For they drink wine with harp, and psaltery, and drums, and pipes: but they regard not the works of the Lord, and consider not the works of his hands. 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: There are harp and lyre and drum and flute, and wine at their drinking parties; but they would not contemplate the deed of HASHEM, and would not look at the work of His hands.

1. “And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts…”

a. the harp [3658 * kinnowr] [Strong: from a unused root meaning to twang; a harp: -harp.]

b. the viol [5035 * nebel; or nebel] [Strong: from 5034; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence, a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form):--bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol.]

c. pipe [2485 * chaliyl] [Strong: from 2490; a flute (as perforated):--pipe.]

d. and wine [3196 * yayin] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).]

e. are in their feasts [4960 * mishteh] [Strong: from 8354; drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally) feast:--banquet, drank, drink, feast((-ed), -ing).]

2. “…but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.”

a. but they regard [5027 * nabat] [Strong: a primitive root; to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care:--(cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.]

b. not the work [6467 * po’al] [Strong: rom 6466; an act or work (concretely):--act, deed, do, getting, maker, work.]

c. of the LORD [3068 * Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). A good example of regarding the work of the Lord is in Psalms.

a). Psalm 92:1-6 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

92:2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

92:3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

92:6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

2). The individuals celebrating in these parties do not regard the works of the LORD.

d. neither consider [7200 * ra’ah] [Strong: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.]

e. the operation [6439 * ma`aseh] [Strong: from 6213; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property:--act, art, + bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well, ((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.]

f. of his hands [3027 * yad] [Strong: a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.]

1). These people are not singing about God, they are not singing praise and worship of God and how good He has been to them. They are not singing hymns or gospel music of any kind. Just basic bar room music. A large number of their songs are probably about the works of the flesh, celebrating about the things mentioned in Galatians 5, things like sexual immorality, lust, getting high (witchcraft),  fighting, arguing, getting mad because were drunk and we can’t control ourselves, wild parties, and other things like  these. One of the songs I used to enjoy (key phrase “used to”), was a song called “Drunk Again” on the album “In my own dream”, by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. It was a song that celebrated getting drunk and celebrating all the experiences of drunkenness, experiences described in the following passage in Proverbs 23.    

a). Proverbs 23:29-35 [New Living Translation] Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?   Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?  Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

23:30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.

23:31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

23:32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper.

23:33 You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things.

23:34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast.

23:35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”