Isaiah 5 · Verse 12

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.
Isaiah 5:12, King James Version

Isaiah 5:12 in other translations

BSBAt their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.
WEBThe harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they don’t respect the work of the LORD, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.
ASVAnd the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of Jehovah, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.
YLTAnd 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.
DARBYAnd harp and lyre, tambour and flute, and wine are in their banquets; but they regard not the work of Jehovah, nor do they see the operation of his hands.
BBEAnd corded instruments and wind-instruments and wine are in their feasts: but they give no thought to the work of the Lord, and they are not interested in what his hands are doing.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Isaiah 5:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Music was common at ancient feasts (Is 24:8, 9; Am 6:5, 6). viol--an instrument with twelve strings [Josephus, Antiquities, 8.10]. tabret--Hebrew, toph, from the use of which in drowning the cries of children sacrificed to Moloch, Tophet received its name. Arabic, duf. A kettle drum, or tambourine. pipe--flute or flageolet: from a Hebrew root "to bore through"; or else, "to dance" (compare Job 21:11-15). regard not ... Lord--a frequent effect of feasting (Job 1:5; Psa 28:5). work ... operation--in punishing the guilty (Is 5:19; Is 10:12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 5:8-23

Here is a woe to those who set their hearts on the wealth of the world. Not that it is sinful for those who have a house and a field to purchase another; but the fault is, that they never know when they have enough. Covetousness is idolatry; and while many envy the prosperous, wretched man, the Lord denounces awful woes upon him. How applicable to many among us! God has many ways to empty the most populous cities…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 5:8-23 →

Isaiah 5:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָיָ֨הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
כִנּ֜וֹרkhi.NorharpH3658
וָנֶ֗בֶלva.Ne.veland lyreH5035
תֹּ֧ףtoftambourineH8596
וְחָלִ֛ילve.cha.Liland fluteH2485
וָיַ֖יִןva.Ya.yinand wineH3196
מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑םmish.tei.Hemfeast theirH4960
וְאֵ֨תve.'Etand <obj.>H853
פֹּ֤עַלPo.'al[the] deed[s] ofH6467
יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahwehH3068
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יַבִּ֔יטוּya.Bi.tuthey pay attention toH5027
וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥הu.ma.'a.Sehand [the] work ofH4639
יָדָ֖יוya.Davhands hisH3027
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
רָאֽוּ\׃ra.'Uthey seeH7200

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 5:12

  • Psalms 28:5

    Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

  • Job 21:11-14

    They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

  • Job 34:27

    Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

  • Amos 6:4-6

    That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

  • Jude 1:12

    These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

  • Daniel 5:23

    But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

  • Genesis 31:27

    Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

  • Hosea 4:10-11

    For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

  • Daniel 5:1-4

    Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

  • Isaiah 22:13

    And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

  • Luke 16:19

    There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

  • Isaiah 5:19

    That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the harp.
22:13; Ge 31:27; Job 21:11-14; Da 5:1-4,23; Am 6:4-6; Lu 16:19
Jude 1:12
they regard.
19; Job 34:27; Ps 28:5; 92:5,6; Ho 4:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 5:13

    Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

Read all of Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y en sus banquetes hay arpas, vihuelas, tamboriles, flautas, y vino; y no miran la obra de Jehová, ni consideran la obra de sus manos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et la harpe et le luth, le tambourin et la flûte, et le vin, abondent dans leurs festins; et ils ne regardent pas l’œuvre de l’ Éternel, et ils ne voient pas l’opération de ses mains.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Laute und Harfe, Tamburin und Flöte und Wein sind bei ihrem Gelage; aber auf das Tun Jehovas schauen sie nicht, und das Werk seiner Hände sehen sie nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Cithara, et lyra, et tympanum, et tibia, et vinum in conviviis vestris; et opus Domini non respicitis, nec opera manuum ejus consideratis.