Isaiah 5 · Verse 18

Isaiah 5:18

Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
Isaiah 5:18, King James Version

Isaiah 5:18 in other translations

BSBWoe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
WEBWoe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,
ASVWoe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and sin as it were with a cart rope;
YLTWoe to those drawing out iniquity with cords of vanity, And as with thick ropes of the cart--sin.
DARBYWoe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with cart-ropes!
BBECursed are those who make use of ox-cords for pulling the evil thing, and the bands of a young ox for their sin!
WebsterWoe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart-rope:

What does Isaiah 5:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. Third Woe--against obstinate perseverance in sin, as if they wished to provoke divine judgments. iniquity--guilt, incurring punishment [Maurer]. cords, &c.--cart-rope--Rabbins say, "An evil inclination is at first like a fine hair-string, but the finishing like a cart-rope." The antithesis is between the slender cords of sophistry, like the spider's web (Is 59:5; Job 8:14), with which one sin draws on another, until they at last bind themselves with great guilt as with a cart-rope. They strain every nerve in sin. vanity--wickedness. sin--substantive, not a verb: they draw on themselves "sin" and its penalty recklessly.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 With a cart-rope "As a long cable" - The Septuagint, Aquila, Sym., and Theod., for בחבלי bechabley, read כחבלי kechahley, ὡς σχοινιῳ, or σχοινιοις; and the Septuagint, instead of שוא shau, read some other word signifying long; ὡς σχοινιῳ μακρῳ; and so likewise the Syriac, אריכא arecha. Houbigant conjectures that the word which the Septuagint had in their copies was שרוע sarua, which is used Lev 21:18, Lev 22:23, for something in an animal body superfluous, lengthened beyond its natural measure. And he explains it of sin added to sin, and one sin drawing on another, till the whole comes to an enormous length and magnitude; compared to the work of a rope-maker still increasing and lengthening his rope, with the continued addition of new materials. "Eos propheta similes facit homini restiario, qui funem torquet, cannabe addita et contorta, eadem iterans, donec funem in longum duxerit, neque eum liceat protrahi longius." "An evil inclination," says Kimchi on this place, from the ancient rabbins, "is at the beginning like a fine hair-string, but at the finishing like a thick cart-rope." By a long progression in iniquity, and a continued accumulation of sin, men arrive at length to the highest degree of wickedness; bidding open defiance to God, and scoffing at his threatened judgments, as it is finely expressed in the next verse. The Chaldee paraphrast explains it in the same manner, of wickedness increasing from small beginnings, till it arrives to a great magnitude. - L. I believe neither the rabbins nor Bishop Lowth have hit on the true meaning of this place, the prophet seems to refer to idol sacrifices. The victims they offered were splendidly decked out for the sacrifice. Their horns and hoofs were often gilded, and their heads dressed out with fillets and garlands. The cords of vanity may refer to the silken strings by which they were led to the altar, some of which were unusually thick. The offering for iniquity was adorned with fillets and garlands; the sin-offering with silken cords, like unto cart-ropes. Pride, in their acts of humiliation, had the upper hand.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 5:18 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.

ה֛וֹיHowoe to!H1945
מֹשְׁכֵ֥יmo.she.Khei[those who] draw alongH4900
הֶֽעָוֹ֖ןhe.'a.Von<of the> iniquityH5771
בְּחַבְלֵ֣יbe.chav.Leiwith [the] cords ofH2256
הַשָּׁ֑וְאha.Shav'<the> emptinessH7723
וְכַעֲב֥וֹתve.kha.'a.Votand like [the] rope ofH5688
הָעֲגָלָ֖הha.'a.ga.Lah<the> cartH5699
חַטָּאָֽה\׃cha.ta.'AhsinH2403

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

Cross references for Isaiah 5:18

  • Jeremiah 23:14

    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

  • Psalms 36:2

    For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

  • Jeremiah 5:31

    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

  • Jeremiah 23:10

    For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

  • Ezekiel 13:22

    Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:

  • Judges 17:5

    And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

  • Jeremiah 28:15-16

    Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.

  • Psalms 10:11

    He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

  • Isaiah 28:15

    Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

  • Judges 17:13

    Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

  • Psalms 94:5-11

    They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? …

  • Psalms 14:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
draw.
28:15; Jud 17:5,13; 2Sa 16:20-23; Ps 10:11; 14:1; 36:2; 94:5-11
Jer 5:31; 8:5-9; 23:10,14,24; 28:15,16; 44:15-19; Eze 13:10,11,22
Zep 1:12; Joh 16:2; Ac 26:9

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

Context

  • Isaiah 5:17

    Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

  • Isaiah 5:18

    Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

  • 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!

Read all of Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¡Ay de los que traen la iniquidad con cuerdas de vanidad, y el pecado como con coyundas de carreta,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Malheur à ceux qui tirent l’iniquité avec des cordes de vanité, et le péché comme avec des cordes de chariot,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wehe denen, welche die Ungerechtigkeit einherziehen mit Stricken der Falschheit, und die Sünde wie mit Wagenseilen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Væ qui trahitis iniquitatem in funiculis vanitatis, et quasi vinculum plaustri peccatum!