Isaiah 55 · Verse 2

Isaiah 55:2

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Isaiah 55:2, King James Version

Isaiah 55:2 in other translations

BSB	Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
WEB	Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.
ASV	Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
YLT	Why do ye weigh money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which is not for satiety? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, And your soul doth delight itself in fatness.
DARBY	Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
BBE	Why do you give your money for what is not bread, and the fruit of your work for what will not give you pleasure? Give ear to me, so that your food may be good, and you may have the best in full measure.
Webster	Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently to me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

What does Isaiah 55:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

2. not bread--(Ha 2:13). "Bread of deceit" (Pr 20:17). Contrast this with the "bread of life" (Joh 6:32, 35; also Lu 14:16-20). satisfieth not--(Ec 1:8; 4:8). hearken ... and eat--When two imperatives are joined, the second expresses the consequence of obeying the command in the first (Ge 42:18). By hearkening ye shall eat. So in Is 55:1, "buy and eat." By buying, and so making it your own, ye shall eat, that is, experimentally enjoy it (Joh 6:53). Compare the invitation (Pr 9:5, 6; Mt 22:4). fatness--(Psa 36:8; 63:5).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 Wherefore do ye spend - Why should ye be so zealously attached to a doctrine from which your souls derive neither comfort nor nourishment?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 55:1-5

An invitation to receive freely the blessings of the Saviour. (Is. 55:1-5) Gracious offers of pardon and peace. (Is. 55:6-13) Verses 1-5 All are welcome to the blessings of salvation, to whom those blessings are welcome. In Christ there is enough for all, and enough for each. Those satisfied with the world, that see no need of Christ, do not thirst. They are in no uneasiness about their souls: but where God gives…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 55:1-5 →

Isaiah 55:2 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.

לָ֤מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100

תִשְׁקְלוּ\־tish.ke.lu-do you weigh outH8254

כֶ֙סֶף֙khe.sefmoneyH3701

בְּֽלוֹא\־be.lo'-for notH3808

לֶ֔חֶםLe.chembreadH3899

וִיגִיעֲכֶ֖םvi.gi.'a.Khemand toil yourH3018

בְּל֣וֹאbe.Lo'for notH3808

לְשָׂבְעָ֑הle.sa.ve.'Ahto satietyH7654

שִׁמְע֨וּshim.'UlistenH8085

שָׁמ֤וֹעַsha.Mo.a'steadfastly <to listen>H8085

אֵלַי֙'e.Laito meH413

וְאִכְלוּ\־ve.'ikh.lu-and eatH398

ט֔וֹבTovgood thing[s]H2896

וְתִתְעַנַּ֥גve.tit.'a.Nagso it may take delightH6026

בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁןba.De.shenin <the> fatnessH1880

נַפְשְׁכֶֽם\׃naf.she.Khemappetite yourH5315

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

Cross references for Isaiah 55:2

John 6:48-58
I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. …
Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Psalms 22:26
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
Psalms 36:8
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
Romans 10:2-3
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Hebrews 13:9
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Jeremiah 31:14
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 51:7
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Mark 7:14
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
Habakkuk 2:13
Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Hosea 8:7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
Matthew 22:4
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

do ye.
44:20; Jer 2:13; Ho 8:7; 12:1; Hab 2:13; Mt 15:9; Lu 15:15,16
Ro 9:31; 10:2,3; Php 3:4-7; Heb 13:9
spend. Heb. weigh.
46:6
Hearken.
51:1,4,7; Ex 15:26; De 11:13; Ps 34:11; Pr 1:33; 7:23; 8:32; Mr 7:14
Ro 10:17
eat.
25:6; Ps 22:26; 36:8; 63:5; Pr 9:5; Jer 31:14; Mt 22:4; Lu 15:23
Joh 6:48-58

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

Context

Isaiah 55:1
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah 55:2
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Read all of Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55:2 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Por qué gastáis el dinero no en pan, y vuestro trabajo no en hartura? Oidme atentamente, y comed del bien, y deleitaráse vuestra alma con grosura.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Pourquoi dépensez-vous l’argent pour ce qui n’est pas du pain, et votre labeur pour ce qui ne rassasie pas? Écoutez-moi attentivement, et mangez ce qui est bon; et que votre âme jouisse à plaisir des choses grasses.
German Elberfelder 1871	Warum wäget ihr Geld dar für das, was nicht Brot ist, und euren Erwerb für das, was nicht sättigt? Höret doch auf mich und esset das Gute, und eure Seele labe sich an Fettem!
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quare appenditis argentum non in panibus, et laborem vestrum non in saturitate? Audite, audientes me, et comedite bonum, et delectabitur in crassitudine anima vestra.