I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
Parallel translations
- WEB Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.
- KJV Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
- NKJV Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill.
- NASB Let me sing now for my beloved A song of my beloved about His vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
- NLT Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Isaiah begins a love song about his beloved's vineyard planted on a fertile hill. It opens a parable that will expose Judah's failure to bear the fruit God sought.
Overview
The song's tender opening invites the hearers in, much as Nathan's parable disarmed David (2 Samuel 12). The vineyard is a familiar biblical image for Israel, and the careful preparation signals God's lavish investment in His people. The gentle beginning sets up a sharp reversal when the vineyard proves barren, revealing the parable's purpose of indictment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Mark 12:1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Luke 20:9Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.
- John 15:1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.
- Jer 2:21I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?
- Ps 80:8You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it.
- Matt 21:33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Deut 31:19–22Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them.
- Isa 27:2–3In that day: “Sing about a fruitful vineyard.
- Song 2:16My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.
- Song 8:11–12Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.
- Song 5:2I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
- Song 5:16His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
- Song 6:3I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.
- Ps 45:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
- Ps 101:1A Psalm of David. I will sing of Your loving devotion and justice; to You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
- Judg 5:1–31On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 5:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.