The Meaning of Isaiah 32:12 Explained

Isaiah 32:12

KJV: They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

YLT: For breasts they are lamenting, For fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.

Darby: They shall smite on the breasts in lamentation for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vineyards.

ASV: They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall lament  for the teats,  for the pleasant  fields,  for the fruitful  vine. 

What does Isaiah 32:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 32:9-20 - The Fruits Of Righteousness
When Christ's kingdom is set up it will bring dismay to the poor children of fashion. For more days than there are in the year will they be troubled, Isaiah 32:10, and will smite on their breasts in lamentation, Isaiah 32:12. The prediction of Isaiah 32:15-20 includes Pentecost, and looks forward to the era which lies immediately beyond this travail of the world. What is now reckoned as a fruitful field will be regarded as a barren forest in comparison with what shall then exist. Let us remember that righteousness must precede peace. See Matthew 5:24 and Hebrews 7:2. When God's judgments are hurtling through the air, and proud cities are being leveled to the earth, let us take refuge in His loving care. In Him are our safe dwellings and our quiet resting-places. But when the world is most unquiet, let us pursue our work of salvation; for when waters overflow the banks of the river, oxen and asses may still be sent forth to make furrows for the harvest seed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 32

1  The blessings of Christ's kingdom
9  Desolation is foreshown
14  Restoration is promised to succeed

What do the individual words in Isaiah 32:12 mean?

Upon their breasts People shall mourn for the fields pleasant the vine fruitful
עַל־ שָׁדַ֖יִם סֹֽפְדִ֑ים עַל־ שְׂדֵי־ חֶ֕מֶד גֶּ֖פֶן פֹּרִיָּֽה

עַל־  Upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שָׁדַ֖יִם  their  breasts 
Parse: Noun, md
Root: שַׁד 
Sense: breast, bosom, (female) breast.
סֹֽפְדִ֑ים  People  shall  mourn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: סָפַד  
Sense: to wail, lament, mourn.
שְׂדֵי־  the  fields 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
חֶ֕מֶד  pleasant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶמֶד  
Sense: desire, delight, beauty, desirable, pleasant.
גֶּ֖פֶן  the  vine 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: גֶּפֶן  
Sense: vine, vine tree.
פֹּרִיָּֽה  fruitful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: פָּרָה 
Sense: to bear fruit, be fruitful, branch off.