The Meaning of Isaiah 5:16 Explained

Isaiah 5:16

KJV: But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

YLT: And Jehovah of Hosts is high in judgment, And the Holy God sanctified in righteousness,

Darby: and Jehovah of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and the holy God hallowed in righteousness.

ASV: but Jehovah of hosts is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the LORD  of hosts  shall be exalted  in judgment,  and God  that is holy  shall be sanctified  in righteousness. 

What does Isaiah 5:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 5:1-17 - A Disappointing Harvest
In a picture of great beauty, Isaiah describes a vineyard situated on one of the sunny heights visible from Jerusalem. Every care which an experienced vine-dresser could devise had been expended on it, but in vain. The vine-dresser himself is introduced, demanding if more could have been done. When God selects a nation, a church, or an individual for high and holy work in the world and expends care and pains on the preparation of the instrument, and His plans miscarry through no failure on His part but through the obstinancy or obtuseness of the human soul, the measure of what might have been is the gauge of its doom. The worst weeds grow on the richest soil. This picture is the counterpart of Paul's dread of being a castaway, 1 Corinthians 9:27.
The six woes which follow, arising from drunkenness and avarice remind us of sorrows that menace the selfish heart. How different such a lot to the blessedness of the humblest soul that possesses God and is possessed by Him! "Evil shall slay the wicked; and they that hate the righteous shall be condemned. Jehovah redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them that take refuge in Him shall be condemned," Psalms 34:21-22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 5

1  Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8  His judgments upon covetousness
11  Upon lasciviousness
13  Upon impiety
20  And upon injustice
26  The executioners of God's judgments

What do the individual words in Isaiah 5:16 mean?

But shall be exalted Yahweh of hosts in judgment and God who is holy shall be consecrated in righteousness
וַיִּגְבַּ֛ה‪‬ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְהָאֵל֙ הַקָּד֔וֹשׁ נִקְדָּ֖שׁ בִּצְדָקָֽה

וַיִּגְבַּ֛ה‪‬  But  shall  be  exalted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּבַהּ  
Sense: to be high, be exalted.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט  in  judgment 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְהָאֵל֙  and  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
הַקָּד֔וֹשׁ  who  is  holy 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
נִקְדָּ֖שׁ  shall  be  consecrated 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
בִּצְדָקָֽה  in  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.