The Meaning of Isaiah 5:3 Explained

Isaiah 5:3

KJV: And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

YLT: And now, O inhabitant of Jerusalem, and man of Judah, Judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.

Darby: And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.

ASV: And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And now, O inhabitants  of Jerusalem,  and men  of Judah,  judge,  I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 

What does Isaiah 5:3 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 5:3 mean?

Now inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah Judge please between Me and My vineyard
וְעַתָּ֛ה יוֹשֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֑ה שִׁפְטוּ־ נָ֕א בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין כַּרְמִֽי

וְעַתָּ֛ה  Now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יוֹשֵׁ֥ב  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וְאִ֣ישׁ  and  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
שִׁפְטוּ־  Judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
נָ֕א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בֵּינִ֖י  between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
כַּרְמִֽי  My  vineyard 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: כֶּרֶם 
Sense: vineyard.