The Meaning of Isaiah 55:1 Explained

Isaiah 55:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk.

Darby: 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!

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 55:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

After getting their attention, Isaiah , speaking as God and for God, called the thirsty to come and drink freely, and to the hungry to enjoy a free meal (cf. Proverbs 9:5-6; Matthew 5:6; John 4:13-14; John 6:32-35; Revelation 22:17). Water, that formerly represented the Holy Spirit (cf. Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 44:3), was now available to the people because of the Servant"s work. Jesus extended a similar invitation to those in His day to come to Him to receive this water (i.e, eternal life through the Spirit; John 4:10-14; John 7:37-38). The Lord"s offer was to buy what was free. The only way to do this is to use someone else"s money to purchase it. It was the Servant"s payment for sin that made salvation free for those who count His "money" good.
"The abundance and freeness of the water of refreshment ( Isaiah 44:3), the wine of joy ( Isaiah 25:6-8) and the milk of richness ([1] Exodus 3:8) and supremacy ( Isaiah 60:16) is figurative of the Lord"s salvation with the Servant at its centre (see Isaiah 55:3-5)." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 55:1-13 - The Free Offer Of Pardoning Grace
The Prince of Life, Isaiah 55:4, r.v. Four times in the New Testament this title is applied to our Lord, and always in connection with His Resurrection. See Acts 3:14-15; Acts 5:31; Hebrews 2:9-10; Hebrews 12:2, where the words prince, author, and captain, are various translations of the same Greek word. The meaning of the original word is file leader. He leads out of death into life; out of defeat into victory; out of suffering into perfection; out of the sorrow and pain of discipline into the triumph of the sons of light.
The everlasting covenant, Isaiah 55:3. David's sin could not cancel the sure mercies of God. See 2 Samuel 7:14-16 and 2 Samuel 23:5. God will never go back on that covenant which includes us! See Hebrews 8:1-13. God's mercies in Christ are sure. Listen! Come! Hear! We are not only forever safe, but we are provided against all want.
God's abundant provision is described under several terms: waters, wine, milk, wholesome and satisfying bread, the good, fatness, Isaiah 55:1-2. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, Ephesians 1:3. And because God's thoughts and ways are not as ours, the result is the transformation of thorns into firs and briars into myrtles. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 55

1  The prophet, with the promises of Christ, calls to faith
6  And to repentance
8  The happy success of those who believe

What do the individual words in Isaiah 55:1 mean?

Ho Everyone who thirsts come to the waters and you who no have money buy and eat and Yes come buy without money and without price wine and milk
ה֤וֹי כָּל־ צָמֵא֙ לְכ֣וּ לַמַּ֔יִם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ ל֖וֹ כָּ֑סֶף שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶֽאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־ כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב

ה֤וֹי  Ho 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֹוי  
Sense: ah!, alas!, ha!, ho!, O!, woe!.
כָּל־  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צָמֵא֙  who  thirsts 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צָמֵא  
Sense: thirsty.
לְכ֣וּ  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לַמַּ֔יִם  to  the  waters 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֵֽין־  you  who  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
כָּ֑סֶף  money 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
שִׁבְרוּ֙  buy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַר  
Sense: to buy or purchase grain.
וֶֽאֱכֹ֔לוּ  and  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וּלְכ֣וּ  and  Yes  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
שִׁבְר֗וּ  buy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַר  
Sense: to buy or purchase grain.
בְּלוֹא־  without 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
כֶ֛סֶף  money 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וּבְל֥וֹא  and  without 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מְחִ֖יר  price 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְחִיר  
Sense: price, hire.
יַ֥יִן  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
וְחָלָֽב  and  milk 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָב  
Sense: milk, sour milk, cheese.