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the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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JPS Old Testament

Isaiah 5:22

Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Bribery;   Drunkenness;   Isaiah;   Judge;   Presumption;   Rulers;   Wicked (People);   Wine;   Thompson Chain Reference - Drunkards;   Intemperance;   Intoxication;   Social Duties;   Temperance;   Temperance-Intemperance;   The Topic Concordance - Drunkenness;   Justification;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Drunkenness;   Wine;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Curse;   Government;   Isaiah;   John the baptist;   Judah, tribe and kingdom;   Poetry;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Wine;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Drink, Strong;   Meals;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Government;   Isaiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Vine, Vineyard;   Wine and Strong Drink;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Woe;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Wine;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Drunkenness;   Isaiah;   Wine;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Day of the Lord;   Ethics;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for February 21;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine,who are champions at pouring beer,
Hebrew Names Version
Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
King James Version
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
English Standard Version
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
New American Standard Bible
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, And valiant men in mixing intoxicating drink,
New Century Version
How terrible it will be for people who are famous for drinking wine and are champions at mixing drinks.
Amplified Bible
Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are heroes at drinking wine And men of strength in mixing intoxicating drinks,
World English Bible
Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wo vnto them that are mightie to drinke wine, and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke:
Legacy Standard Bible
Woe to those who are mighty men in drinking wineAnd valiant men in mixing strong drink,
Berean Standard Bible
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and champions in mixing beer,
Contemporary English Version
And you are great at drinking and mixing drinks. But you are in for trouble.
Complete Jewish Bible
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, men whose power goes to mixing strong drinks,
Darby Translation
Woe unto them that are mighty for drinking wine, and men valiant to mix strong drink;
Easy-to-Read Version
They are famous for drinking wine and are heroes known for mixing drinks.
George Lamsa Translation
Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and strong men who mix strong drink;
Good News Translation
You are doomed! Heroes of the wine bottle! Brave and fearless when it comes to mixing drinks!
Lexham English Bible
Ah! Heroes at drinking wine, and men of capability at mixing strong drink!
Literal Translation
Woe to those mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mix fermented drink;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wo vnto them, yt are connynge men to suppe out wyne, and experte to set vp drokenesse.
American Standard Version
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
Bible in Basic English
Cursed are those who are strong to take wine, and great in making mixed drinks!
King James Version (1611)
Woe vnto them that are mightie to drinke wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drinke.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wo be vnto them that are strong to suppe out wine, and expert men to set vp drunkennesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Woe to the strong ones of you that drink wine, and the mighty ones that mingle strong drink:
English Revised Version
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Wo to you that ben myyti to drynke wyn, and ben stronge to meddle drunkenesse;
Update Bible Version
Woe to those that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to [them that are] mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
New English Translation
Those who are champions at drinking wine are as good as dead, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.
New King James Version
Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
New Living Translation
What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.
New Life Bible
It is bad for those who are good at drinking wine, and are proud as they mix strong drink!
New Revised Standard
Ah, you who are heroes in drinking wine and valiant at mixing drink,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Alas for them Who are heroes to drink wine, - And men of valour to mingle strong drink,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness.
Revised Standard Version
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
Young's Literal Translation
Wo [to] the mighty to drink wine, And men of strength to mingle strong drink.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Contextual Overview

18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope, 19 That say: 'Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!' 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that change darkness into light, and light into darkness; that change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; 23 That justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24 Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the chaff is consumed in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and contemned the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them, and hath smitten them, and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. 26 And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; 27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

mighty: Isaiah 5:11, Isaiah 28:1-3, Isaiah 28:7, Proverbs 23:19, Proverbs 23:20, Habakkuk 2:15

Reciprocal: Psalms 75:8 - it is full Proverbs 23:29 - Who hath woe Isaiah 56:12 - I will Hosea 7:5 - made Amos 2:6 - because Habakkuk 2:5 - he transgresseth Ephesians 5:18 - be not

Cross-References

Genesis 5:5
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.
Genesis 5:6
And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh.
Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.
Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him: 'I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted.
Genesis 24:40
And he said unto me: The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house;
Genesis 48:15
And he blessed Joseph, and said: 'The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath been my shepherd all my life long unto this day,
Exodus 16:4
Then said the LORD unto Moses: 'Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or not.
Leviticus 26:12
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people.
Deuteronomy 5:33
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="deu.5.1" class="versetxt"> And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire-- I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying: I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, even any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And thou shalt remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's. These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; and ye said: 'Behold, the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.' And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Go say to them: Return ye to your tents. But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.' Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink wine,.... That can bear a great deal, and not be overcome and intoxicated with it; that try their strength this way with others, and get the mastery and glory in it: not mighty to fight their enemies, as Kimchi observes, and defend their country, but to drink wine; by which their strength was weakened: wherefore some think soldiers are particularly designed, given to drinking, who are derided and mocked, as being valiant in the warfare of Bacchus, and not of Mars:

and men of strength, to mingle strong drink; in the cup, and then drink it: or "men of war"; the same with "mighty" before. The Targum interprets it, "men of riches": who can afford to drink wine and strong drink; which carries the sense not to the strength of their bodies, but of their purses: the former sense seems best. The Scribes and Pharisees loved the cup and the platter, and to be at feasts, and to have the uppermost seats there, Matthew 23:6 and that those that sat in Moses's chair are intended appears from the following words.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wo unto them that are mighty ... - This is the sixth specification of crime. He had already denounced the intemperate in Isaiah 5:11. But probably this was a prevailing sin. Perhaps there was no evidence of reform; and it was needful to “repeat” the admonition, in order that people might be brought to regard it. The prophet repeats a similar denunciation in Isaiah 56:12.

Mighty - Perhaps those who prided themselves on their ability to drink “much” without becoming intoxicated; who had been so accustomed to it, that they defied its effects, and boasted of their power to resist its usual influence. A similar idea is expressed in Isaiah 56:12.

Men of strength - The Chaldee understands this of “rich” men; but, probably, the reference is to those who boasted that they were able to bear “much” strong drink.

To mingle - To mix wine with spices, dates, drugs, etc., to make it more intoxicating; Proverbs 9:2, Proverbs 9:5. They boasted that they were able to drink, without injury, liquor of extraordinary intoxicating qualities.

Strong drink - Note, Isaiah 5:11. On the subject of the strong drink used in the East, “see Harmer’s Observations,” vol. ii. pp. 140-148. Ed. Lond. 1808.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 5:22. Mighty to drink wine — "They show not," says Kimchi, "their strength in combating their enemies, but in drunkenness and debauchery."


 
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