But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
But even these leaders have gone astray because of wine, and they've lost their way through alcohol. The priests and prophets have made mistakes because of drinking too much—they are consumed by wine and have wandered off the right path because of alcohol. They make errors when they should be receiving visions from God, and they stumble when making important decisions.
Isaiah is condemning the religious leaders of Israel for letting alcohol cloud their judgment and prevent them from properly serving God and leading the people.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah was prophesying during a time when Israel's priests and prophets—who were supposed to be spiritual guides—had become corrupt and unreliable. These religious leaders were indulging in excessive drinking, which compromised their ability to receive divine revelation and make sound judgments for the people. This was part of the broader spiritual decline that Isaiah warned would lead to judgment and exile.
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