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Isaiah 5:17

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Then lambs will graze peacefully in their natural way, and strangers will take over and consume the ruined lands that once belonged to the wealthy.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse describes how God's judgment will bring a complete reversal - the land will return to simple pastoral life while outsiders will inherit what the rich once possessed.

📚 Historical Context

In the 8th century BC, the prophet Isaiah was warning the people of Judah about God's impending judgment for their sins of social injustice, greed, and idolatry, using vivid imagery to describe the consequences of their unfaithfulness. This verse depicts the aftermath of invasion and desolation, where the once-fertile lands of the wealthy elite would be left waste and overtaken by strangers, symbolizing foreign conquerors like the Assyrians, while lambs, representing the humble or invading forces, would graze freely. It reflects the historical tensions of Isaiah's era, when Judah faced threats from powerful empires due to their moral and spiritual decline.

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