What Does Isaiah 27:2 Mean?

In that day, answer her in song, a vineyard of foaming wine.

Isaiah 27:2 · SDV

Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.

Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

THE KEY

The Hebrew word for “sing” also carries the sense of “answer,” making song a response directed toward the vineyard.

THE MEANING

This verse speaks of you as a vineyard whose ripening can be met with song. Its image holds fruitfulness and joy together: the vineyard is named by the wine it bears.

THE ROOT

עַנּוּ

ʿannû

GROWS FROM

ענה

ʿ-n-h

Answer, respond; in this form, sing out.

“answer her in song” in this verse is ʿannû. The verb ⁨עַנּוּ⁩ (ʿannû, “sing”) belongs to ⁨ענה⁩ (ʿ-n-h), a root that can mean answering or responding as well as singing out. That overlap lets the song read as a response directed toward the vineyard, not merely a tune laid over it.

ALSO GROWS

ʿānāh: answered, responded

עָנָה

This common use of the root makes the vineyard’s song sound like an answering voice.

maʿăneh: answer, response

מַעֲנֶה

This noun keeps the root’s sense of response visible beneath the command to sing.

THE PATTERN

Fruitfulness appears as something a vine receives through being planted, watered, and kept.

I, the LORD, keep it. In every still moment I give it drink. Lest anyone visit it in harm, I guard it night and day.

Isaiah 27:3 · SDVThe vineyard’s fruitfulness is paired with continuous watering and keeping.

You carry a vine out of Egypt; you drive out the nations and plant it.

Psalm 80:8 · SDVThe vine becomes fruitful through being brought out and planted.

I am the vine, and you are the branches. The one who remains in me, and I in him, this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 · SDVFruit grows through connection to the vine rather than through a branch acting alone.

THE THREAD

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah the planting of his delight. He waited for judgment, but behold, spilled blood. He waited for alignment, but behold, a cry.

Isaiah 5:7 · SDV

Both verses use ⁨כֶּרֶם⁩ (kerem, “vineyard”). Isaiah 5:7 finds a cry where good fruit was expected; here the vineyard is addressed with song and named by its wine.

This reading is from Selah Verse.

You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.

Get Selah Verse

A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us