Isaiah 5:12
New International Version
They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands.

New Living Translation
They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the LORD or notice what he is doing.

English Standard Version
They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

Berean Standard Bible
At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

King James Bible
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

New King James Version
The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, Nor consider the operation of His hands.

New American Standard Bible
Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

NASB 1995
Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

NASB 1977
And their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

Legacy Standard Bible
And their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not look upon the deeds of Yahweh, Nor do they see the work of His hands.

Amplified Bible
They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts; But they do not regard nor even pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

Christian Standard Bible
At their feasts they have lyre, harp, tambourine, flute, and wine. They do not perceive the LORD’s actions, and they do not see the work of his hands.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At their feasts they have lyre, harp, tambourine, flute, and wine. They do not perceive the LORD’s actions, and they do not see the work of His hands.

American Standard Version
And the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of Jehovah, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.

Contemporary English Version
At your drinking parties you have the music of stringed instruments, tambourines, and flutes. But you never even think about all the LORD has done,

English Revised Version
And the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At their feasts there are lyres and harps, tambourines and flutes, and wine. Yet, they don't pay attention to what the LORD is doing or see what his hands have done.

Good News Translation
At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes--and wine. But you don't understand what the LORD is doing,

International Standard Version
They have the lyre and harp, the tambourine and flute, as well as wine at their festivals, but they don't respect what the LORD is doing, nor do they consider his actions.

Majority Standard Bible
At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

NET Bible
They have stringed instruments, tambourines, flutes, and wine at their parties. So they do not recognize what the LORD is doing, they do not perceive what he is bringing about.

New Heart English Bible
The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

World English Bible
The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they don’t respect the work of Yahweh, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And harp, and stringed instrument, tambourine, and pipe, "" And wine, have been their banquets, "" And they do not behold the work of YHWH, "" Indeed, they have not seen the work of His hands.

Young's Literal Translation
And harp, and psaltery, tabret, and pipe, And wine, have been their banquets, And the work of Jehovah they behold not, Yea, the work of His hands they have not seen.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there was the harp and the lyre, the drum and the pipe, and the wine of their drinking's: but the work of Jehovah they will not look at, and the work of his hands they saw not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The harp, and the lyre, and the timbrel, and the pipe, and wine are in your feasts: and the work of the Lord you regard not, nor do you consider the works of his hands.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Harp and lyre and timbrel and pipe, as well as wine, are at your feasts. But you do not respect the work of the Lord, nor do you consider the works of his hands.

New American Bible
Banqueting on wine with harp and lyre, timbrel and flute, But the deed of the LORD they do not regard, the work of his hands they do not see!

New Revised Standard Version
whose feasts consist of lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine, but who do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They drink wine while listening to the harps, timbrels, tambourines, and flutes; but they do not regard the works of the LORD, neither consider the deeds of his hands.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
With harps and with guitars and with tambourines and with timbrels they drink wine, and they do not understand the works of God and they do not look on the work of his hands
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the harp and the psaltery, the tabret and the pipe, And wine, are in their feasts; But they regard not the work of the LORD, Neither have they considered the operation of His hands.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For they drink wine with harp, and psaltery, and drums, and pipes: but they regard not the works of the Lord, and consider not the works of his hands.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to the Wicked
11Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine. 12 At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands. 13Therefore My people will go into exile for their lack of understanding; their dignitaries are starving and their masses are parched with thirst.…

Cross References
Amos 6:5-6
You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments. / You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

Amos 6:1-4
Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes. / Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours? / You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence. ...

Hosea 4:11-12
to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding. / My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

Isaiah 22:12-13
On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. / But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Isaiah 28:7-8
These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments. / For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth.

Isaiah 24:7-9
The new wine dries up, the vine withers. All the merrymakers now groan. / The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent. / They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it.

Jeremiah 5:23-24
But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned aside and gone away. / They have not said in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rains, both autumn and spring, in season, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 33:31-32
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain. / Indeed, you are to them like a singer of love songs with a beautiful voice, who skillfully plays an instrument. They hear your words but do not put them into practice.

Ecclesiastes 2:8
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart. / Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. / The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Luke 17:26-30
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: / People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. / It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ...

Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

Matthew 24:37-39
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. / For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. / And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

the harp

Isaiah 22:13
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

Genesis 31:27
Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Job 21:11-14
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance…

they regard

Isaiah 5:19
That say, Let him make speed, and 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!

Job 34:27
Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

Psalm 28:5
Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Jump to Previous
Accompanied Attention Banquets Consider Considered Corded Deeds Feasts Flute Flutes Hands Harp Harps Instruments Interested Lyre Operation Pay Pipe Psaltery Regard Respect Tabret Tambour Tambourine Tambourines Viol Wind-Instruments Wine Work
Jump to Next
Accompanied Attention Banquets Consider Considered Corded Deeds Feasts Flute Flutes Hands Harp Harps Instruments Interested Lyre Operation Pay Pipe Psaltery Regard Respect Tabret Tambour Tambourine Tambourines Viol Wind-Instruments Wine Work
Isaiah 5
1. Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8. His judgments upon covetousness
11. Upon lasciviousness
13. Upon impiety
20. And upon injustice
26. The executioners of God's judgments














They have harps and lyres at their banquets
The use of "harps and lyres" in ancient Israelite culture was often associated with joy, celebration, and worship. These instruments, mentioned frequently in the Psalms, were integral to both secular and sacred music. The "banquets" here symbolize indulgence and revelry, suggesting a society more focused on pleasure than on spiritual matters. Historically, such gatherings were common in the ancient Near East, often reflecting wealth and status. The Hebrew root for "banquets" implies a feast or drinking party, indicating excess and a lack of restraint.

tambourines and flutes
The "tambourine" and "flute" further emphasize the festive atmosphere. The tambourine, a percussion instrument, was used in celebrations and religious ceremonies, while the flute, a wind instrument, added melody and harmony. These instruments together create a picture of a lively, perhaps even hedonistic, environment. In the context of Isaiah's prophecy, they underscore the people's preoccupation with entertainment and self-indulgence, neglecting their spiritual duties.

and wine
"Wine" in the Bible is often a symbol of joy and blessing, but it can also represent excess and moral decay when consumed inappropriately. Here, it likely signifies overindulgence and a focus on earthly pleasures. The Hebrew word for wine, "yayin," is associated with both celebration and warning, depending on the context. In Isaiah's time, wine was a staple of social gatherings, but its misuse is a metaphor for the people's spiritual intoxication and neglect of God.

but they disregard the deeds of the LORD
The phrase "disregard the deeds of the LORD" highlights a willful ignorance or neglect of God's actions and commands. The Hebrew root for "disregard" suggests a lack of attention or consideration, indicating a conscious choice to ignore divine intervention and guidance. This reflects a broader theme in Isaiah: the people's failure to recognize God's sovereignty and their dependence on Him. Historically, this disregard led to moral and societal decline, as the Israelites turned away from their covenant with God.

and fail to consider the work of His hands
To "fail to consider" implies a deliberate neglect of reflection or understanding. The "work of His hands" refers to God's creation and providence, encompassing both the natural world and His acts in history. The Hebrew word for "consider" involves deep thought and contemplation, suggesting that the people are not merely forgetful but are choosing not to engage with God's reality. This neglect is a spiritual blindness, leading to a disconnect from the source of true wisdom and life.

(12) The harp, and the viol.--Here again the fashions of Judah followed those of Samaria, so closely indeed that Isaiah addresses the rulers of his own city as "the drunkards of Ephraim" (Isaiah 28:1; Amos 6:5). The list of instruments is fairly represented by the English words, but lute (or hand-harp), cymbal, timbrel (or tambourine), and flute would come somewhat closer to the Hebrew.

They regard not the work of the Lord.--The life of luxury was then, as ever, one of practical atheism. Those who so lived did not see, never do see, any Divine plan or order in the world around them. They anticipated, in their swine-like greed, the baser types of the school of Epicurus.

Verse 12. - The harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe. It is difficult to identify the Hebrew instruments of music with modern names; but there seems to be no doubt that the kinnor was a sort of harp, and the khalib a sort of pipe. The nebel, generally rendered by "psaltery," but here and in Isaiah 14:11 by "viol," was a stringed instrument played with the fingers (Josephus); perhaps a lyre, perhaps a sort of dulcimer. The toph, here translated "tabret," and elsewhere often "timbrel," was most likely a tambourine. All four instruments had in the earlier times been dedicated to the worship of Jehovah (1 Samuel 10:5); now they were employed to inflame men's passions at feasts. They regard not the work of the Lord. The "work of Jehovah" is his manifestation of himself in history, more especially in the history of his chosen people (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 92:4; Psalm 111:3, etc.). A pious Israelite was ever marveling at all that God had done for his nation (Deuteronomy 32:7-14; Joshua 24:2-13; 1 Chronicles 16:12-22; Ezra 9:7-9; Nehemiah 9:7-31; Psalm 68:7-28; Psalm 78:10-72; Psalm 105:5-45; Psalm 106:7-46; Psalm 136:5-24, etc.). The men of Isaiah's generation had ceased to care for things of the past, and devoted themselves to enjoying the present. Neither consider, etc. (comp. Isaiah 1:3, "My people doth not consider"). The verb used is not, however, the same in the Hebrew.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
At their feasts
מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם (miš·tê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4960: Drink, drinking, a banquet, feast

are the lyre
כִנּ֜וֹר (ḵin·nō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3658: A harp

[and] harp,
וָנֶ֗בֶל (wā·ne·ḇel)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5035: A skin-bag for, liquids, a vase, a lyre

tambourines
תֹּ֧ף (tōp̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8596: A timbrel, tambourine

and flutes
וְחָלִ֛יל (wə·ḥā·lîl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2485: Flute, pipe

and wine.
וָיַ֖יִן (wā·ya·yin)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3196: Wine, intoxication

They disregard
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

the actions
פֹּ֤עַל (pō·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6467: Doing, deed, work

of the LORD,
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and fail
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to see
רָאֽוּ׃ (rā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7200: To see

the work
וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (ū·ma·‘ă·śêh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property

of His hands.
יָדָ֖יו (yā·ḏāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 5:12 The harp lyre tambourine and flute (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 5:11
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