The Vineyard and the Dragon
Isaiah 27
The Lord punishes the fleeing serpent, or dragon, and describes Israel as a well-tended vineyard whose guilt will be purged once its altars and idols are destroyed. The scattered of Israel, from Assyria and Egypt, are gathered to worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonIN that day God will bring His holy sword, even His great and powerful sword, upon the dragon, the flying serpent—upon the dragon, the crooked serpent; He will slay the dragon.
BrentonIn that day God shall bring his holy and great and strong sword upon the dragon, even the serpent that flees, upon the dragon, the crooked serpent: he shall destroy the dragon.
GreekἘν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐπάξει ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μάχαιραν τὴν ἁγίαν, καὶ τὴν μεγάλην, καὶ τὴν ἰσχυρὰν ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα ὄφιν φεύγοντα, ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα ὄφιν σκολιόν· ἀνελεῖ τὸν δράκοντα.
KJVIn that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.
JPSIn that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea.
2
ThomsonIn that day, the fair vineyard—I have a mind to lead a responsive song about this:
BrentonIn that day there shall be a fair vineyard, and a desire to commence a song concerning it.
GreekΤῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀμπελὼν καλός, ἐπιθύμημα ἐξάρχειν κατʼ αὐτῆς.
KJVIn that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.
JPSIn that day sing ye of her: ‘A vineyard of foaming wine! ’
3
Thomson(c) I am a strong city, a city besieged. (v) In vain shall I supply her with drink: for by night she will be taken, and by day she will fall.
BrentonI am a strong city, a city in a siege: in vain shall I water it; for it shall be taken by night, and by day the wall shall fall.
GreekἘγὼ πόλις ὀχυρά, πόλις πολιορκουμένη, μάτην ποτιῶ αὐτήν· ἁλώσεται γὰρ νυκτὸς, ἡμέρας δὲ πεσεῖται τεῖχος.
KJVI the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.
JPSI the LORD do guard it, I water it every moment; Lest Mine anger visit it, I guard it night and day.
4
ThomsonThere is no wall, or it hath not availed her. Will anyone set me to watch a stalk in a field? On account of this warfare I have rejected her. (c) For this cause therefore the Lord hath executed all that He determined.
BrentonThere is no woman that has not taken hold of it; who will set me to watch stubble in the field? because of this enemy I have set her aside; therefore on this account the Lord has done all that he appointed.
GreekΟὐκ ἔστιν, ἣ οὐκ ἐπελάβετο αὐτῆς· τίς με θήσει φυλάσσειν καλάμην ἐν ἀγρῷ; διὰ τὴν πολεμίαν ταύτην ἠθέτηκα αὐτήν· τοίνυν διατοῦτο ἐποίησε Κύριος πάντα, ὅσα συνέταξε· κατακέκαυμαι
KJV—
JPS—
5
ThomsonI am about to be burned up. (v) Let the inhabitants therein cry aloud, Let us make peace with Him, let us make peace.
BrentonI am burnt up; they that dwell in her shall cry, Let us make peace with him, let us make peace,
GreekΒοήσονται οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ, ποιήσωμεν εἰρήνην αὐτῷ, ποιήσωμεν εἰρήνην,
KJVOr let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.
JPSOr else let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; yea, let him make peace with Me.
6
Thomson(p) They who are coming are children of Jacob. Israel shall bloom and blossom; and the world shall be filled with his fruit.
Brentonthey that are coming are the children of Jacob. Israel shall bud and blossom, and the world shall be filled with his fruit.
Greekοἱ ἐρχόμενοι τέκνα Ἰακώβ· βλαστήσει καὶ ἐξανθήσει Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐμπλησθήσεται ἡ οἰκουμένη τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ.
KJVHe shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
JPSIn days to come shall Jacob take root, Israel shall blossom and bud; And the face of the world shall be filled with fruitage.
7
ThomsonHe shall not, as he smote, be so smitten: nor, as he slew, shall he be so slain.
BrentonShall he himself be thus smitten, even as he smote? and as he slew, shall he be thus slain?
GreekΜὴ ὡς αὐτὸς ἐπάταξε, καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτως πληγήσεται; καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς ἀνεῖλεν, οὕτως ἀναιρεθήσεται;
KJVHath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?
JPSHath He smitten him as He smote those that smote him? Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by Him?
8
Thomson—
BrentonFighting and reproaching he will dismiss them; didst thou not meditate with a harsh spirit, to slay them with a wrathful spirit?
GreekΜαχόμενος καὶ ὀνειδίζων ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτούς· οὐ σὺ ἦσθα μελετῶν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ σκληρῷ, ἀνελεῖν αὐτοὺς πνεύματι θυμοῦ;
KJV—
JPS—
9
Thomson(J) By means of this the iniquity of Jacob will be removed: and this will be to him a subject of thanksgiving, when I take away his sin—when they grind to powder all the hewn stones of their altars, and their groves no longer remain, and their idols hacked to pieces like a forest are far away.
BrentonTherefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be taken away; and this is his blessing, when I shall have taken away his sin; when they shall have broken to pieces all the stones of the altars as fine dust, and their trees shall not remain, and their idols shall be cut off, as a thicket afar off.
GreekΔιατοῦτο ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἀνομία Ἰακὼβ, καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡ εὐλογία αὐτοῦ, ὅταν ἀφέλωμαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτοῦ, ὅταν θῶσι πάντας τοὺς λίθους τῶν βωμῶν κατακεκομμένους, ὡς κονίαν λεπτήν· καὶ οὐ μὴ μείνῃ τὰ δένδρα αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα αὐτῶν ἐκκεκομμένα, ὥσπερ δρυμὸς μακράν.
KJVBy this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.
JPSTherefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated, And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: When he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in pieces, So that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.
10
ThomsonThe folded flock shall be disconsolate, like a flock which hath been forsaken; and for a long time the country shall be for a pasture, and flocks shall there take their rest.
BrentonThe flock that dwelt there shall be left, as a deserted flock; and the ground shall be for a long time for pasture, and there shall flocks lie down to rest.
GreekΤὸ κατοικούμενον ποίμνιον ἀνειμένον ἔσται, ὡς ποίμνιον καταλελειμμένον· καὶ ἔσται πολὺν χρόνον εἰς βόσκημα, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἀναπαύσονται ποίμνια.
KJVYet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.
JPS—
11
ThomsonAnd after a time there will be no verdure in it, by reason of its being parched up. (p) O ye women who are coming from a goddess, attend! For this is not a people who have understanding; therefore He Who made them will not have pity on them; nor will He Who formed them shew them any favour.
BrentonAnd after a time there shall be in it no green thing because of the grass being parched. Come hither, ye women that come from a sight; for it is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them shall have no pity upon them, and he that formed them shall have no mercy upon them.
GreekΚαὶ μετὰ χρόνον οὐκ ἔσται ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν χλωρὸν διὰ τὸ ξηρανθῆναι· γυναῖκες ἐρχόμεναι ἀπὸ θέας δεῦτε· οὐ γὰρ λαός ἐστιν ἔχων σύνεσιν, διατοῦτο οὐ μὴ οἰκτειρήσῃ ὁ ποιήσας αὐτοὺς, οὐδὲ ὁ πλάσας αὐτοὺς οὐ μὴ ἐλεήσῃ.
KJVWhen the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.
JPSWhen the boughs thereof are withered, They shall be broken off; The women shall come, and set them on fire; For it is a people of no understanding; Therefore He that made them will not have compassion upon them, And He that formed them will not be gracious unto them.
12
ThomsonBut it shall come to pass in that day, that God will hedge them about from the channel of the river even to Rinocorouron. Therefore gather ye the sons of Israel together one by one.
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass in that day that God shall fence men off from the channel of the river as far as Rhinocorura; but do ye gather one by one the children of Israel.
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, συμφράξει ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τῆς διώρυχος τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἕως Ῥινοκορούρων· ὑμεῖς δὲ συναγάγετε κατὰ ἕνα τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ.
KJVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.
JPSAnd it shall come to pass in that day, That the LORD will beat off [His fruit] From the flood of the River unto the Brook of Egypt, And ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.
13
ThomsonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be sounded and those shall come who are perishing in the land of Assyria, and they who are perishing in Egypt; and shall bow themselves down before the Lord, on this holy mountain in Jerusalem.
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that they shall blow the great trumpet, and the lost ones in the land of the Assyrians shall come, and the lost ones in Egypt, and shall worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, σαλπιοῦσι τῇ σάλπιγγι τῇ μεγάλῃ, καὶ ἥξουσιν οἱ ἀπολόμενοι ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων, καὶ οἱ ἀπολόμενοι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ προσκυνήσουσι τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
KJVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
JPSAnd it shall come to pass in that day, That a great horn shall be blown; And they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, And they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt; And they shall worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.