Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

ISAIAH 5:8KJV
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Isaiah 5:8 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 5:8 mean?

Isaiah 5:8 warns against those who keep acquiring more and more land and houses, joining them together until no space is left for others, so that they end up living alone in the land. The verse calls out the greed of people who take over property at the expense of their neighbors, leaving no room for anyone else.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking to the people of Judah, criticizing wealthy landowners who expand their estates by buying up homes and fields, pushing out smaller landholders. This verse is part of a series of "woes" where Isaiah points out social injustices and warns that such selfishness and disregard for others will bring trouble.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 5:8

  • "Woe" (הוֹי, hoy): This is a strong word of warning or lament, often used by prophets to signal serious wrongdoing and coming judgment.
  • "Join" (נָגַע, naga‘): This word means to touch or join closely, emphasizing the act of connecting house to house and field to field so tightly that there is no space left.
  • "No place" (אֵין מָקוֹם, ’en maqom): This phrase stresses that the aggressive acquisition leaves literally no room for others, highlighting the total exclusion caused by greed.

Why Isaiah 5:8 matters

  • Isaiah 5:8 clarifies that the problem is not simply owning property, but the selfish accumulation that harms the community and leaves others without a place to live.
  • This verse highlights a specific social injustice in ancient Judah, connecting personal greed to wider societal harm, which is a recurring theme in the prophets.
  • Understanding this verse helps set the stage for the rest of Isaiah 5, where the prophet lists other wrongs and warns of consequences for the nation’s moral failings.

Where else these words appear

“no” Hebrew H657 · used in 43 verses

  • Numbers 13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
  • Psalms 59:13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
  • Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

“Woe” Hebrew H1945 · used in 48 verses

  • Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
  • Isaiah 29:15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
  • Ezekiel 13:18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

“join” Hebrew H5060 · used in 142 verses

  • Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
  • Numbers 19:18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
  • Psalms 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.