Isaiah 51:17 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 51:17 mean?

Isaiah 51:17 calls on Jerusalem to wake up and realize the full extent of the suffering it has experienced as a result of God’s anger, pictured as having drunk every last drop from a cup of His wrath. The verse uses the image of Jerusalem forced to drink the “cup of trembling” until nothing is left, showing how completely the city has endured hardship.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to the people of Jerusalem, who have gone through severe distress and punishment because of their actions. The “cup” is a common symbol in the Bible for experiencing something fully, often suffering or judgment. By saying Jerusalem has “wrung them out,” Isaiah emphasizes that the city has not only tasted but fully drained the bitter experience of God’s discipline.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 51:17

• “Awake, awake” (עוּרִי עוּרִי, ‘uri ‘uri, H5782) is a strong call to alertness, urging Jerusalem to recognize its situation and respond, not just physically but spiritually and emotionally.
• “Cup” (כּוֹס, kos, H3563) is often used in Hebrew poetry and prophecy to represent a person or nation’s fate, especially when it comes to judgment or suffering that must be accepted.
• “Dregs” (שְׁמָרִים, shemarim, H6907) refers to the sediment at the bottom of a cup, meaning Jerusalem has not just sipped but drunk the very last and most bitter part of God’s wrath.
• “Trembling” (תַּרְעֵלָה, tar‘elah, H8653) carries the sense of staggering or reeling, showing that the experience has left Jerusalem shaken and unstable.

Why Isaiah 51:17 matters

• The verse clarifies that Jerusalem’s suffering was not accidental or random, but a direct result of God’s anger, which Isaiah describes using vivid and complete imagery.
• By using the image of drinking the dregs, Isaiah stresses that the punishment is thorough and total—there is nothing left to endure, setting the stage for hope and restoration in the following verses.
• This verse connects to the larger theme in Isaiah of God’s justice and mercy: after the full measure of judgment, God’s compassion and deliverance are soon to be revealed.