Isaiah 59:5 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 59:5 mean?

Isaiah 59:5 uses vivid images to describe how the people’s actions are harmful and destructive, comparing their deeds to hatching deadly snake eggs and weaving useless spider webs. The verse warns that anyone who gets involved with their evil plans will be harmed, and even what seems harmless can turn out to be dangerous.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to the people of Israel, calling out their persistent wrongdoing and injustice. The images of snake eggs and spider webs show that their behavior leads to death and danger instead of life and safety. Isaiah is making it clear that the community’s corruption produces only harm, both for themselves and for anyone who trusts in their ways.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 59:5

• "cockatrice'" (צִפְעוֹנִי, tsiph‘oniy): This word refers to a type of poisonous serpent, often imagined as a viper or adder. The use of this word highlights the deadly nature of the people's actions.
• "weave" (אָרַג, ’arag): This verb means to weave or spin, as in making cloth or a web. Here, it points to carefully crafted but ultimately useless or deceptive works, like a spider’s web.
• "crushed" (זוּר, zur): This word means to break or crush. The verse says that even when one of these eggs is broken, instead of being destroyed, it releases more danger—a viper comes out.

Why Isaiah 59:5 matters

• Isaiah 59:5 clears up that the people’s sins are not just mistakes but are actively harmful, producing real danger for themselves and others.
• The verse emphasizes that evil actions, no matter how cleverly planned, lead to destruction and cannot provide real protection or benefit.
• This verse connects to the wider passage by showing how deeply injustice and wrongdoing have corrupted the community, setting up Isaiah’s call for repentance and God’s promise to intervene.