Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 5:2

"and he digged it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes." — Isaiah 5:2 (ASV)

And he fenced it - Margin, ‘Made a wall about it.’ The word used here is thought more likely to mean “to dig about, to grub,” as with a pick-axe or spade. - Gesenius. It has this meaning in Arabic and in one place in the Jewish Talmud. - Kimchi. The Vulgate and the Septuagint understand it as making a hedge or fence, probably the first work in preparing a vineyard. And since ‘a hedge’ is expressly mentioned in (Isaiah 5:5), it seems most probable that this is its meaning here.

And gathered out the stones ... - So that it might be easily cultivated. This was, of course, a necessary and proper work.

And planted it with the choicest vine - Hebrew, ‘With the sorek.’ This was a choice species of vine, the grapes of which, the Jewish commentators say, had very small and scarcely perceptible stones, and which, today, is called “serki” in Morocco; in Persia, “kishmis.” - Gesenius.

And built a tower - For the purpose of watching and defending it. These towers were probably placed so as to overlook the whole vineyard and were thus posts of observation; compare the note at (Isaiah 1:8); see also the note at (Matthew 21:33).

And also made a wine-press - A place in which to put the grapes for the purpose of expressing the juice; see the note at (Matthew 21:33).

And he looked - He waited in expectation, as a farmer waits patiently for the vines to grow and to bear grapes.

Wild grapes - The word used here is derived from the verb באשׁ bâ'ash — “to be offensive, to corrupt, to putrefy;” and is thought by Gesenius to mean “monk’s-hood,” a poisonous herb, offensive in smell, which produces berries like grapes. Such a meaning suits the connection better than the supposition of grapes that were wild or uncultivated. The Vulgate understands it as the weed called “wild vine - labruscas.” The Septuagint translates it by “thorns,” ἄκανθας akanthas.

That there were vines in Judea which produced such poisonous berries, though resembling grapes, is evident; see (2 Kings 4:39–41): And one went out into the fields to gather pot herbs, and he found a field vine, and he gathered from it wild fruit. Moses also refers to a similar vine (Deuteronomy 32:32–33): For their vine is as the vine of Sodom; their grapes are grapes of gall; their clusters are bitter. Hasselquist thinks that the prophet here means the “nightshade.” The Arabs, he says, call it “wolf-grapes.” It grows extensively in vineyards and is very pernicious to them. Some poisonous, offensive berries, growing on wild vines, are doubtless intended here.

The general meaning of this parable is not difficult to understand; compare the notes at (Matthew 21:33). Jerome has attempted to trace out the allegory and explain the particular parts.

He says, ‘By the metaphor of the vineyard, we are to understand the people of the Jews, whom He surrounded or enclosed by angels; by gathering out the stones, the removal of idols; by the tower, the temple erected in the midst of Judea; and by the wine-press, the altar.’ There is no appropriateness, however, in attempting to explain the particular parts of the figure so minutely.

The general meaning is that God had chosen the Jewish people. He had bestowed great care on them by giving them his law, defending them, and providing for them. He had omitted nothing that was adapted to produce piety, obedience, and happiness. Yet, they had abused it all and, instead of being obedient, had become exceedingly corrupt.