“Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 5:22 Mean?
Isaiah pronounces woe on a specific kind of skill: "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink." The woe targets expertise in drinking — people whose strength and might are deployed toward alcohol consumption and cocktail mixing. The heroism is inverted: these are mighty men whose might serves their appetites.
The word "mighty" (gibborim — heroes, warriors, champions, the same word for David's elite soldiers) is applied sarcastically: these are heroes of the bottle. Champions of the glass. Their gibborim-level strength goes not to battle or justice but to drinking. The vocabulary of military excellence describes alcoholic expertise.
The "mingle strong drink" (masak shekar — to mix intoxicating beverages, to create potent combinations) describes bartending as a craft: these men are skilled at producing the most effective intoxicants. Their creativity serves inebriation. The same ingenuity that could produce architecture, governance, or art is dedicated to mixing drinks.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where is genuine talent or strength being deployed toward unworthy objects in your context?
- 2.How does Isaiah's sarcasm (military vocabulary for drinking champions) expose misallocated excellence?
- 3.What does the connection between drinking expertise and judicial corruption teach about how indulgence produces injustice?
- 4.What are you 'mighty' at — and does the object of your might deserve a gibborim's investment?
Devotional
Mighty warriors of... drinking. Champions of... cocktail mixing. Isaiah uses the vocabulary of military heroes for men whose only heroism is their alcohol capacity. The gibborim — the word for the most elite fighters in Israel — applied to people whose greatest accomplishment is staying upright after the last cup.
The sarcasm is Isaiah's weapon: the words 'mighty' and 'men of strength' carry the weight of Israel's warrior tradition. David's mighty men (gibborim) killed lions, fought armies single-handedly, and broke through enemy lines to fetch water. These gibborim break through their own tolerance levels to consume one more drink. The vocabulary that should describe national heroes describes social parasites.
The mixing of strong drink adds the craft dimension: these aren't casual drinkers. They're skilled at producing maximum intoxication. They study the combinations. They know which mixtures produce the strongest effect. The same creativity that could serve wisdom, justice, or community service is directed toward manufacturing the most effective way to lose your mind.
The woe's context (verse 23: 'which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him') connects the drinking to judicial corruption: the mighty drinkers are also the corrupt judges. The alcohol consumption and the legal corruption share the same people. The heroes of the bottle are the villains of the courtroom. The drinking funds the corruption and the corruption funds the drinking.
The application isn't limited to alcohol: wherever extraordinary talent is deployed toward self-destructive pleasure rather than constructive purpose, Isaiah's woe applies. The brilliant mind that creates nothing but excuses for indulgence. The creative talent that serves only entertainment. The 'mighty' capacity directed toward the least worthy object.
What are you mighty at — and is the object worthy of your might?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
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Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture