Isaiah 5:19 describes people who mock God by daring Him to act. They speak as though God’s promised judgment is slow or empty, and they challenge Him to prove Himself by hurrying up and showing what He will do. The prophet Isaiah records this as one of several “woe” statements against those who have turned away from God’s justice and righteousness, and the words are aimed at the people of Judah, who had grown comfortable with their sin.
Who say, “Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!”
Isaiah 5:19 (WEB)
What Isaiah 5:19 Means
The verse is written as a quotation of the mockers’ own speech. Their words, “Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it,” express impatience. They want God to speed up whatever He has said He will do, so they can finally see it and stop waiting. The tone is sarcastic. They are not sincerely asking for an update on God’s plans. They are signaling that they do not believe He will act at all.
The second half adds a further twist. They ask that “the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it.” In other words, they want to hear what God intends, but only so they can test it and dismiss it. The verse does not promise anything to the reader. It exposes a heart that treats God’s word as a challenge to be mocked rather than a truth to be trusted.
The Context of Isaiah 5:19
The book of Isaiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in Jerusalem during the eighth century BC. His audience was the southern kingdom of Judah, a people who worshiped God in the temple while living in ways that ignored His justice. Chapter 5 opens with a song about a vineyard that yields bad fruit, and it then moves through a series of “woe” pronouncements, each naming a particular sin.
Verse 19 sits in the middle of these woes. Verse 18 pronounces woe on those who drag sin along with ropes of falsehood, and verse 20 pronounces woe on those who call evil good and good evil. Read in this sequence, the verse shows how mockery of God’s timing is part of a larger pattern of moral confusion. Those who doubt God’s judgment are often also those who redefine right and wrong, so the verse helps explain how such a mindset takes root.
Key Phrases in Isaiah 5:19
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(WEB)
This verse speaks directly to the apparent delay of God’s promises, explaining that the Lord is patient and not slow in the way people think. It helps the reader understand that what looks like delay from our side may be God’s patience toward those who still need time to turn back to Him.
Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.
(WEB)
This psalm invites the believer to be still before the Lord and to wait patiently for Him. It offers the positive counterpart to the mockers’ impatience, showing how a righteous heart responds to God’s timing with trust rather than demands.
A Short Prayer From Isaiah 5:19
Lord, I confess that I sometimes measure You by my own schedule and grow frustrated when You do not act the way I expect. Forgive me when my impatience turns into doubt, and when my questions become a way of dismissing You. Help me to trust Your counsel even when I cannot yet see how You are working. Keep my heart humble and my words honest before You, and give me faith to wait on Your timing with patience and hope. Amen.
