Isaiah 59:5 Meaning: Sin's Poison and Its Empty Fruit
They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web. He who eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
They hatch adders’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Eggs of a viper they have hatched, And webs of a spider they weave, Whoso is eating their eggs doth die, And the crushed hatcheth a viper.
They hatch serpents' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 59:5 uses two vivid metaphors, hatching vipers' eggs and weaving spider's webs, to reveal sin's deceptive, poisonous, and ultimately fruitless nature.
Context
The people of Israel were complaining that God seemed deaf to their prayers. Through Isaiah, God answers directly: His hand is not too short to save, but their iniquities have built a wall between them and Him. Verse 5 sits in a long list of accusations, lies, violence, injustice. The prophet uses two images that would have struck home in a land where snakes and spiders were common. Hatching a viper’s egg looked innocent enough at first, but it produced poison. Weaving a spider’s web required patience and skill, yet it never made a warm garment. Both pictures point to the same truth: sin looks productive but ends in death.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind “they hatch” is baqa, which means to split open or break out. It is the same word used for a womb breaking open in birth. The people are pictured as carefully incubating eggs that will crack open into deadly snakes, they are giving birth to their own destruction. The verb for “weave” is arag, usually used for cloth but also for plotting intrigue (Samson’s hair was braided with this word). So their plans are like fabric: carefully crafted, but the material is a spider’s web, thin, sticky, and useless for covering anything.
Two different Hebrew words are used for the snake: tzif’oni (a viper or basilisk) and ef’eh (another kind of venomous snake). This is not a single species but any serpent whose bite is fatal. The point is that what they produce is deadly, whether you eat the egg (participate in the plan) or crush it (try to stop it). The evil cannot be handled safely.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across traditions, commentators agree that these metaphors expose the double nature of sin. Protestant writers like Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasize that the eggs represent wicked plans that are carefully nurtured, while the web symbolizes the vanity of those plans, they cannot produce anything lasting or good. Gill, a Baptist commentator, reads the eggs as false doctrines, especially the teaching that people can be saved by their own works, which he sees as poisonous to the soul. The Anglican Cambridge Bible notes that the description fits a limited class of “utter reprobates,” yet the language echoes Proverbs and Psalms, showing that the warning is timeless. Catholic tradition, through the Douay translation, uses “basilisk” for the serpent, underscoring the ancient belief in a creature whose very look was lethal. All readings point to sin as both dangerous and empty.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers take this verse as a warning only about how sinful people hurt others, the eggs are dangerous to anyone who comes near. In fact, the verse is equally about what sin does to the sinner. “He who eats of their eggs dies” shows that participating in evil brings death to the one who joins in. And “their webs won’t become garments” means the sinner’s own labor is wasted. The danger is not just to bystanders; it is to the one hatching and weaving.
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to the small eggs you may be incubating: a grudge you keep feeding, a half-truth that seems harmless, a habit that feels private. They look like ordinary eggs, but ask yourself what will hatch if you keep them warm. Also notice the webs you are weaving, the busywork that keeps you looking good but never produces real righteousness. God invites you to bring those eggs and webs into the light now, before they hatch into something you cannot control. He is not distant; He wants to help you crush them.
Main takeaway: Sin always promises more than it delivers: it costs you your life and leaves you empty-handed.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Have you ever seen a spider web? It looks pretty, but it can't keep you warm. Sin is like that, it looks interesting, but it never gives you what you really need. And a snake egg might look safe, but a poisonous snake comes out. Sin starts small and then hurts you.
For ages 9, 12
Think about something you know is wrong but you keep doing anyway, maybe lying to get out of trouble, or being mean to someone when no one is watching. That is like hatching a snake egg. At first it seems harmless, but it will poison your heart. And all the effort you put into covering it up is like weaving a spider web: a lot of work, but it falls apart and leaves you cold. God wants you to stop hatching those eggs. He can help you crush them before they hatch.
Questions People Ask
What is a cockatrice?
The King James Version translates the Hebrew word as 'cockatrice,' an old term for a mythical serpent whose gaze or breath was said to be deadly. Most modern translations use 'viper' or 'adder,' because the original word refers to a real venomous snake, likely the horned viper or basilisk. The point is the same: the eggs produce something lethal.
Why does Isaiah use eggs and spider webs to describe sin?
The egg represents a hidden plan that looks harmless but will produce poison when it matures. The spider web represents the effort people put into sin, it takes skill and work, but the result is fragile and useless. Together they show that sin is both dangerous and empty.
What does 'their webs won't become garments' mean?
This refers to the fact that a spider's web cannot be woven into clothing. The people's evil deeds and plans might look impressive, but they cannot cover their shame or provide any real protection. In the end, all their work is worthless before God.
Does this verse mean all our plans and efforts are evil?
No. The verse is specifically about people whose hearts are set on injustice, lies, and violence. It is a warning against nurturing sinful intentions. But God's people are called to hatch good eggs, acts of love and justice, and to weave sturdy garments of righteousness that truly cover and help others.
How does Isaiah 59:5 connect to the rest of the chapter?
The chapter begins with God insisting that He is able to save, but the people's sins have created a separation. Verses 3, 8 detail those sins, and verse 5 gives a vivid picture of how sin operates: it looks promising but produces death. The chapter ends with God's promise of a Redeemer, showing that only He can break the cycle.
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