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Jeremiah 22:13-17
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong;that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; …

Micah 2:2
And they covet fields, and takethem by violence; and houses, and takethem away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

Habakkuk 2:9-12
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! …

field

1 Kings 21:16-20
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it…

they.

Ezekiel 11:15
Son of man, thy brethren,even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly,are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.

Ezekiel 33:24
Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but weare many; the land is given us for inheritance.

and join field to field
The joining of field to field further illustrates the expansion of personal estates at the expense of community welfare. This accumulation of land would lead to the creation of large estates, reducing the availability of land for others and increasing economic disparity. The historical context of this practice can be seen in the agricultural society of ancient Israel, where land was the primary means of production and sustenance. This behavior is reminiscent of the actions of Ahab and Jezebel in1 Kings 21, where Naboth's vineyard was unjustly seized, highlighting the abuse of power and disregard for divine law.

until no place is left
This phrase indicates the extent of the greed and the resulting desolation. The accumulation of land by a few leads to a lack of space and resources for the many, creating social and economic imbalance. This situation is contrary to the Jubilee laws, which were designed to prevent such monopolization and ensure that every family had access to their ancestral land. The prophetic warning here is that such actions will lead to judgment and desolation, as the land itself will suffer from the consequences of human greed.

and you live alone in the land
The result of this unchecked greed is isolation. The wealthy landowners, in their pursuit of expansion, end up living alone, having driven others away. This isolation is both physical and spiritual, as it reflects a separation from the community and from God's intended order. The prophetic implication is that such behavior leads to judgment, as seen in the Babylonian exile, where the land was left desolate and the people were removed. This phrase also serves as a warning against the dangers of materialism and the importance of community and stewardship.

• This opening cry of “woe” is a solemn pronouncement of coming judgment, the same tone Isaiah uses in later verses (Isaiah 5:20; 10:1) and that Jesus echoes against the Pharisees (Matthew 23:13).

• It signals that the Lord Himself is displeased and will act. Like the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 6:13) or the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19:24-25), God’s warnings are not empty; they are historically literal and morally certain.

• The phrase therefore calls every listener to pause, examine the heart, and turn before discipline arrives (Proverbs 1:24-27).

• The picture is of people snapping up dwelling after dwelling, creating personal real-estate empires. Micah condemns the same grasping spirit: “They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away” (Micah 2:2).

• Such accumulation violates the spirit of the land allotments given inJoshua 13–21, where each tribe and family received a portion meant to remain in that lineage (Numbers 26:52-56).

• It showcases practical atheism—living as though material expansion guarantees security, instead of trusting the God who “gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

• This is agricultural sprawl: swallowing up farms until smallholders are pushed out. Amos rebukes similar exploitation: “You trample on the poor and exact taxes of grain” (Amos 5:11).

• Ahab’s seizure of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21) illustrates how the powerful can weaponize legal structures to grab ancestral land.

• Scripture insists the earth ultimately belongs to the Lord (Leviticus 25:23). Human authorities are stewards, not owners in the absolute sense.

• The endgame of unchecked greed is social displacement—there is literally “no place” for others. Isaiah later laments cities emptied by judgment (Isaiah 6:11-12).

• God had built safeguards against this: the Year of Jubilee, redemption rights, and boundary-stone laws (Leviticus 25:10;Deuteronomy 19:14). Ignoring those protections invited divine intervention.

• The language reminds us that sin’s logic is always expansive; it keeps taking until God sets a limit (Job 38:11).

• Ironically, the land-grabbers who wanted exclusive space will receive it—through desolation. Houses will stand empty, “large and beautiful houses without inhabitant” (Jeremiah 6:12).

•Isaiah 24:3 pictures the outcome: “The earth will be utterly laid waste.” Isolation replaces community, hollowing out the very prosperity they sought.

• The warning foreshadows exile: those who remain will not enjoy their gains but sit amid ruins (Isaiah 7:23). God’s justice turns selfish ambition into solitary loss.

Isaiah 5:8 delivers a literal, historical warning against covetous real-estate expansion that crushes neighbors and ignores God’s land-ownership boundaries. The Lord sees the accumulation of houses and fields, labels it sin, and promises judgment that leaves the oppressor isolated in an empty land. The passage calls believers to contentment, stewardship, and love of neighbor, trusting God—not property—as the source of security.