Amplified Bible
Isaiah 10:1
1Woe (judgment is coming) to those [judges] who issue evil statutes, And to those [magistrates] who constantly record unjust and oppressive decisions,
Isaiah 10:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed
Context of Isaiah 10:1
Woe (judgment is coming) to those [judges] who issue evil statutes, And to those [magistrates] who constantly record unjust and oppressive decisions, 2So as to deprive the needy of justice And rob the poor of My people of rightful claims, So that widows may be their spoil And that they may plunder the fatherless. 3Now what will you do in the day of [God’s] punishment, And in the storm of devastation which will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth [for safekeeping]?
Read all of Isaiah 10Isaiah 10:1 word by word
ה֥וֹי הַחֹֽקְקִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־אָ֑וֶן וּֽמְכַתְּבִ֥ים עָמָ֖ל כִּתֵּֽבוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 10:1
- Isaiah 3:11Woe (judgment is coming) to the wicked! It shall go badly with him, For what his hand has done shall be done to him.
- Isaiah 5:8Woe (judgment is coming) to those who join house to house and join field to field [to increase their holdings by depriving others], Until there is no more room [for others], So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!
- Jeremiah 22:13“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds his house by [acts of] unrighteousness And his upper chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor’s service without pay And does not give him wages [for his work],
- Habakkuk 2:6“Will all these [victims of his greed] not take up a taunting song against him, And in mocking derision against him Say, ‘Woe (judgment is coming) to him who increases that which is not his— How long [will he possess it]? And [woe to him who] makes himself wealthy with loans.’
- Matthew 11:21“Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon [cities of the Gentiles], they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes [their hearts would have been changed and they would have expressed sorrow for their sin and rebellion against God].
- Matthew 23:13“But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so.
- Matthew 26:24The Son of Man is to go [to the cross], just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe (judgment is coming) to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
- Luke 11:42“But woe (judgment is coming) to you Pharisees, because you [self-righteously] tithe mint and rue and every [little] garden herb [tending to all the minutiae], and yet disregard and neglect justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done, without neglecting the others.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.
- 1 Kings 21:13Two worthless and unprincipled men came in and sat down opposite him; and they testified against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed and renounced God and the king.” Then they brought him outside the city and stoned him to death.
- Esther 3:10Then the king removed his signet ring from his hand [that is, the special ring which was used to seal his letters] and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
- Psalms 58:2No, in your heart you devise wrongdoing; On earth you deal out the violence of your hands.
- Psalms 94:20Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, One which frames and devises mischief by decree [under the sacred name of law]?
- Daniel 6:8Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which [insures that it] may not be altered or revoked.”
- Micah 3:1And I said, “Hear now, heads of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know and administer justice?
- Micah 6:16For [you have kept] the statutes of Omri [the idolatrous king], And all the works of the [wicked] house (dynasty) of Ahab; And you walk in their counsels and policies. Therefore, I shall hand you over for destruction and horror And your [city’s] inhabitants for ridicule, And you shall bear the rebuke and scorn of My people.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 10:1
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees - To those who frame statutes that are oppressive and iniquitous. The prophet here refers, doubtless, to the rulers and judges of the land of Judea. A similar description he had before given; Isaiah 1:10, Isaiah 1:23, And that write - Hebrew, And to the writers who write violence.‘ The word translated “grievousness,” עמל ‛âmâl denotes properly “wearisome labor, trouble, oppression, injustice.” Here, it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Woes against proud oppressors. (Is. 10:1-4) The Assyrian but an instrument in the hand of God for the punishment of his people. (Is. 10:5-19) The deliverance from him. (Is. 10:20-34) Verses 1-4 These verses are to be joined with the foregoing chapter. Woe to the superior powers that devise and decree unrighteous decrees! And woe to the inferior officers that draw them up, and enter them on record! But what will sinners do? Whither will they flee?Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Woe: This introduces a threat of divine judgment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41. them that decree--namely, unrighteous judges. write grievousness, &c.--not the scribes, but the magistrates who caused unjust decisions (literally, "injustice" or "grievousness") to be recorded by them (Is 65:6) [Maurer], (Is 1:10, 23).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 10:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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