Isaiah 5:23

Isaiah 5:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
• New International Version (NIV)who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!

Context of Isaiah 5:23

21Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever and shrewd in their own sight! 22Woe (judgment is coming) to those who are heroes at drinking wine And men of strength in mixing intoxicating drinks, Who justify the wicked and acquit the guilty for a bribe, And take away the rights of those who are in the right! 24Therefore, as the tongue of fire consumes the stubble [from straw] And the dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away like fine dust; Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts And despised and discarded the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25Therefore the anger of the Lord has burned against His people, And He has stretched out His hand against them and has struck them down. And the mountains trembled, and their dead bodies lay like rubbish in the middle of the streets. In spite of all this God’s anger is not turned away, But His hand is still stretched out [in judgment].

Isaiah 5:23 word by word

מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י רָשָׁ֖ע עֵ֣קֶב שֹׁ֑חַד וְצִדְקַ֥ת צַדִּיקִ֖ים יָסִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Which justifyצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• forעֵ֫קֶב‛êqeb · consequenceH6118
• rewardשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
• and take awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• the righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• of the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662

Cross-references for Isaiah 5:23

• Exodus 23:6“You shall not pervert (bend) the justice due to your poor in his dispute.
• Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous Are both repulsive to the Lord.
• Proverbs 24:24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him;
• Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
• Isaiah 1:23Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes And chases after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the widow’s cause come before them [instead they delay or turn a deaf ear].
• Deuteronomy 16:19You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
• 2 Chronicles 19:7So now let the fear (reverent awe) of the Lord be on you [to keep you from making unjust decisions]; be careful in what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or acceptance of a bribe.”
• Proverbs 17:23A wicked man receives a bribe from the [hidden] pocket To pervert the ways of justice.
• Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Is not the Lord among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us.”
• Micah 7:3Concerning evil, both of their hands pursue it and do it diligently and thoroughly; The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe, And a great man speaks the [evil] desire of his soul. So they twist the course of justice between them.
• Isaiah 10:2So 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.
• 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.
• Psalms 94:21They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death.
• Matthew 23:35so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
• Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”
• James 5:6You have condemned and have put to death the righteous man; he offers you no resistance.

Commentaries on Isaiah 5:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The righteous - צדיק tsaddik, singular, Sept. Vulg., and two editions.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Which justify - This refers, doubtless, to magistrates. They gave unjust decisions. For reward - For bribes. And take away the righteousness - That is, they do not decide the cause in favor of those who have just claims, but are determined by a bribe; see the note at Isaiah 1:23. It is remarkable, that this is introduced in immediate connection with their being mighty to mingle strong drink. One effect of intemperance is to make a man ready to be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-23Verses 8-23 Here is a woe to those who set their hearts on the wealth of the world. Not that it is sinful for those who have a house and a field to purchase another; but the fault is, that they never know when they have enough. Covetousness is idolatry; and while many envy the prosperous, wretched man, the Lord denounces awful woes upon him. How applicable to many among us! God has many ways to empty the most populous cities. Those who set their hearts…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-24Woe: The sixth threat of judgment was against the indulgent lifestyle of the wicked.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. Sixth Woe--against corrupt judges, who, "mighty" in drinking "wine" (a boast still not uncommon), if not in defending their country, obtain the means of self-indulgence by taking bribes ("reward"). The two verses are closely joined [Maurer]. mingle strong drink--not with water, but spices to make it intoxicating (Pr 9:2, 5; So 8:2). take away the righteousness--set aside the just claims of those having a righteous cause.Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 5:23

• Backsliders
• Bribery
• Court
• Isaiah
• Judge
• Presumption
• Rulers
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Cast
• Cord
• Cry
• Dry
• Ensign
• Join
• Lay
• Mighty
• Regard
• Roaring

Commentaries on Isaiah 5

• 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