American Standard Version
Isaiah 5:23
23that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
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 unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the dry grass sinketh down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25Therefore is the anger of Jehovah kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the mountains tremble, and their dead bodies are as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Read all of Isaiah 5Isaiah 5:23 word by word
מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י רָשָׁ֖ע עֵ֣קֶב שֹׁ֑חַד וְצִדְקַ֥ת צַדִּיקִ֖ים יָסִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Isaiah 5:23
- Exodus 23:6Thou shalt not wrest the justice due to thy poor in his cause.
- Proverbs 17:15He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
- Proverbs 24:24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
- Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?
- Isaiah 1:23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- Deuteronomy 16:19Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7Now therefore let the fear of Jehovah be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.
- Proverbs 17:23A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.
- Micah 3:11The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
- Micah 7:3Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.
- Isaiah 10:2to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
- 1 Kings 21:13And the two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him: and the base fellows bare witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did curse God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death with stones.
- Psalms 94:21They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn the innocent blood.
- Matthew 23:35that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
- Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it.
- James 5:6Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.
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
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries