Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 1:23
23Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love graft and chase after bribes. They do not defend the rights of the fatherless, and the widow’s case never comes before them.
Isaiah 1:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- New International Version (NIV)Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
Context of Isaiah 1:23
21The faithful town — what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her, but now, murderers! 22Your silver has become dross to be discarded, your beer is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love graft and chase after bribes. They do not defend the rights of the fatherless, and the widow’s case never comes before them. 24Therefore the Lord God of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will get even with my foes; I will take revenge against my enemies. 25I will turn my hand against you and will burn away your dross completely; I will remove all your impurities.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 1:23 word by word
שָׂרַ֣יִךְ סוֹרְרִ֗ים וְחַבְרֵי֙ גַּנָּבִ֔ים כֻּלּוֹ֙ אֹהֵ֣ב שֹׁ֔חַד וְרֹדֵ֖ף שַׁלְמֹנִ֑ים יָתוֹם֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁפֹּ֔טוּ וְרִ֥יב אַלְמָנָ֖ה לֹֽא־יָב֥וֹא אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thy princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- rebelliousסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
- and companionsחָבֵרchâbêr · companionH2270
- of thievesגַּנָּבgannâb · thiefH1590
- every one lovethאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- giftsשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
- and followethרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- after rewardsשַׁלְמֹןshalmôn · rewardH8021
- they judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- not the fatherlessיָתוֹםyâthôm · orphanH3490
- neither doth the causeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- of the widowאַלְמָנָה'almânâh · widowH490
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
Cross-references for Isaiah 1:23
- Isaiah 3:14The Lord brings this charge against the elders and leaders of his people: “You have devastated the vineyard. The plunder from the poor is in your houses.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them,
- 2 Chronicles 36:14All the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, imitating all the detestable practices of the nations, and they defiled the Lord’s temple that he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 5:5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God. However, these also had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.
- Ezekiel 22:6“‘Look, every prince of Israel within you has used his strength to shed blood.
- Daniel 9:5we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances.
- Hosea 7:3They please the king with their evil, the princes with their lies.
- Hosea 9:15All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I began to hate them. I will drive them from my house because of their evil, wicked actions. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.
- Micah 3:1Then I said, “Now listen, leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Aren’t you supposed to know what is just?
- Acts 4:5The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem
- Proverbs 29:24To be a thief’s partner is to hate oneself; he hears the curse but will not testify.
- Matthew 21:13He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
- Mark 11:27They came again to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came
- Luke 19:46and he said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”
- Isaiah 33:15The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses profit from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes against evil schemes —
- Exodus 23:8You must not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words of the righteous.
Commentaries on Isaiah 1:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Companions of thieves "Associates" - The Septuagint, Vulgate, and four MSS., read חברי chabrey without the conjunction ו vau .Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Thy princes - This is an explanation of the previous verse. Princes mean here those attached to the royal family; those who by rank, or office, had an influence over the people. Rebellious - Against God. The corruption of a nation commonly begins with the rulers. Companions of thieves - That is, they connive at the doings of robbers; they do not bring them to justice; they are their accomplices, and are easily bribed to acquit them. Every one loveth…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-31Verses 21-31 Neither holy cities nor royal ones are faithful to their trust, if religion does not dwell in them. Dross may shine like silver, and the wine that is mixed with water may still have the colour of wine. Those have a great deal to answer for, who do not help the oppressed, but oppress them. Men may do much by outward restraints; but only God works effectually by the influences of his Spirit, as a Spirit of Judgment. Sin is the worst captivity…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. companions of thieves--by connivance (Pr 29:24). gifts--(Eze 22:12). A nation's corruption begins with its rulers.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 1:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 1
- 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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