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

21It will be very bad for people who think that they are wise. They think that they are very clever. 22It will be very bad for people who think that they are famous because they can drink a lot of wine. They think that they are very brave to mix strong drinks together. If people like that receive a bribe, they will not say that wicked people are guilty. They also refuse to say that righteous people are not guilty. 24Because of that, they will come to a bad end. It will be for them like a hot fire that destroys dry grass. Their roots will die and their flowers will blow away like dust. They have refused to obey the laws of the Lord Almighty. They have not listened to the message that the holy God of Israel has taught them. 25So the Lord has become angry with his people. He is ready to punish them. He has lifted up his hand, so that the mountains shake. Dead bodies of people are lying all over the streets. But that is not enough! The Lord is still angry with them. His hand is ready to punish them even more.

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 23:6Always do what is right for your poor people when they stand in front of a judge.
• Proverbs 17:15If a judge says that a guilty person is not guilty, the Lord hates it. If a judge punishes someone who is not guilty, the Lord hates that too.
• Proverbs 24:24A judge must not say to a guilty person, ‘You are not guilty.’ If he does say that, everyone will curse him. People of all nations will say that he is bad.
• Proverbs 31:4Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink lots of wine. They should not want strong drink.
• Isaiah 1:23Your rulers have turned against God. They are friends of robbers. They all accept bribes and they love to receive gifts. But they do not help widows or children who have no family. They do not make sure that they receive justice.
• Deuteronomy 16:19Judges must do what is right for every person, rich or poor. They must not accept any bribes. A bribe may hide the truth even from a wise man. It can make honest people tell lies.
• 2 Chronicles 19:7Respect the Lord's authority. Be careful to do your job well. The Lord our God is always fair. So be fair to everyone, whoever they are. Do not cheat people. Do not accept bribes.’
• Proverbs 17:23Wicked judges secretly accept bribes. Then they are not fair when they judge.
• Micah 3:11You are the city's rulers, but you accept bribes. Then you do not judge people in a fair way. You priests teach people only if they pay you. You prophets speak about what will happen in future times. But you only speak if you receive money. But you still say that you trust the Lord. You say, ‘The Lord is with us, so nothing bad will happen to us.’
• Micah 7:3They know very well how to work together to do bad things. Rulers demand gifts and judges ask for money. Powerful bad people always get what they want. All these people work together to do what is bad.
• Isaiah 10:2They stop poor people from receiving what they should have. They do not let helpless people receive justice. They rob widows of all their things. They take things that belong to children who have no family.
• 1 Kings 21:13Then two wicked men came and they sat near to him. They accused Naboth so that the people could all hear them. They said, ‘Naboth has insulted God and the king.’ So the people took him outside the city. They threw stones at him until he was dead.
• Psalms 94:21They join together to work against good people. They say that people are guilty who have done nothing wrong. They say that they must die.
• Matthew 23:35Because of all this, God will punish you for all the good people that you and your ancestors have killed. Long ago, Abel was the first of those good people. You also killed Zechariah, the son of Berekiah. He died in the yard of the temple near the altar.
• Matthew 27:24Then Pilate knew that he could not do anything to make them quiet. He thought that the people would start to fight his soldiers. So he took a dish of water and he washed his hands in front of the people. He said, ‘It is not because of me that this man will die. You are the people who have caused it to happen.’
• James 5:6You say that a righteous person is guilty. You have even killed him and he could not stop 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

• 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