English Standard Version
Isaiah 5:20
20Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
- New Living Translation (NLT)What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
Context of Isaiah 5:20
18Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes, 19who say: "Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!" Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! 22Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
Read all of Isaiah 5Isaiah 5:20 word by word
ה֣וֹי הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לָרַ֛ע ט֖וֹב וְלַטּ֣וֹב רָ֑ע שָׂמִ֨ים חֹ֤שֶׁךְ לְאוֹר֙ וְא֣וֹר לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ שָׂמִ֥ים מַ֛ר לְמָת֖וֹק וּמָת֥וֹק לְמָֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- unto them that callאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
- that putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- for lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- bitterמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
- for sweetמָתוֹקmâthôq mâthûq · sweetH4966
Cross-references for Isaiah 5:20
- Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
- Malachi 2:17You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"
- Malachi 3:15And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'"
- Matthew 6:23but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
- Matthew 15:3He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
- Matthew 23:16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
- Luke 11:35Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.
- Luke 16:15And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- 2 Timothy 3:1But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
- 2 Peter 2:1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
Commentaries on Isaiah 5:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Wo unto them that call evil good - This is the fourth class of sins denounced. The sin which is reprobated here is that of “perverting and confounding” things, especially the distinctions of morality and religion. They prefer erroneous and fake doctrines to the true; they prefer an evil to an upright course of conduct. The Chaldee renders this, Wo to those who say to the impious, who are prospered in this age, You are good; and who say to the meek, Ye…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. 20Woe: The fourth threat of judgment was against a lack of integrity. evil good … darkness to light … sweet with bitter: This distorted view of life corrupts God's holy order.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Fourth Woe--against those who confound the distinctions of right and wrong (compare Ro 1:28), "reprobate," Greek, "undiscriminating: the moral perception darkened." bitter ... sweet--sin is bitter (Jr 2:19; 4:18; Ac 8:23; He 12:15); though it seem sweet for a time (Pr 9:17, 18). Religion is sweet (Psa 119:103).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 5:20
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
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