God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 29:21
21those who make people sin with words, those who lay traps for judges, those who, without any reason, deny justice to people who are in the right.
Isaiah 29:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
- New International Version (NIV)those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who make a man an offender by a word, And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, And turn aside the just by empty words.
Context of Isaiah 29:21
19Humble people again will find joy in the Lord. The poorest of people will find joy in the Holy One of Israel. 20Tyrants will be gone. Mockers will be finished. All who look for ways to do wrong will come to an end: those who make people sin with words, those who lay traps for judges, those who, without any reason, deny justice to people who are in the right. 22This is what the Lord, who saved Abraham, says about the descendants of Jacob: Jacob will no longer be ashamed. Jacob’s face will no longer turn pale. 23When they see all their children, the children I made with my hands, they will acknowledge my name as holy. They will treat the Holy One of Jacob as holy. They will stand in terror of the God of Israel.
Read all of Isaiah 29Isaiah 29:21 word by word
מַחֲטִיאֵ֤י אָדָם֙ בְּדָבָ֔ר וְלַמּוֹכִ֥יחַ בַּשַּׁ֖עַר יְקֹשׁ֑וּן וַיַּטּ֥וּ בַתֹּ֖הוּ צַדִּֽיק׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That make a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- an offenderחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- for a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- and lay a snareקוּשׁqôsh · to lureH6983
- for him that reprovethיָכַחyâkach · to rebukeH3198
- in the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- and turn asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- the justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- for a thing of noughtתֹּ֫הוּtôhû · formlessnessH8414
Cross-references for Isaiah 29:21
- Judges 12:6they would tell him, “Say the word shibboleth.” If the fugitive would say sibboleth, because he couldn’t pronounce the word correctly, they would grab him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. At that time 42,000 men from Ephraim died.
- Matthew 22:15Then the Pharisees went away and planned to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing.
- Luke 11:53When Jesus left, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees held a terrible grudge against him. They questioned him about many things
- Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Let’s plot against Jeremiah, because the teachings of the priests, the advice of wise people, and the word of the prophets won’t disappear. Accuse him! Pay no attention to anything he says.”
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived. You overpowered me and won. I’ve been made fun of all day long. Everyone mocks me.
- Jeremiah 26:2“This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple, and speak to all the people who come from the cities of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything that I command you to tell them. Don’t leave out a single word.
- Amos 5:10Israel, you hate anyone who speaks out against injustice. You are disgusted by anyone who speaks the truth.
- Amos 7:10Then Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, sent a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. It read, “Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. The country isn’t able to endure everything he is saying.
- Micah 2:6Your prophets say, “Don’t prophesy! Don’t prophesy such things! Disgrace will never overtake us.”
- Proverbs 28:21Showing partiality is not good, because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread.
- Ezekiel 13:19You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn’t die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn’t live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.
- Amos 5:11You trample on the poor and take their wheat from them for taxes. That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Matthew 26:15He asked, “What will you pay me if I hand him over to you?” They offered him 30 silver coins.
- Acts 3:14You rejected the man who was holy and innocent. You asked to have a murderer given to you,
- James 5:6You have condemned and murdered people who have God’s approval, even though they didn’t resist you.
Commentaries on Isaiah 29:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Him that reproveth in the gate "Him that pleaded in the gate" - "They are heard by the treasurer, master of the horse, and other principal officers of the regency of Algiers, who sit constantly in the gate of the palace for that purpose:" that is, the distribution of justice. - Shaw's Travels, p. 315, fol. He adds in the note, "That we read of the elders in the gate. Deuteronomy 21:15; Deuteronomy 25:7; and, Isaiah 29:21; Amos 5:10, of him that reproveth…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21That make a man an offender - literally, who cause a man to sin‘ (מחטיאי machăṭı̂y'ēy ); that is, who hold a man to be guilty, or a criminal. Lowth renders this singularly enough: Who bewildered the poor man in speaking.‘ Grotius supposes it means, Who on account of the word of God, that is, the true prophecy, treat men as guilty of crime.‘ Calvin supposes it means, Who bear with impatience the reproofs and denunciation of the prophets, and who…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 The wonderful change here foretold, may refer to the affairs of Judah, though it looks further. When a great harvest of souls was gathered to Christ from among the Gentiles, then the wilderness was turned into a fruitful field; and the Jewish church, that had long been a fruitful field, became as a deserted forest. Those who, when in trouble, can truly rejoice in God, shall soon have cause greatly to rejoice in him. The grace of meekness…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The false testimony that led to the oppression of the poor through trickery in the courts of Isaiah’s era would end. Because of God’s work in their hearts, the people would turn from their sinful behavior of the past.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [Gesenius], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; compare Is 29:19, "the meek ... the poor." him that reproveth--rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue. gate--the place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Ru 4:11; Pr 31:23; Am 5:10, 12). just--one who has…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 29:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 29
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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