God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 5:21
21How horrible it will be for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever.
Isaiah 5:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
Context of Isaiah 5:21
19They say, “Let God hurry and quickly do his work so that we may see what he has in mind. Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel happen quickly so that we may understand what he is doing.” 20How horrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who turn what is bitter into something sweet and what is sweet into something bitter. How horrible it will be for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever. 22How horrible it will be for those who are heroes at drinking wine, who are champions at mixing drinks, 23who declare the guilty innocent for a bribe, who take away the rights of righteous people.
Read all of Isaiah 5Isaiah 5:21 word by word
ה֖וֹי חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וְנֶ֥גֶד פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם נְבֹנִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 5:21
- Job 11:12But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.
- Proverbs 3:7Do not consider yourself wise. Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
- Proverbs 26:12Have you met a person who thinks he is wise? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- John 9:41Jesus told them, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be sinners. But now you say, ‘We see,’ so you continue to be sinners.
- Romans 1:22While claiming to be wise, they became fools.
- Romans 11:25Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery so that you won’t become arrogant. The minds of some Israelites have become closed until all of God’s non-Jewish people are included.
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be arrogant, but be friendly to humble people. Don’t think that you are smarter than you really are.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise.
Commentaries on Isaiah 5:21
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Wo unto them that are wise - This is the fifth crime specified. It refers to those who are inflated with a false opinion of their own knowledge, and who are, therefore, self-confident and vain. This is expressly forbidden; Proverbs 3:7: Be not wise in thine own eyes;‘ compare Proverbs 26:12. In their own eyes - In their own opinion, or estimation. And prudent - Knowing; self-conceited. This was, doubtless, one characteristic of the times of Isaiah. It…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. 21Woe: The fifth threat of judgment was about the folly (foolishness) of self-deception. Self-deception means lying to oneself. The people believed they were wise and clever. They trusted their own understanding instead of trusting the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Fifth Woe--against those who were so "wise in their own eyes" as to think they knew better than the prophet, and therefore rejected his warnings (Is 29:14, 15).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 5:21
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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