Isaiah 5:20

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!
• English Standard Version (ESV)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 sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, 19to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel— let it approach, let it come into view, so 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 clever in their own sight. 22Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks,

Isaiah 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 17:15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both.
• Malachi 2:17You have wearied the Lord with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
• Malachi 3:15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’ ”
• Matthew 6:23But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
• Matthew 15:3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’
• Luke 11:35See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
• Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
• 2 Timothy 3:1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

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

• Backsliders
• Blindness
• Isaiah
• Minister, Christian
• Presumption
• 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