New International Version
Isaiah 5:21
21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
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!
- 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!
- New Living Translation (NLT)What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.
Context of Isaiah 5:21
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.” 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. Woe 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, 23who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
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 the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.
- Proverbs 3:7Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
- Proverbs 26:12Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
- John 9:41Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
- Romans 1:22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
- Romans 11:25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become 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
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