New King James Version
Isaiah 1:23
23Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
Isaiah 1:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- New International Version (NIV)Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.
Context of Isaiah 1:23
21How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them. 24Therefore the Lord says, The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, “Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. 25I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 1:23 word by word
שָׂרַ֣יִךְ סוֹרְרִ֗ים וְחַבְרֵי֙ גַּנָּבִ֔ים כֻּלּוֹ֙ אֹהֵ֣ב שֹׁ֔חַד וְרֹדֵ֖ף שַׁלְמֹנִ֑ים יָתוֹם֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁפֹּ֔טוּ וְרִ֥יב אַלְמָנָ֖ה לֹֽא־יָב֥וֹא אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thy princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- rebelliousסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
- and companionsחָבֵרchâbêr · companionH2270
- of thievesגַּנָּבgannâb · thiefH1590
- every one lovethאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- giftsשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
- and followethרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- after rewardsשַׁלְמֹןshalmôn · rewardH8021
- they judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- not the fatherlessיָתוֹםyâthôm · orphanH3490
- neither doth the causeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- of the widowאַלְמָנָה'almânâh · widowH490
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
Cross-references for Isaiah 1:23
- Isaiah 3:14The Lord will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them.
- 2 Chronicles 36:14Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 5:5I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.” But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds.
- Ezekiel 22:6“Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
- Daniel 9:5we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
- Hosea 7:3They make a king glad with their wickedness, And princes with their lies.
- Hosea 9:15“All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious.
- Micah 3:1And I said: “Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice?
- Acts 4:5And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,
- Proverbs 29:24Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
- Matthew 21:13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
- Mark 11:27Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.
- Luke 19:46saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
- Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
- Exodus 23:8And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.
Commentaries on Isaiah 1:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Companions of thieves "Associates" - The Septuagint, Vulgate, and four MSS., read חברי chabrey without the conjunction ו vau .Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Thy princes - This is an explanation of the previous verse. Princes mean here those attached to the royal family; those who by rank, or office, had an influence over the people. Rebellious - Against God. The corruption of a nation commonly begins with the rulers. Companions of thieves - That is, they connive at the doings of robbers; they do not bring them to justice; they are their accomplices, and are easily bribed to acquit them. Every one loveth…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-31Verses 21-31 Neither holy cities nor royal ones are faithful to their trust, if religion does not dwell in them. Dross may shine like silver, and the wine that is mixed with water may still have the colour of wine. Those have a great deal to answer for, who do not help the oppressed, but oppress them. Men may do much by outward restraints; but only God works effectually by the influences of his Spirit, as a Spirit of Judgment. Sin is the worst captivity…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. companions of thieves--by connivance (Pr 29:24). gifts--(Eze 22:12). A nation's corruption begins with its rulers.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 1:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 1
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries