New King James Version
Isaiah 29:21
21Who 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Those who convict the innocent by their false testimony will disappear. A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.
Context of Isaiah 29:21
19The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel. 20For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off— 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. 22Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, Nor shall his face now grow pale; 23But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear 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 12:6then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.
- Matthew 22:15Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.
- Luke 11:53And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
- Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
- Jeremiah 20:7O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.
- Jeremiah 26:2“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.
- Amos 5:10They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.
- Amos 7:10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
- Micah 2:6“Do not prattle,” you say to those who prophesy. So they shall not prophesy to you; They shall not return insult for insult.
- Proverbs 28:21To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
- Ezekiel 13:19And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
- Amos 5:11Therefore, because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them.
- Malachi 3:5And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien— Because they do not fear Me,” Says the Lord of hosts.
- Matthew 26:15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
- Acts 3:14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
- James 5:6You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries