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!
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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 iniquity with cords of vanity, And sin as if with a cart rope; 19That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, That we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, That 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 prudent in their own sight! 22Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,

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 17:15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
• Malachi 2:17You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them,” Or, “Where is the God of justice?”
• Malachi 3:15So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ”
• Matthew 6:23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
• Matthew 15:3He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’
• Luke 11:35Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
• Luke 16:15And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
• 2 Timothy 3:1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

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