New Living Translation
Isaiah 5:21
21What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.
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!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever 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!
Context of Isaiah 5:21
19They even mock God and say, “Hurry up and do something! We want to see what you can do. Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan, for we want to know what it is.” 20What 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. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever. 22What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold. 23They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish 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 11:12An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.
- Proverbs 3:7Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
- Proverbs 26:12There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
- John 9:41“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
- Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
- Romans 11:25I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly 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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