Isaiah 1:23
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Isaiah 1:23 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“Thy princes <FI>are<Fi> apostates, and companions of thieves, Every one loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, The fatherless they judge not, And the plea of the widow cometh not to them.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Isaiah 1:23 — 24 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 23:8Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
- Numbers 22:7The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
- Deuteronomy 16:19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- 1 Samuel 8:3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
- 2 Chronicles 36:14Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
- Proverbs 17:23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
- Proverbs 29:24A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but does not testify.
- Isaiah 1:17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
- Isaiah 1:18“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
- Isaiah 3:14The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
- Isaiah 10:1Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees,
- Isaiah 28:14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
- Jeremiah 5:5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.
- Jeremiah 5:6Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.
- Jeremiah 5:28They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.
- Jeremiah 22:17“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”
- Ezekiel 22:6See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
- Ezekiel 22:7Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.
- Ezekiel 22:27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Daniel 9:5we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.
- Hosea 4:18When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
- Hosea 7:3They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).