Isaiah 5:23

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

Isaiah 5:23 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 5:23

Which justify the wicked for reward
This is either spoken of judges, and civil magistrates, who gave the cause in favour of the wicked, that bribed them, contrary to law, ( Deuteronomy 16:19 ) or rather of the Scribes and Pharisees, who pronounced the wicked righteous men, provided they kept the traditions of the elders, and paid tithes of all they possessed, and gave them money for their long prayers, ( Matthew 23:14 Matthew 23:23 ) : and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him;
by condemning them as unrighteous persons: so the Jews did Christ and his apostles; they pronounced them wicked, and condemned them to death; and as much as in them lay took away their righteousness from them, by taking away their character from them as righteous persons among men; though their righteousness itself could not be taken away, it being an everlasting one.

Isaiah 5:23 In-Context

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own opinion and clever in their own sight.

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, who are fearless at mixing beer,

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will become like something rotten and their blossoms will blow away like dust, for they have rejected the instruction of the Lord of Hosts, and they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

25 Therefore the Lord's anger burns against His people. He raised His hand against them and struck them; the mountains quaked, and their corpses were like garbage in the streets. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [to strike].