Isaiah 1:23

23 Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 1:23

Thy princes [are] rebellious
Stubborn and obstinate, refused to receive and acknowledge the Messiah; such were the Jewish rulers, civil and ecclesiastical, in the times of Christ. And companions of thieves:
who devoured widows' houses; made the temple, which was a house of prayer, a den of thieves; and took away the key of knowledge from the people, and would not suffer them to attend the ministry of the Gospel, ( Matthew 21:13 ) ( Matthew 23:13 Matthew 23:14 ) ( Luke 11:52 ) everyone loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards.
The Targum paraphrases it,

``everyone says to his neighbour, do me a favour in my cause, I will return "it" to thee in thy cause;''

and so justice was perverted: they judge not the fatherless;
that is, either they do not take their cause in hand at all, or, if they do, do not do them justice, but wrong them of their goods and estates, which, of right, belong to them: neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them;
there being no money to be got by undertaking it; see the case of the unjust judge, a picture of judges in those times, ( Luke 18:2 Luke 18:3 ) .

Isaiah 1:23 In-Context

21 See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers.

22 Once like pure silver, you have become like worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine.

23 Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.

24 Therefore, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “I will take revenge on my enemies and pay back my foes!

25 I will raise my fist against you. I will melt you down and skim off your slag. I will remove all your impurities.