Isaiah 1:23

23 Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

Isaiah 1:23 in Other Translations

23 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.

23 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.

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.

23 Your leaders are turncoats who keep company with crooks. They sell themselves to the highest bidder and grab anything not nailed down. They never stand up for the homeless, never stick up for the defenseless.

23 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.

23 Your rulers are rebels, friends with thieves. They all love bribes and run after gifts. They never defend orphans. They don't notice the widows' pleas.

23 Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love graft and chase after bribes. They do not defend the rights of the fatherless, and the widow's case never comes before them."

23 Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord. They are companions of robbers. All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors. They are always looking for gifts from other people. They don't stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. They don't do it for widows either.

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 the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!

22 Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.

23 Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

24 Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.

25 I will turn my hand against you;I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.

Cross References

• 1. S ver 2
• 2. S Deuteronomy 19:14; Micah 2:1-2; Micah 6:12
• 3. S Exodus 23:8; Amos 5:12
• 4. Isaiah 10:2; Jeremiah 5:28; Ezekiel 22:6-7; Micah 3:9; Habakkuk 1:4; Zechariah 7:10