Isaiah 5:23

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.

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Isaiah 5:23 in Other Translations

KJV

23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

ESV

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

NLT

23 They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent.

MSG

23 And then line your pockets with bribes from the guilty while you violate the rights of the innocent.

CSB

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Isaiah 5:23 In-Context

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

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks,

23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.

24 Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.

25 Therefore the LORD’s anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.