Isaiah 5:23

23 and ye justify a wicked man for gifts, and ye take away the rightfulness of a just man from him. (and ye acquit the wicked for gifts, or for bribes, and ye deny justice for the righteous.)

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 you that be wise men in your eyes, and be prudent before yourselves. (Woe to you who be wise in your own eyes, and think yourselves to be prudent.)

22 Woe to you that be mighty to drink wine, and be strong to meddle drunkenness; (Woe to you who be mighty to drink wine, and be strong to mix up drunkenness;)

23 and ye justify a wicked man for gifts, and ye take away the rightfulness of a just man from him. (and ye acquit the wicked for gifts, or for bribes, and ye deny justice for the righteous.)

24 For this thing, as the tongue of fire devoureth stubble, and the heat of flame burneth, so the root of them shall be as a dead spark, and the seed of them shall ascend as dust; for they casted away the law of the Lord of hosts, and blasphemed the speech of the Holy of Israel (for they threw away the Law of the Lord of hosts, and blasphemed the word of the Holy One of Israel).

25 Therefore the strong vengeance of the Lord was wroth against his people, and he stretched forth his hand on it, and smote it (and he stretched forth his hand against them, and struck them down); and (the) hills were troubled, and the dead bodies of them were made as a turd in the midst of streets. In all these things the strong vengeance of him was not turned away, but yet his hand was stretched forth.