The Meaning of Isaiah 5:23 Explained

Isaiah 5:23

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

YLT: Declaring righteous the wicked for a bribe, And the righteousness of the righteous They turn aside from him.

Darby: who justify the wicked for a bribe, and turn away the righteousness of the righteous from them!

ASV: that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 5:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 5:18-30 - Warning Against Pride, Intemperance, And Corruption
The wild grapes of Judah are here continued: blind atheism, Isaiah 5:18-20; proud self-conceit, Isaiah 5:21; drunkenness, Isaiah 5:22; injustice in the courts, Isaiah 5:23-24. What a terrible description is that given in Isaiah 5:18 of the inevitable progress of sin! The bacchanalian procession which is seen, in Isaiah 5:14, descending with music and flowers into the open gates of Hades is described in Isaiah 5:18 as being drawn down by a cable. Men begin with a thread, but the thread of habit becomes a rope, and the rope grows to a cable, which ultimately lands a man in the pit. From Isaiah 5:25 onward we have the description of impending judgment. Earthquakes, armed raids, civil strife, and famine fever, the devastating inroads of hostile invasion, a desolate land and a hungry sea such would be the forces of destruction which Judah's sin would unloose. Recent events have revealed the terror of such a visitation. Remember that the wrath of love is as severe as a consuming fire. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 5

1  Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8  His judgments upon covetousness
11  Upon lasciviousness
13  Upon impiety
20  And upon injustice
26  The executioners of God's judgments

What do the individual words in Isaiah 5:23 mean?

who justify the wicked for a bribe and justice from the righteous man take away from -
מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י רָשָׁ֖ע עֵ֣קֶב שֹׁ֑חַד וְצִדְקַ֥ת צַדִּיקִ֖ים יָסִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ ס

מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י  who  justify 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: צָדַק  
Sense: to be just, be righteous.
רָשָׁ֖ע  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
שֹׁ֑חַד  a  bribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁחַד  
Sense: present, bribe.
וְצִדְקַ֥ת  and  justice  from 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
צַדִּיקִ֖ים  the  righteous  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
יָסִ֥ירוּ  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation