Isaiah 1:23 kjv

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.

Isaiah 1:23 nkjv

Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

Isaiah 1:23 niv

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 esv

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.

Isaiah 1:23 nlt

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 verses

Isaiah 1 23 Meaning

Isaiah 1:23 describes the profound moral and ethical corruption among the leaders of Judah. These officials, who should have been guardians of justice and protectors of the weak, are instead characterized by rebellion against God's ways and a deep entanglement with illicit activities. They are portrayed as eagerly pursuing bribes and personal gain, leading them to utterly neglect their fundamental responsibility to defend the vulnerable, specifically orphans and widows, whose pleas for justice go unheard and unaddressed.

Isaiah 1 23 Context

Isaiah chapter 1 serves as a profound introduction to the prophet's message, often called "The Great Indictment" or "Lawsuit of the Lord." In this chapter, Isaiah contrasts Judah's moral corruption with God's patient yet resolute justice. Following a general rebuke of the nation's spiritual apostasy and a lament over their devastated condition (Isa 1:2-9), Isaiah directly confronts the hypocritical worship and empty religious rituals of Jerusalem's inhabitants. Verse 23 specifically focuses on the core problem: the failure of the city's leaders. This moral decay in leadership is presented as a fundamental reason for the societal breakdown and divine judgment. Historically, Judah during Isaiah's time, especially under kings like Ahaz, experienced periods of both political turbulence and moral decline, leading to a breakdown of societal justice where the powerful exploited the vulnerable. The verse sets the stage for Isaiah's prophecies of impending judgment and the eventual purification and restoration of Jerusalem.

Isaiah 1 23 Word analysis

• Your princes (שָׂרַיִךְ, sarayikh): Refers to the governing officials, judges, and high-ranking aristocracy of Jerusalem. Their role, as per Mosaic Law, was to uphold justice and shepherd the people righteously. The possessive "your" (referring to Jerusalem/Judah) emphasizes their direct responsibility to the nation they rule.
• Rebellious (סוֹרְרִים, sor'rim): From a root meaning "to turn aside," "be stubborn," or "revolt." It implies defiance against authority, specifically divine authority and covenant obligations. They have strayed from God's commands for righteous leadership.
• And companions of thieves (וְחַבְרֵי גַּנָּבִים, v'chavrei gannavim): Suggests not just passive tolerance but active association and partnership with those who illicitly gain. These "thieves" are not petty criminals but likely refers to those involved in systemic corruption, extortion, and unjust gain from a position of power, effectively stealing from the common people and the vulnerable through perverted justice.
• Everyone (כָּלּוֹ, kallo): Emphasizes the pervasiveness of the corruption among the leaders; it's not isolated to a few individuals but characterizes the entire class.
• Loves (אֹהֵב, ohev): A strong word implying a deep desire or affinity. It is not merely acceptance, but a passionate embrace of the illicit.
• A bribe (שֹׁחַד, shochad): A payment made to corrupt judgment or induce a wrongful decision. It directly perverts the course of justice by influencing officials for personal gain.
• And pursues (וְרֹדֵף, v'rodeph): Implies an active, eager, and relentless chase after something. It highlights the aggressive nature of their greed; they are not waiting for opportunities but actively seeking them out.
• Rewards (שַׁלְמֹנִים, shalmonim): Refers to corrupt gain, illegal profit, or dishonest payments. While shochad is the initial gift, shalmonim are the subsequent, often larger, ill-gotten benefits.
• Orphan (יָתוֹם, yatom) and Widow (אַלְמָנָה, almanah): These two groups represent the most vulnerable and marginalized in ancient Israelite society, lacking a male protector or economic support. They are repeatedly highlighted in the Torah as objects of God's special care and human responsibility. Neglecting them signifies a total abandonment of covenantal ethics.
• Do not defend (לֹא יִשְׁפֹּטוּ, lo yishpotu): "Judge" (shafat) here implies "to render justice," "to vindicate," or "to decide in favor of." The negative "lo" signifies a complete failure to perform their primary duty of applying righteous judgment and giving aid.
• Nor does the widow's plea come before them (וְרִיב אַלְמָנָה לֹא יָבוֹא אֲלֵיהֶם, v'riv almanah lo yavo elayhem): Riv means "dispute," "case," or "legal cause." It implies not just neglect but an active refusal to hear, dismissing or denying access to justice for the widow's legal claim.

Words-group analysis:

• "Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves": This powerful pairing highlights both internal rebellion against God's law and external alliance with criminal elements. It portrays leaders who are not just flawed but fundamentally antithetical to justice and divine order, mirroring lawbreakers rather than upholders of law.
• "Everyone loves a bribe and pursues rewards": This phrase depicts insatiable greed as the dominant motivation. The repetition of "loves" and "pursues" underlines the intensity and eagerness of their corrupt behavior, which has become a characteristic trait.
• "They do not defend the orphan, nor does the widow's plea come before them": This specifies the tragic consequences of their corruption: the abandonment of society's most helpless. It directly contravenes the divine command to care for the vulnerable, signifying a complete moral collapse and a gross abuse of power against those who cannot fight for themselves.

Isaiah 1 23 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates the concept of covenant lawsuit (Rib or Riv) common in prophetic literature, where God presents charges against His people for violating the covenant. The charges in Isaiah 1:23 specifically indict the leaders for their breach of the socio-ethical stipulations of the covenant, which prioritized justice for the vulnerable. The "princes" here would likely include those holding judicial positions. Their failure was not merely ethical, but theological, as protecting the orphan and widow was central to demonstrating obedience to Yahweh, who is Himself the Father of the fatherless and the Defender of widows. Their actions made them active participants in evil, effectively establishing themselves as enemies of God's righteous character. This breakdown in leadership is depicted as a primary cause for Jerusalem's defilement, turning the "faithful city" (v. 21) into a haven for unrighteousness.

Isaiah 1 23 Commentary

Isaiah 1:23 stands as a severe prophetic indictment against the ruling class of Judah. It meticulously unveils the systematic perversion of justice, demonstrating how a spiritual rebellion against God manifests in tangible social injustice. The leaders, divinely appointed to administer God's righteous standards, had instead become partners with lawbreakers, prioritizing personal gain over public good. Their "love" for bribes and active "pursuit" of dishonest wealth were not merely occasional failings but defining characteristics, showcasing a heart fundamentally detached from righteousness. The most damning aspect of this corruption is their explicit neglect of the orphan and widow—quintessential symbols of the helpless in society whom God explicitly commands to be protected. Their refusal to hear the pleas of these vulnerable individuals underscores a complete dereliction of duty, betraying both human trust and divine expectation. This pervasive injustice against the weak, orchestrated by those in power, ultimately signifies Judah's profound departure from God's covenant and sets the stage for the warnings of judgment and the call to repentance that permeate Isaiah's prophecy.