Isaiah 1:23 “Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and c…”

Isaiah 1:23

Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

American Standard Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues: euery one loueth giftes, and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the fatherlesse, neither doeth the widowes cause come before them.

Darby Translation

thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them.

Young's Literal Translation

Thy princes [are] apostates, and companions of thieves, Every one loving a bribe, and pursuing rewards, The fatherless they judge not, And the plea of the widow cometh not to them.

Bible in Basic English

Your chiefs have gone against the Lord, they have become friends of thieves; every one of them is looking for profit and going after rewards; they do not give right decisions for the child who has no father, and they do not let the cause of the widow come before them.

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Cross references

“princes”

Acts 4:5–11 Isaiah 3:14 2 Chronicles 24:17–21 2 Chronicles 36:14 Jeremiah 5:5 Ezekiel 22:6–12

Acts 4:5–11 · BSB

The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,

Isaiah 3:14 · BSB

The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.

2 Chronicles 24:17–21 · BSB

After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.

2 Chronicles 36:14 · BSB

Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 5:5 · BSB

I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.

Ezekiel 22:6–12 · BSB

See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.

“companions”

Luke 19:46 Proverbs 29:24 Matthew 21:13 Mark 11:17

Luke 19:46 · BSB

He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

Proverbs 29:24 · BSB

A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath but does not testify.

Matthew 21:13 · BSB

And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

Mark 11:17 · BSB

Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’ ? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

“every”

Micah 7:3 Exodus 23:8 Isaiah 33:15 Deuteronomy 16:19 Proverbs 17:23 Jeremiah 22:17

Micah 7:3 · BSB

Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.

Exodus 23:8 · BSB

Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

Isaiah 33:15 · BSB

He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—

Deuteronomy 16:19 · BSB

Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Proverbs 17:23 · BSB

A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

Jeremiah 22:17 · BSB

“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”

“they judge”

Zechariah 7:10 Luke 18:2–5 Malachi 3:5 Isaiah 10:1 Isaiah 10:2 Jeremiah 5:28

Zechariah 7:10 · BSB

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

Luke 18:2–5 · BSB

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.

Malachi 3:5 · BSB

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their…

Isaiah 10:1 · BSB

Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees,

Isaiah 10:2 · BSB

to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Jeremiah 5:28 · BSB

They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

22Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

24Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies.

Read Isaiah 1