Isaiah 5:20-22 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

Giving false names. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Light is here cast upon the secret of Israel's defection. The "woe" has come from many causes, but here is one too often forgotten root of evil—public estimate as expressed in public speech. I. THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF LANGUAGE . We are all deceived at times by a fair speech that covers foul things. There is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

Spiritual perversity. Antecedently we should hardly have expected that a being created in the image of God, a rational spiritual agent, would so far depart from all that is reasonable and right as to put evil for good, and good for evil, etc. Yet such is the case. We have to consider— I. THE FACT OF SPIRITUAL PERVERSITY . Human perversity is not found in the higher region only. We find it in things physical , notably in our treatment of the body. Men take noxious drugs,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

The importance of adequate impressions of sin. We seldom hear sin spoken about now as the old prophets spoke about it. We do not think about sin as the defiance of God, the attempted overthrow of his authority, the expression of the soul's hatred of God, and therefore calling for terrible vindications of the Divine power and claims. In reading biographies of very holy and devoted Christians, we have observed that they had deep and overwhelming impressions of the evil of sin—impressions quite... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:21

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes . The fifth woe . Self-conceit is the antithesis of humility; and as humility is, in a certain sense, the crowning virtue, so self-conceit is a sort of finishing touch put to vice. While a man thinks humbly of himself, there is a chance that he may repent and amend. When he is "wise in his own eyes," he does not see why he should change. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:21

The pitiful estate of the proud. We may well commiserate those who are "wise in their own eyes," inasmuch as— I. THEY HAVE A FALSE CONCEPTION AS TO THEIR OWN CAPACITY . They think themselves able to determine what is true and beautiful and good, when they are painfully and pitifully in need of guidance from without; their estimate of themselves is essentially wrong. They "live in a fool's paradise." II. THEY ARE SHUTTING OUT FROM THEIR MINDS THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:22

Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine . The sixth woe seems at first sight a repetition of the second. But there is this difference, that the drinkers in the present verse do not succumb to their liquor, or remain at the banquet all day, but proceed to the business of their lives, attend courts and judge causes, but with brain obfuscated and moral vision bedimmed, so that they are easily induced to pervert justice on receipt of a bribe. The sixth woe may be considered to be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:20

Wo unto them that call evil good ... - This is the fourth class of sins denounced. The sin which is reprobated here is that of “perverting and confounding” things, especially the distinctions of morality and religion. They prefer erroneous and fake doctrines to the true; they prefer an evil to an upright course of conduct. The Chaldee renders this, ‘Wo to those who say to the impious, who are prospered in this age, You are good; and who say to the meek, Ye are impious.’ Jarchi thinks that the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:21

Wo unto them that are wise ... - This is the fifth crime specified. It refers to those who are inflated with a false opinion of their own knowledge, and who are, therefore, self-confident and vain. This is expressly forbidden; Proverbs 3:7 : ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes;’ compare Proverbs 26:12.In their own eyes - In their own opinion, or estimation.And prudent - Knowing; self-conceited. This was, doubtless, one characteristic of the times of Isaiah. It is known to have been strikingly the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:22

Wo unto them that are mighty ... - This is the sixth specification of crime. He had already denounced the intemperate in Isaiah 5:11. But probably this was a prevailing sin. Perhaps there was no evidence of reform; and it was needful to “repeat” the admonition, in order that people might be brought to regard it. The prophet repeats a similar denunciation in Isaiah 56:12.Mighty - Perhaps those who prided themselves on their ability to drink “much” without becoming intoxicated; who had been so... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 5:20

Isaiah 5:20. Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil That endeavour to confound both the names and the natures of virtue and vice, of piety and impiety; commend and applaud what is evil, and disparage and discountenance what is good; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, &c. Ignorance and error, for knowledge and truth: in other words, who subvert, or pervert, all the great principles of truth, wisdom, and of righteousness. A most corrupt condition of a church... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:22

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 5:22

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 5:20

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