Isaiah 5:20-23

5:20 Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, ¹ 

who turn darkness into light and light into darkness,

who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter. ² 

5:21 Those who think they are wise are as good as dead, ³ 

those who think they possess understanding. ⁴ 

5:22 Those who are champions ⁵  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ⁶ 

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,

they ignore the just cause of the innocent. ⁷ 

[5:20]  ¹ tn Heb “Woe [to] those who call.” See the note at v. 8.

[5:20]  ² sn In this verse the prophet denounces the perversion of moral standards. Darkness and bitterness are metaphors for evil; light and sweetness symbolize uprightness.

[5:21]  ³ tn Heb “Woe [to] the wise in their own eyes.” See the note at v. 8.

[5:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “[who] before their faces are understanding.”

[5:22]  ⁵ tn The language used here is quite sarcastic and paves the way for the shocking description of the enemy army in vv. 25-30. The rich leaders of Judah are nothing but “party animals” who are totally incapable of withstanding real warriors.

[5:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “Woe [to]….” See the note at v. 8.

[5:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the just cause of the innocent ones they turn aside from him.”