Isaiah 5:20-23
Context5:20 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.”