Isaiah 5:22-25
New English Translation
22 Beware, those who are champions[a] at drinking,
who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.
23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,
they ignore the just cause of the innocent.[b]
24 Therefore, as flaming fire[c] devours straw,
and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,
so their root will rot,
and their flower will blow away like dust.[d]
For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
they have spurned the commands[e] of the Holy One of Israel.[f]
25 So the Lord is furious[g] with his people;
he lifts[h] his hand and strikes them.
The mountains shake,
and corpses lie like manure[i] in the middle of the streets.
Despite all this, his anger does not subside,
and his hand is ready to strike again.[j]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 5:22 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.
- Isaiah 5:23 tn Heb “and the just cause of the innocent ones they turn aside from him.”sn In vv. 22-23 the prophet returns to themes with which he opened his speech. The accusatory elements of vv. 8, 11-12, 18-23 are arranged in a chiastic manner: (A) social injustice (8), (B) carousing (11-12a), (C) spiritual insensitivity (12b) // (C') spiritual insensitivity (18-21), (B') carousing (22), (A') social injustice (23).
- Isaiah 5:24 tn Heb “a tongue of fire” (so NASB), referring to a tongue-shaped flame.
- Isaiah 5:24 sn They are compared to a flowering plant that withers quickly in a hot, arid climate.
- Isaiah 5:24 tn Heb “the word.”
- Isaiah 5:24 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
- Isaiah 5:25 tn Heb “the anger of the Lord rages.”
- Isaiah 5:25 tn Or “extends”; KJV, ASV “he hath stretched forth.”
- Isaiah 5:25 tn Or “garbage” (NCV, CEV, NLT); NAB, NASB, NIV “refuse.”
- Isaiah 5:25 tn Heb “in all this his anger is not turned, and still his hand is outstretched.”
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.