Isaiah 59:14
in Isaiah 59So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.
KJV
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
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This verse in Isaiah 59
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd judgment has been turned away backwards, and justice has stood far off, for truth has fallen down in the street, and equity could not enter. LXX: And we have gone away from judgement, and justice stands far away, because truth has been consumed in their ways, and they were not able to pass through the straight path. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off. For what part does justice have with iniquity? What fellowship does Christ have with Belial?
This site's exposition
truth is fallen in the street
on Isaiah 59:14-15
Truth is fallen in the street pictures the place of public judgment, the gate where a city's elders once heard cases, now empty of the truth that used to be argued there. Justice standeth afar off names the same collapse from the other side, judgment turned away backward instead of forward toward a verdict, and verse 15 completes the picture with the incentive reversed, he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey, so that avoiding sin now costs a man rather than protecting him. Delitzsch reads the two verses as the low point of the chapter's indictment, and Barnes notes the Lord's own reaction closing the unit, it displeased him that there was no judgment, God himself supplying the outrage the courts no longer feel.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The prophetic text makes this statement detailed in order to invite those who desire help to appease the Lord by saying something like the following: We acknowledge our offenses, we have recognized our impiety, we have spoken falsely against you, our Master, since we promised …
The Medieval Church1 voice
And as to action, and judgment is turned away backward, that is, the judgment of God for saving us; in the street, they carried out their injustices in public.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off,.... Jarchi interprets this of the vengeance of God, and his righteousness in his judgments, not immediately executed; but it is to be understood of the want of judgment and justice being done among men; and therefore are represented as persons turned back, and standing afar off, rejected, neglected, and discouraged.
Salvation only of God, ver. 16-19. The covenant of the redeemer, ver. 20, 21 Commentary on Chapter LIX 3. Perverseness - Perverse words are such as are contrary to God's word.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-20-anchored-9-15
Nay, they themselves are witnesses: Our sins stare us in the face and testify against us, so many have they been and so deeply aggravated." 2. They owned the great evil and malignity of sin, of their sin; it is transgressing and lying against the Lord,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Judgment - He speaks here of the sentences in courts of judicature. Truth - Truth is cast to the ground, and justice trampled under foot, even in publick.
It was evil in his eyes; he saw the sinfulness of all this sin, and that which was most offensive to him was that there was no judgment, no reformation; had he seen any signs of repentance, though the sin displeased him, he would soon have been reconciled to the sinners upon their returning from their evil way.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Justice standeth afar off - צדקה tsedakah, righteousness, put here, says Kimchi, for alms to the poor. This casts some light on Mat 6:1: “Take heed that you do not your alms,” ελεημοσυνην. But the best copies have δικαιοσυνην, righteousness; the former having been inserted in the text at first merely as the explanation of the genuine and original word.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Justice and righteousness are put away from our legal courts. in the street--in the forum, the place of judicature, usually at the gate of the city (Zec 8:16). cannot enter--is shut out from the forum, or courts of justice.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And judgment is turned away backward - The word ‘judgment’ is not used, as in Isa 59:9, to denote the divine interposition to avenge and deliver them, but it is used in the sense of justice, or lust decisions between man and man. The verse contains a further confession of the evil of their course of life; and, among other things, they acknowledged that they had been unjust in their legal decisions. They had been influenced by partiality and by bribes; they had condemned the innocent, they had acquitted the guilty. Judgment had thus been lumped back by their sins when it seemed to be approaching and entering the city. And justice standeth afar off - This is a beautiful figure. justice is represented as standing at a distance from the city. Deterred by their sins, it would not enter. They prevented its approach, and it was unknown among them. For truth is fallen in the street - Or rather, perhaps, in the gate - the place where justice was administered. The language here is all taken from courts of justice, and the idea is, that there was no justice in their decisions, but that their courts were unprincipled and corrupt. And equity cannot enter - It stood at a distance, and the impenetrable mass of guilt effectually prevented its approach to the capital.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And justice has turned away backwards Our revenge from our enemies, which depends upon the Holy One, blessed be He, and His righteousness stands from afar. Why?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהֻסַּ֤ג | vehusag | and it has been driven back | H5253 → | |
| אָחוֹר֙ | ʾachor | backwards | H268 → | 41 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֔ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וּצְדָקָ֖ה | utzedakah | and righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
| מֵרָח֣וֹק | merachok | from a distance | H7350 → | 84 times |
| תַּעֲמֹ֑ד | taamod | it stands | H5975 → | 521 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כָשְׁלָ֤ה | khashelah | it has stumbled | H3782 → | 62 times |
| בָֽרְחוֹב֙ | varechov | in the open place | H7339 → | |
| אֱמֶ֔ת | ʾemet | truth | H571 → | 127 times |
| וּנְכֹחָ֖ה | unekhochah | and honesty | H5229 → | 4 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תוּכַ֥ל | tukhal | it is able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| לָבֽוֹא׃ | lavo' | to enter | H935 → | 2568 times |
וְהֻסַּ֤גand it has been driven back
vehusagH5253 →
אָחוֹר֙backwards
ʾachorH268 →41 times
מִשְׁפָּ֔טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
וּצְדָקָ֖הand righteousness
utzedakahH6666 →157 times
מֵרָח֣וֹקfrom a distance
merachokH7350 →84 times
תַּעֲמֹ֑דit stands
taamodH5975 →521 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
כָשְׁלָ֤הit has stumbled
khashelahH3782 →62 times
בָֽרְחוֹב֙in the open place
varechovH7339 →
אֱמֶ֔תtruth
ʾemetH571 →127 times
וּנְכֹחָ֖הand honesty
unekhochahH5229 →4 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תוּכַ֥לit is able
tukhalH3201 →194 times
לָבֽוֹא׃to enter
lavo'H935 →2568 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
it leads to
- Ezekiel 13:6
They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.
- Jeremiah 14:14
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination,…
- Micah 2:11
If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
- Ezekiel 13:6
Through
Ecclesiastes 3:16Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 4:1
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their…
- Ecclesiastes 4:1
Through
Habakkuk 1:4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:21–23
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
- Job 21:7
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- Psalms 94:20–21
Can a corrupt throne be Your ally— one devising mischief by decree?
- Psalms 119:126
It is time for the LORD to act, for they have broken Your law.
- Isaiah 1:21–23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 18:59.14 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.