Isaiah 1:21
in Isaiah 1See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
KJV
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
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This verse in Isaiah 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verse(Verse 21) How has the faithful city become a harlot, full of judgment: justice dwelled in it but now murderers. The Hebrew word Jalin (), which the LXX translated, means slept; and it rested, and it will rest, that is, it signifies the past and future tense. Hence, both Aquila and Theodotio say it as if in the future. But the Prophet marvels in a prophetic spirit that the city which was once faithful, or a refuge for the faithful, has suddenly become a harlot.
This site's exposition
See how the faithful city
on Isaiah 1:21-23
Verse 21 opens in the meter of a funeral lament, sung over a city still standing. A city once "full of justice" is measured against what it has become. The corruption of verse 23 is judicial, bribes loved and rewards chased while the fatherless and the widow get no hearing.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
57. How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? Here he shows their sin of turning away from justice towards one's neighbor. And concerning this, he does three things: first, he describes the fault; second, he threatens punishment, where it …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The woeful degeneracy of Judah and Jerusalem is sadly lamented. What the royal city had been, a faithful city, faithful to God and the interests of his kingdom among men, faithful to the nation and its public interests. It was full of judgment; justice was duly administered upon the thrones of judgment which were set there, the thrones of the house of David, Ps. cxxii.
The city - Jerusalem, which in the reign of former kings was faithful to God. An harlot - Is filled with idolatry. Murderers - Under that one gross kind, he comprehends all sorts of unrighteous men and practices.
How is the faithful city become a harlot!....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
How is - This is an expression of deploring, or lamenting. It indicates that that had occurred which was matter of grief. The prophet had stated the principles of the divine government; had urged the people to reason with God; and had affirmed his willingness to pardon. But it was seen that they would not repent. They were so wicked and perverse, that there was no hope of their reformation. His mind is full of this subject; he repeats the charge of their wickedness Isa 1:21-23, and states what must be the consequences. The faithful city - Jerusalem.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Become a harlot - See before, the Discourse on the Prophetic Style; and see Lowth’s Comment on the place, and De Sacr. Poes. Hebr. Prael. xxxi.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵיכָה֙ | ʾeikhah | how! | H349 → | 82 times |
| הָיְתָ֣ה | hayetah | it has become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְזוֹנָ֔ה | lezonah | <into> a prostitute | H2181 → | 94 times |
| קִרְיָ֖ה | kiryah | a town | H7151 → | 29 times |
| נֶאֱמָנָ֑ה | neemanah | faithful | H539 → | 106 times |
| מְלֵאֲתִ֣י | meleati | full of | H4392 → | 64 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֗ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| צֶ֛דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| יָלִ֥ין | yalin | it lodged | H3885 → | 84 times |
| בָּ֖הּ | bah | in it | ||
| וְעַתָּ֥ה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| מְרַצְּחִֽים׃ | meratzechim | murderers | H7523 → |
אֵיכָה֙how!
ʾeikhahH349 →82 times
הָיְתָ֣הit has become
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
לְזוֹנָ֔ה<into> a prostitute
lezonahH2181 →94 times
קִרְיָ֖הa town
kiryahH7151 →29 times
נֶאֱמָנָ֑הfaithful
neemanahH539 →106 times
מְלֵאֲתִ֣יfull of
meleatiH4392 →64 times
מִשְׁפָּ֗טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
צֶ֛דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
יָלִ֥יןit lodged
yalinH3885 →84 times
בָּ֖הּin it
bah
וְעַתָּ֥הand now
veatahH6258 →433 times
מְרַצְּחִֽים׃murderers
meratzechimH7523 →
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
Nehemiah 11:1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining…
it leads to
- Isaiah 48:2
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of Hosts is His name.
- Isaiah 52:1
Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.
- Nehemiah 11:18
The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.
- Nehemiah 10:34
We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our…
- Isaiah 48:2
Through
Zechariah 8:3This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be…
it leads to
- Zechariah 1:16
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out…
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Joel 3:17
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, never again to be overrun by foreigners.
- Jeremiah 31:23
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “When I restore them from captivity, they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities:…
- Zechariah 1:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Joseph Addison Alexander, Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.