Isaiah 32 · Verse 7

Isaiah 32:7

The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
Isaiah 32:7, King James Version

Isaiah 32:7 in other translations

BSBThe weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
WEBThe ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
ASVAnd the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
YLTAnd the miser--his instruments are evil, He hath counselled wicked devices, To corrupt the poor with lying sayings, Even when the needy speaketh justly.
DARBYThe instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
BBEThe designs of the false are evil, purposing the destruction of the poor man by false words, even when he is in the right.
WebsterThe instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

What does Isaiah 32:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. churl--"the fraudulent"; this verse refers to the last clause of Is 32:5; as Is 32:6 referred to its first clause. speaketh right--pleadeth a just cause (Is 29:21); spiritually, "the poor man's cause" is the divine doctrine, his rule of faith and practice.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 The instruments also of the churl are evil "As for the niggard, his instruments are evil" - His machinations, his designs. The paronomasia, which the prophet frequently deals in, suggested this expression וכלי כליו vechelai kelaiv. The first word is expressed with some variety in the MSS. Seven MSS. read וכילי vekili, one וכל vechol, another וכולי vecoli. To destroy the poor with lying words "To defeat the assertions of the poor in judgment" - A word seems to have been lost here, and two others to have suffered a small alteration, which has made the sentence very obscure. The Septuagint have happily retained the rendering of the lost word, and restored the sentence in all its parts: Και διασκεδασαι λογους ταπεινων εν κρισει· ולהפר דברי אביון במשפט ulehapher dibrey ebyon bemishpat, "And disperse the words of the poor in judgment. "They frequently render the verb הפר haphar by διασκεδασαι, A MS. reads ולדבר uledabber, which gives authority for the preposition ל lamed, to, necessary to the sense, and the Septuagint, Syriac, and Chaldee read במשפט bemishpat, In judgment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 32:1-8

Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) Verses 1-8 Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary traveller in the desert, so his power, truth…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 32:1-8 →

Isaiah 32:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְכֵלַ֖יve.khe.Laiand a scoundrelH3596
כֵּלָ֣יוke.Lavweapons hisH3627
רָעִ֑יםra.'Im[are] evilH7451
ה֚וּאhu'heH1931
זִמּ֣וֹתzi.Motevil purposesH2154
יָעָ֔ץya.'Atzhe plansH3289
לְחַבֵּ֤לle.cha.Belto ruinH2254
עֲנִיִּים֙a.na.vimafflicted [people]H6041
בְּאִמְרֵי\־be.'im.rei-with words ofH561
שֶׁ֔קֶרShe.kerfalsehoodH8267
וּבְדַבֵּ֥רu.ve.da.Berand when speaksH1696
אֶבְי֖וֹן'ev.Yon[the] needyH34
מִשְׁפָּֽט\׃mish.PatjusticeH4941

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 32:7

  • Jeremiah 5:26-28

    For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

  • Acts 6:11-13

    Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

  • Psalms 64:4-6

    That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

  • Isaiah 5:23

    Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

  • Matthew 26:59-60

    Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

  • Matthew 26:14-16

    Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

  • Matthew 26:4

    And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

  • Micah 2:11

    If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

  • 1 Kings 21:10-14

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. …

  • Psalms 82:2-5

    How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

  • Isaiah 61:1

    The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

  • Isaiah 1:23

    Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
instruments.
1:23; 5:23; Jer 5:26-28; Mic 2:11; 7:3; Mt 26:14-16,59,60
deviseth.
Ps 10:7-10; 64:4-6; 82:2-5; Jer 18:18; Mic 7:2; Mt 26:4
lying.
59:3,4; 1Ki 21:10-14; Ac 6:11-13
the needy speaketh right. or, he speaketh against the poorin judgment.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 32:6

    For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

  • Isaiah 32:7

    The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

  • Isaiah 32:8

    But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

Read all of Isaiah 32

Isaiah 32:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Cierto los avaros malas medidas tienen: él maquina pensamientos para enredar á los simples con palabras cautelosas, y para hablar en juicio contra el pobre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Les armes de l’avare sont mauvaises; il trame des artifices pour détruire les débonnaires par des dires mensongers, même quand le pauvre parle droitement.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der Arglistige, seine Werkzeuge sind böse: er entwirft böse Anschläge, um die Sanftmütigen durch Lügenreden zu Grunde zu richten, selbst wenn der Arme sein Recht dartut.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Fraudulenti vasa pessima sunt; ipse enim cogitationes concinnavit ad perdendos mites in sermone mendacii, cum loqueretur pauper judicium.