Isaiah 5 · Verse 20

Isaiah 5:20

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20, King James Version

Isaiah 5:20 in other translations

BSBWoe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.
WEBWoe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
ASVWoe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
YLTWoe to those saying to evil ‘good,' And to good ‘evil,' Putting darkness for light, and light for darkness, Putting bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.
DARBYWoe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
BBECursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter!
WebsterWoe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

What does Isaiah 5:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. Fourth Woe--against those who confound the distinctions of right and wrong (compare Ro 1:28), "reprobate," Greek, "undiscriminating: the moral perception darkened." bitter ... sweet--sin is bitter (Jr 2:19; 4:18; Ac 8:23; He 12:15); though it seem sweet for a time (Pr 9:17, 18). Religion is sweet (Psa 119:103).

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 5:8-23

Here is a woe to those who set their hearts on the wealth of the world. Not that it is sinful for those who have a house and a field to purchase another; but the fault is, that they never know when they have enough. Covetousness is idolatry; and while many envy the prosperous, wretched man, the Lord denounces awful woes upon him. How applicable to many among us! God has many ways to empty the most populous cities…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 5:8-23 →

Isaiah 5:20 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.

ה֣וֹיHowoe to!H1945
הָאֹמְרִ֥יםha.'o.me.Rimthose [who] sayH559
לָרַ֛עla.Ra'of <the> evilH7451
ט֖וֹבTovgoodH2896
וְלַטּ֣וֹבve.la.Tovand of <the> goodH2896
רָ֑עRa'evilH7451
שָׂמִ֨יםsa.Mim[those who] makeH7760
חֹ֤שֶׁךְCho.shekhdarknessH2822
לְאוֹר֙le.'Orinto lightH216
וְא֣וֹרve.'orand lightH216
לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְle.Cho.shekhinto darknessH2822
שָׂמִ֥יםsa.Mim[those who] makeH7760
מַ֛רmarbitterH4751
לְמָת֖וֹקle.ma.Tokinto sweetH4966
וּמָת֥וֹקu.ma.Tokand sweetH4966
לְמָֽר\׃\ \סle.Marinto bitterH4751

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

Cross references for Isaiah 5:20

  • Proverbs 17:15

    He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

  • 2 Timothy 3:1-5

    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; …

  • Luke 16:15

    And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

  • Malachi 2:17

    Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

  • Job 17:12

    They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

  • Matthew 6:22-23

    The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

  • Amos 5:7

    Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

  • 2 Peter 2:18-19

    For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

  • 2 Peter 2:1

    But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

  • Luke 11:34-35

    The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

  • Malachi 3:15

    And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

  • Matthew 15:3-6

    But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
them.
Pr 17:15; Mal 2:17; 3:15; Mt 6:23; 15:3-6; 23:16-23; Lu 11:35; 16:15
2Ti 3:1-5; 2Pe 2:1,18,19
call evil good. Heb. say concerning evil, It is good, etc.

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

Context

  • Isaiah 5:19

    That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

  • Isaiah 5:20

    Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

  • Isaiah 5:21

    Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Read all of Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¡Ay de los que á lo malo dicen bueno, y á lo bueno malo; que hacen de la luz tinieblas, y de las tinieblas luz; que ponen lo amargo por dulce, y lo dulce por amargo!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Malheur à ceux qui appellent le mal bien, et le bien mal, qui mettent les ténèbres pour la lumière, et la lumière pour les ténèbres, qui mettent l’amer pour le doux, et le doux pour l’amer.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wehe denen, die das Böse gut heißen, und das Gute böse; welche Finsternis zu Licht machen, und Licht zu Finsternis; welche Bitteres zu Süßem machen, und Süßes zu Bitterem! -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Væ qui dicitis malum bonum, et bonum malum; ponentes tenebras lucem, et lucem tenebras; ponentes amarum in dulce, et dulce in amarum!