Yesaya 29:21

29:21 those who bear false testimony against a person, ¹ 

who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate ² 

and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges. ³ 

Yesaya 59:4

59:4 No one is concerned about justice; ⁴ 

no one sets forth his case truthfully.

They depend on false words ⁵  and tell lies;

they conceive of oppression ⁶ 

and give birth to sin.

[29:21]  ¹ tn Heb “the ones who make a man a sinner with a word.” The Hiphil of חָטָא (khata’) here has a delocutive sense: “declare a man sinful/guilty.”

[29:21]  ² sn Legal disputes were resolved at the city gate, where the town elders met. See Amos 5:10.

[29:21]  ³ tn Heb “and deprive by emptiness the innocent.”

[59:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”

[59:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”

[59:4]  ⁶ tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”