Yesaya 5:22-24

5:22 Those who are champions ¹  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ² 

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,

they ignore the just cause of the innocent. ³ 

5:24 Therefore, as flaming fire ⁴  devours straw,

and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,

so their root will rot,

and their flower will blow away like dust. ⁵ 

For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies,

they have spurned the commands ⁶  of the Holy One of Israel. ⁷ 

[5:22]  ¹ tn The language used here is quite sarcastic and paves the way for the shocking description of the enemy army in vv. 25-30. The rich leaders of Judah are nothing but “party animals” who are totally incapable of withstanding real warriors.

[5:22]  ² tn Heb “Woe [to]….” See the note at v. 8.

[5:23]  ³ tn Heb “and the just cause of the innocent ones they turn aside from him.”

[5:23]  sn In vv. 22-23 the prophet returns to themes with which he opened his speech. The accusatory elements of vv. 8, 11-12, 18-23 are arranged in a chiastic manner: (A) social injustice (8), (B) carousing (11-12a), (C) spiritual insensitivity (12b) // (C') spiritual insensitivity (18-21), (B') carousing (22), (A') social injustice (23).

[5:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “a tongue of fire” (so NASB), referring to a tongue-shaped flame.

[5:24]  ⁵ sn They are compared to a flowering plant that withers quickly in a hot, arid climate.

[5:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “the word.”

[5:24]  ⁷ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.