Isaiah 1:21
New International Version
See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!

New Living Translation
See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers.

English Standard Version
How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

Berean Standard Bible
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

King James Bible
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

New King James Version
How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers.

New American Standard Bible
How the faithful city has become a prostitute, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once dwelt in her, But now murderers.

NASB 1995
How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

NASB 1977
How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Legacy Standard Bible
How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Amplified Bible
How the faithful city has become a prostitute [idolatrous, despicable], She who was full of justice! Right standing with God once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Christian Standard Bible
The faithful town — what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her, but now, murderers!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The faithful city— what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her— but now, murderers!

American Standard Version
How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
How has the faithful city become a whore, that was full of justice and righteousness, and now murderers are lodging in it!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
How has the faithful city Sion, once full of judgement, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.

Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem, you are like an unfaithful wife. Once your judges were honest and your people lived right; now you are a city full of murderers.

Douay-Rheims Bible
How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? justice dwelt in it, but now murderers.

English Revised Version
How is the faithful city become an harlot! she that was full of judgment! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How the faithful town has become a prostitute! She was full of justice, and righteousness lived in her. But now murderers live there!

Good News Translation
The city that once was faithful is behaving like a whore! At one time it was filled with righteous people, but now only murderers remain.

International Standard Version
"How the faithful city has become a whore, she who used to be filled with justice! Righteousness used to reside within her, but now only murderers live there.

JPS Tanakh 1917
How is the faithful city Become a harlot! She that was full of justice, Righteousness lodged in her, But now murderers.

Literal Standard Version
How has a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it [with] judgment, | Righteousness lodges in it—now murderers.

Majority Standard Bible
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

New American Bible
How she has become a prostitute, the faithful city, so upright! Justice used to lodge within her, but now, murderers.

NET Bible
How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once a center of justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers.

New Revised Standard Version
How the faithful city has become a whore! She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her— but now murderers!

New Heart English Bible
How the faithful city has become a prostitute. She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

Webster's Bible Translation
How is the faithful city become a harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

World English Bible
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.

Young's Literal Translation
How hath a faithful city become a harlot? I have filled it with judgment, Righteousness lodgeth in it -- now murderers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Corruption of Zion
21See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers! 22Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.…

Cross References
Revelation 17:1
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.

Isaiah 1:22
Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

Isaiah 57:3
"But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

Isaiah 59:3
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.

Isaiah 59:14
So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

Isaiah 59:15
Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

Jeremiah 2:20
"For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, 'I will not serve!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.


Treasury of Scripture

How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

the faithful

Isaiah 48:2
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.

Nehemiah 11:1
And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

Psalm 46:4
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

become

Jeremiah 2:20,21
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot…

Jeremiah 3:1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

Lamentations 1:8,9
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward…

it was full

Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

2 Samuel 8:15
And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

2 Chronicles 19:9
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

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City Decisions Dwell Faithful Filled Full Harlot Judges Judgment Justice Lodged Murderers Once Prostitute Resting-Place Right Righteousness Time Untrue Upright Used
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City Decisions Dwell Faithful Filled Full Harlot Judges Judgment Justice Lodged Murderers Once Prostitute Resting-Place Right Righteousness Time Untrue Upright Used
Isaiah 1
1. Isaiah complains of Judah for her rebellion
5. He laments her judgments
10. He upbraids their whole service
16. He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats
21. Bewailing their wickedness, he denounces God's judgments
25. He promises grace
28. And threatens destruction to the wicked














(21) How is the faithful city become an harlot! . . .--The opening word, as in Lamentations 1:1, is the key-note of an elegiac wail, which opens a new section. The idea of prostitution as representing apostasy from Jehovah was involved in the thought that Israel was the bride whom He had wooed and won (Hosea 1-3; Jeremiah 2:2). The imagery was made more impressive by the fact that actual prostitution entered so largely into the ritual of many of the forms of idolatry to which the Israelites were tempted (Numbers 25:1-2). So Ezekiel (Ezekiel 16:1-14) develops the symbolism with an almost terrible fulness. So our Lord spoke of the Pharisees as an "adulterous generation" (Matthew 12:39). The fact that Hosea, an earlier contemporary, had been led to tell how he had been taught the truth thus set forth by a living personal experience, is not without significance in its bearing on the genesis of Isaiah's thoughts.

Righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.--Better, assassins. The word implies not casual homicide, but something like the choice of murder and robbery as a profession. Hosea (Hosea 6:9) had painted a like picture as true of Samaria. The traveller who sojourned in Jerusalem, the poor who lived there, were exposed to outrage and murder; and all this was passing before men's eyes at the very time when they were boasting, as it were, of their "glorious reformation." . . .

Verses 21-23. - ISAIAH'S LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM. The exhortation to amendment has been made - the results have been set forth; the temporal reward has been promised; the temporal vengeance, unless they amend, threatened. Time must be allowed the people for the prophet's words to reach them, and do their work upon them, i.e. either soften or harden them. Meanwhile, Isaiah reflects on the condition of Jerusalem, and the unlikelihood of its rulers turning to God in consequence of his preaching. Verse 21. - How is the faithful city become an harlot! Not here an idolatress, but one that has left her first love, and turned to other attractions. Faithful once to her lord her spouse (Cant., passim), she has now cast him off - she is an adulterous wife, she no longer obeys or loves her husband. It was full of judgment; righteousness, etc. "She that was full" (Revised Version). Under Solomon (1 Kings 3:9-28) and again under Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:5-11). It is not clear when the systematic perversion of justice by the rulers began. Perhaps it originated in the latter part of Uzziah's reign, when the royal authority was weakened by being divided between Uzziah and Jotham (2 Chronicles 26:21). But now murderers (see the last note on ver. 15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[See] how
אֵיכָה֙ (’ê·ḵāh)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

the faithful
נֶאֱמָנָ֑ה (ne·’ĕ·mā·nāh)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support

city
קִרְיָ֖ה (qir·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7151: A town, city

has become
הָיְתָ֣ה (hā·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a harlot!
לְזוֹנָ֔ה (lə·zō·w·nāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry

She once was full of justice;
מִשְׁפָּ֗ט (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

righteousness
צֶ֛דֶק (ṣe·ḏeq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

resided
יָלִ֥ין (yā·lîn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3885: To stop, to stay permanently, to be obstinate

within her,
בָּ֖הּ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

but now only
וְעַתָּ֥ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

murderers!
מְרַצְּחִֽים׃ (mə·raṣ·ṣə·ḥîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7523: To dash in pieces, kill, to murder


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 1:21 How the faithful city has become (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 1:20
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