Isaiah 5:23
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Cross-references
Isaiah 10:2 warns against robbing the poor of justice — the same denial of rights to the innocent.
In Isaiah 1:23, the same condemnation of bribe-loving rulers who deny justice appears, reinforcing this woe.
Isaiah 59:14 depicts justice turned back and truth fallen, the same societal decay as in the woe against bribery.
Isaiah 32:7 describes scoundrels who ruin the poor with lies, a similar portrait of corrupt leaders perverting justice.
In Proverbs 24:24, pronouncing the wicked righteous brings a curse, echoing the condemnation of those who acquit the guilty for a bribe.
James 5:6 accuses the wealthy of condemning and murdering the righteous — a direct echo of this woe.
Micah 7:3 describes princes, judges, and nobles all taking bribes — a vivid parallel to this injustice.
Micah 3:11 condemns leaders who judge for a bribe — matching this woe against unjust acquittals.
In Exodus 23:6-9, the law explicitly forbids taking bribes and perverting justice, the very sins condemned here.
Proverbs 17:23 condemns taking a bribe to pervert justice — the same bribery denounced here.
In Proverbs 17:15, justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous is called an abomination, mirroring the woe against acquitting the guilty.
Psalm 94:21 says they band together to condemn the righteous to death — directly mirroring this woe.
In 2 Chronicles 19:7, Jehoshaphat warns judges against partiality and bribes, echoing the standard violated here.
1 Kings 21:13 shows false witnesses condemning Naboth — an example of acquitting the guilty and killing the innocent.
In Deuteronomy 16:19, the law forbids accepting bribes and perverting justice, the very sins condemned here.
Proverbs 18:5 directly states it is wrong to be partial to the wicked or deprive the innocent — identical to Isaiah's woe.
Amos 2:6 condemns selling the righteous for silver, a direct parallel to bribes perverting justice.
Deuteronomy 25:1 commands acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty — the opposite of acquitting the guilty for a bribe.
Exodus 23:8 directly forbids bribery, showing the law that Isaiah's corrupt judges are violating.
In Proverbs 31:5, drinking leads rulers to pervert justice, connecting the two sins Isaiah condemns: drinking and injustice.