Isaiah 1:22

20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
^aFor the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The Degenerate City

21 ^aHow the faithful city has become a¹ harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now ^bmurderers.

22 ^aYour silver has become dross,
Your wine mixed with water.

23 ^aYour princes are rebellious,
And ^bcompanions of thieves;
^cEveryone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
They ^ddo not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

24 Therefore the Lord says,
The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,
“Ah, ^aI will rid Myself of My adversaries,
And¹ take vengeance on My enemies.

25 I will turn My hand against you,
And ^athoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.

26 I will restore your judges ^aas at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward ^byou shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”

27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
And her¹ penitents with righteousness.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

<< Isaiah 1:21

Isaiah 1:23 >>

What Does Isaiah 1:22 Mean?

Isaiah 1:22

Though this speaks primarily of the people's spiritual condition, it certainly applies literally too. So, a sign of Judah's decline was the devaluation of her currency; money would not buy what it used to be able to purchase. The illustration pictures what had once been pure silver and of full value is now so diluted by baser metals that it is essentially worthless. The debasing of currency, then, becomes a recognizable precursor of decline and eventual national collapse.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Economics in Prophecy

Isaiah 1:21-26

Isaiah 1:21-26 is especially interesting because it describes the harlotry principle working within the social justice system. Judges were selling themselves out through accepting bribes or for personal advantage in some other area of life, and counselors—lawyers—were giving bad advice to tip the scales of "justice" favorably for their careers. Under such corruption, justice in Israel was difficult to find, so difficult that "the prudent keep silent at that time, for it is an evil time" (Amos 5:13).

God makes the contrast between harlotry and faithfulness clear. "Harlotry" is the Bible's code word for faithlessness to God regardless of the area of life in which the faithlessness occurs or of which gender is sinning.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Beast and Babylon (Part Nine): Babylon the Great

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Isaiah 1:22:**

Isaiah 1:21-26
Hosea 12:7-8

<< Isaiah 1:21

Isaiah 1:23 >>

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The Degenerate City

What Does Isaiah 1:22 Mean?

Isaiah 1:22

Isaiah 1:21-26

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Isaiah 1:22:

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Isaiah 1:22:**

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning