Isaiah 10:2

To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and [that] they may rob the fatherless!

To turn aside {H5186} the needy {H1800} from judgment {H1779}, and to take away {H1497} the right {H4941} from the poor {H6041} of my people {H5971}, that widows {H490} may be their prey {H7998}, and that they may rob {H962} the fatherless {H3490}!

to deprive the impoverished of justice and rob my people's poor of their rights, looting widows and preying on orphans!

to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

Context of Isaiah 10:2

Isaiah 10:2 is part of a larger prophetic oracle (Isaiah 10:1-4) where God pronounces a "woe" upon the corrupt leaders and judges of Judah. This passage immediately follows warnings of divine judgment against the nation for its widespread sin and rebellion against God, particularly focusing on their failure to uphold justice. While chapter 10 as a whole often relates to God's use of Assyria as a tool of judgment, verses 1-4 specifically condemn the internal moral decay and social injustice perpetuated by those in power within Judah itself. It highlights a critical moral failure that contributed to the nation's downfall, emphasizing that God's people were actively oppressing the most vulnerable among them.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Systemic Injustice: The verse vividly describes a society where those in authority pervert the legal system and exploit their position to dispossess the weak. It's not just individual acts of wrongdoing but a deliberate, institutionalized practice of denying justice to the poor and needy.
  • Exploitation of the Vulnerable: The primary victims are explicitly named: the needy, the poor, widows, and the fatherless. These groups were afforded special protection under Mosaic Law, yet they were being targeted and robbed by their own countrymen. This highlights a profound disregard for God's covenant commands.
  • Divine Condemnation: As part of a "woe" oracle, this verse underscores God's intense anger and condemnation of such practices. God, who consistently identifies Himself as a defender of the oppressed (Psalm 68:5), finds such exploitation by His own people abhorrent.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrases "turn aside the needy from judgment" and "take away the right from the poor" convey a strong sense of perverting justice. The Hebrew word for "turn aside" (natah) can mean to bend or distort, implying a deliberate twisting of the law. "Take away the right" uses the Hebrew gazal, which means to seize, rob, or plunder, indicating an aggressive act of deprivation. The terms "prey" (shalal) and "rob" (bazaz) further emphasize the predatory and violent nature of these actions, portraying the vulnerable as helpless victims to be hunted and stripped of their possessions.

Related Scriptures

Isaiah 10:2 stands as a powerful reminder of God's unwavering concern for social justice and the protection of the vulnerable. Throughout Scripture, there is a consistent call to care for those in need:

  • The Mosaic Law repeatedly commanded justice for the marginalized, as seen in Deuteronomy 24:17, which forbids perverting justice for the sojourner, fatherless, or widow.
  • Prophets like Amos echo Isaiah's lament, famously declaring, "But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24), in direct contrast to the injustice prevalent in their day.
  • The New Testament also emphasizes the importance of practical care for the poor and vulnerable, with Jesus Himself identifying with those in need in Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Reflection and Practical Application

This verse challenges us to examine our own societies and institutions. Are the most vulnerable still being exploited or denied their rights? It calls for vigilance against corruption, advocating for fair legal systems, and ensuring equitable access to resources. For believers, it serves as a strong ethical imperative to champion social justice, support organizations that defend the rights of the poor, widows, and fatherless, and to personally live out the biblical mandate to care for "the least of these." God's judgment against injustice is a timeless warning, urging all people to pursue righteousness and compassion.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Malachi 3:5

    And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Isaiah 3:14

    The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor [is] in your houses.

  • Isaiah 29:21

    That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

  • Ezekiel 22:7

    In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.

  • Isaiah 1:23

    Thy princes [are] rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

  • Isaiah 5:23

    Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

  • Amos 2:7

    That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name:

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