Isaiah 59:14
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And the right is turned back, and righteousness is far away: for good faith is not to be seen in the public places, and upright behaviour may not come into the town.
Webster's Revision
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
World English Bible
Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness can't enter.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And judgment is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.
Definitions for Isaiah 59:14
Clarke's Isaiah 59:14 Bible Commentary
Justice standeth afar off - צדקה tsedakah, righteousness, put here, says Kimchi, for alms to the poor. This casts some light on Matthew 6:1 : "Take heed that you do not your alms," ελεημοσυνην. But the best copies have δικαιοσυνην, righteousness; the former having been inserted in the text at first merely as the explanation of the genuine and original word.
Barnes's Isaiah 59:14 Bible Commentary
And judgment is turned away backward - The word 'judgment' is not used, as in Isaiah 59:9, to denote the divine interposition to avenge and deliver them, but it is used in the sense of justice, or lust decisions between man and man. The verse contains a further confession of the evil of their course of life; and, among other things, they acknowledged that they had been unjust in their legal decisions. They had been influenced by partiality and by bribes; they had condemned the innocent, they had acquitted the guilty. Judgment had thus been lumped back by their sins when it seemed to be approaching and entering the city.
And justice standeth afar off - This is a beautiful figure. justice is represented as standing at a distance from the city. Deterred by their sins, it would not enter. They prevented its approach, and it was unknown among them.
For truth is fallen in the street - Or rather, perhaps, in the gate - the place where justice was administered. The language here is all taken from courts of justice, and the idea is, that there was no justice in their decisions, but that their courts were unprincipled and corrupt.
And equity cannot enter - It stood at a distance, and the impenetrable mass of guilt effectually prevented its approach to the capital.
Wesley's Isaiah 59:14 Bible Commentary
59:14 Judgment - He speaks here of the sentences in courts of judicature. Truth - Truth is cast to the ground, and justice trampled under foot, even in publick. Equity - No such thing will be admitted in their courts.
