Isaiah 29:21

Verse 21. Him that reproveth in the gate - "Him that pleaded in the gate"] "They are heard by the treasurer, master of the horse, and other principal officers of the regency of Algiers, who sit constantly in the gate of the palace for that purpose:" that is, the distribution of justice. - Shaw's Travels, p. 315, fol. He adds in the note, "That we read of the elders in the gate. De 21:15; De 25:7; and, Isa 29:21; Am 5:10, of him that reproveth and rebuketh in the gate. The Ottoman court likewise seems to have been called the Porte, from the distribution of justice and the despatch of public business that is carried on in the gates of it."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Isa 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.

Ver. 21. That make a man an offender for a word.] When he meant no hurt, or by perverting and misconstruing his speeches. Thus they sought to trap Christ in his speeches; and thus they dealt by many of the martyrs and confessors. To say, the Lord, and not our Lord, is called by Stephen Gardner symbolum haereticorum, a note of a heretic. {a} Dr Storie’s rule to know a heretic was, they will say, the Lord, and we praise God, and, the living God. {b} Robert Cook was abjured for saying that the blessing with a shoe sole was as good as the bishop’s blessing. {c} Another for saying that alms should not be given until it did sweat in a man’s hand. {d} Mrs Catismore for saying that when men go to offer to images, they did it to show their new gear; and that images were but carpenters’ chips; and that folks go on pilgrimage more for the green way than for devotion. {e} Philip Brasier for saying that when any miracle is done, the priests anoint the images, and make men believe these images sweat in labouring for them, &c. {f} "Every day they wrest my words," saith David of his enemies. {Psa 56:5} As the spleen is subservient to the liver, to take from it only the most putrid and feculent blood; so do detractors pick out the worst of everything, to lay it in a man’s dish, or allege it against him.

And lay a snare for him that reproveth.] {See Trapp on "Amo 5:10"} Freedom of speech used by the Waldenses in blaming and reproving the vices and errors of great ones, effecit ut plures nefariae affingerentur eis opiniones, a quibus ornnino fuerant alieni, made them hardly thought and spoken of. {g}

{a} Acts and Mon,. fol. 1116.

{b} Ibid., 1803.

{c} Ibid., 952.

{d} Ibid., 765.

{e} Ibid., 763.

{f} Ibid., 952.

{g} Girard.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29:21 The false testimony that led to the oppression of the poor through trickery in the courts of Isaiah’s era would end. Because of God’s work in their hearts, the people would turn from their sinful behavior of the past.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They that went about to find fault with the Prophet’s words, and would not abide admonitions, but would entangle them and bring them into danger.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [GESENIUS], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; compare Isa 29:19, "the meek . . . the poor."

him that reproveth--rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue.

gate--the place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Rut 4:11; Pro 31:23; Amo 5:10, Amo 5:12).

just--one who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [HORSLEY].

for a thing of naught--rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [BARNES]. Compare as to Christ, Pro 28:21; Mat 26:15; Act 3:13-14; Act 8:33.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(21) That make a man an offender for a word . . .—The words indicate that Isaiah had been accused, as Jeremiah was afterwards (Jer_37:13), of being unpatriotic, because he had rebuked the sins of Israel and its rulers. Another interpretation gives, “that make men sinners in word,” i.e., suborn false witnesses against him. The former seems preferable, but the general drift of the passage is the same. The “snare” was laid for the “righteous man,” precisely because he “reproved in the gate:” i.e., preached in the open air in the places of public concourse, even in the presence of the rulers and judges as they sat there.

Turn aside the just.—The phrase is used in Exo_23:6; Amo_5:12; Mal_3:5, for the deliberate perversion of justice.

A thing of nought.—The Hebrew word is once more the tohu (“without form”) of Gen_1:1. The accusations brought against the prophet were, as we say, incoherent, absolutely chaotic in their falsehood.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. That make a man an offender for a word] The verb rendered “make an offender” usually means “lead into sin” (Exo_23:33; Ecc_5:6, &c.); and is so understood in R.V. marg. “make men to offend by their words.” Here, however, the second part of the verse seems to shew that it is used in a declarative sense (= “make a man out to be an offender”). for a word should be translated either by a (false) word; or (as R.V.) in a cause.

him that reproveth in the gate] (cf. Amo_5:10). The person indicated may be either a judge (“umpire, as Job_9:33) or a private individual who stands up for justice in the place of public assembly.

turn aside the just (from his right, ch. Isa_10:2; Amo_5:12) for a thing of nought] rather, as R.V. with a thing of nought, “on an empty pretext.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That make a man an offender for a word,.... Inadvertently spoken, unwarily dropped, without any bad design or ill meaning; or for a word misplaced or misconstrued; or for preaching and professing the word of God, the Gospel of salvation, and adhering to it; which is the true character of the persecutors of good men in all ages: some render the words, "who make a man sin by a word" (e); by their words and doctrines; and so apply it to the false prophets, as Jarchi does; and very well agrees with the Pharisees in Christ's time, who made men to sin, to transgress the word of God, by their traditions. The Targum is,

"who condemn the sons of men by their words;''

or for them; particularly for their words of reproof, for which they make them offenders, or pronounce them guilty, as follows:

and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate; either for just judges, who sat in the gate of the city, and faithfully reproved and punished men for their sins; or for such that had boldness and courage enough to reprove wicked men openly, and before all, for their wickedness, the gate being a public place, where people pass and repass; and such that sin openly should be reproved openly; and particularly the true prophets of the Lord may be referred to, who sometimes were sent to publish their messages, which were frequently reproofs of the people, in the gates of the city; but, above all, Christ seems to be respected, who in the most public manner inveighed against the Scribes and Pharisees for their wickedness, on account of which they sought to entangle him in his talk, and to lay snares for his life; see Mat 22:15,

and turn aside the just for a thing of nought; the Targum is,

"that falsely pervert the judgment of the innocent;''

that turn away their judgment, decline doing them justice, but condemn them on frivolous pretences, for just nothing at all, what is mere emptiness and vanity: Christ is eminently the "just" One, righteous in himself, and the author of righteousness to others; yet, on account of things for which there were no foundation, and contrary to all justice, he was proceeded against as a criminal.

(e) "qui verbie faciunt ut peccent homines", Castalio; "peccare facientes hominem in verbo", Pagninus, Montanus. And to the same sense the Septuagint, V. L. Syr. and Arab.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That make a man an offender - literally, ‘who cause a man to sin’ (מחטיאי machăṭı̂y'ēy); that is, who hold a man to be guilty, or a criminal. Lowth renders this singularly enough:

‘Who bewildered the poor man in speaking.’

Grotius supposes it means, ‘Who on account of the word of God, that is, the true prophecy, treat men as guilty of crime.’ Calvin supposes it means, ‘Who bear with impatience the reproofs and denunciation of the prophets, and who endeavor to pervert and distort their meaning.’ Hence, he supposes, they proposed artful and captious questions by which they might ensnare them. Others suppose that it refers to the fact that they led people into sin by their new doctrines and false views. The connection, however, seems to require that it should be understood of judicial proceedings, and the sense is probably correctly expressed by Noyes:

‘Who condemned the poor man in his cause.’

This interpretation is also that which is proposed by Rosenmuller and Gesenius. According to the interpretation above suggested, the word rendered ‘who make an offender,’ means the same as who holds one guilty, that is, condemns.

A man - (אדם 'âdâm). It is well known that this word stands in contradistinction to אישׁ 'ı̂ysh, and denotes usually a poor man, a man in humble life, in opposition to one who is rich or of more elevated rank. This is probably the sense here, and the meaning is, that they condemned the poor man; that is, that they were partial in their judgments.

For a word - (בדבר bedâbâr). “In” a word; denoting the same as “a cause” that is tried before a court of justice. So Exo 18:16 : ‘When they have “a matter” (דבר dâbâr “a word”), they come unto me.’ So Exo 18:22 : ‘And it shoji be that every great “matter” (Hebrew every great “word”) that they shall bring unto me.’ So Exo 22:8 (in the English version 9): ‘For all manner of trespass,’ Hebrew for every word of trespass; that is, for every suit concerning a breach of trust. So also Exo 24:14 : ‘If any man have “any matters” to do,’ (Hebrew, ‘any “words, ‘“) that is, if anyone has a law suit.

And lay a snare - To lay a snare is to devise a plan to deceive, or get into their possession; as birds are caught in snares that are concealed from their view.

That reproveth - Or rather, that “contended” or “pleaded;” that is, that had a cause. The word יכח yâkach means often to contend with any one; to strive; to seek to confute; to attempt to defend or justify, as in a court of law Job 13:15; Job 19:5; Job 16:21; Job 22:4. It is also applied to deciding a case in law, or pronouncing a decision Isa 11:3-4; Gen 31:37; Job 9:33. Here it means one who has brought a suit, or who is engaged in a legal cause.

In the gate - Gates of cities being places of concourse, were usually resorted to for transacting business, and courts were usually held in them Gen 23:10, Gen 23:18; Deu 17:5, Deu 17:8; Deu 21:19; Deu 22:15; Deu 25:6-7; Rth 4:1. The sense is, they endeavored to pervert justice, and to bring the man who had a cause before them, completely within their power, so that they might use him for their own purposes, at the same time that they seemed to be deciding the cause justly.

And turn aside the just - The man who has a just or righteous cause.

For a thing of nought - Or a decision which is empty, vain (בתהו batôhû), and which should be regarded as null and void,

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Gate. False prophets rose up against those who spoke the truth, and condemned them unjustly. (Calmet) --- The just, Christ. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

That make a man an offender; that condemn and punish a man as if he were a great criminal.

For a word; for a verbal reproof, as appears from the next clause.

For him that reproveth; for God’s faithful prophets and ministers, whose office it is to reprove ungodly men, such as these were.

In the gate, publicly; which they took for a great affront and disgrace; although the reproof ought to be public, where the sin is public and scandalous. He mentions the gate, because there the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies; of which see Jer 7:2; 17:19.

Turn aside, to wit, from judgment, as this phrase is more fully delivered, Isa 10:2, or from his right; which is elsewhere called the perverting, or overturning, or overthrowing of a man’s right or judgment, as Deu 27:19; Pro 17:23; Lam 3:35.

The just; the faithful prophets and ministers of God, and among others Christ, who is oft called the just or righteous one, both in the Old and New Testament.

For a thing of nought; not for any great advantage, but for a trifle, which is a great aggravation of their injustice. Or, with vanity, i.e. with vain and frivolous pretences, or without any colour of reason or justice.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

That make a man an offender for a word. The meaning of this clause is very doubtful. Kay translates, "That lead men into sin by words;" Mr. Cheyne, "That make out people to be sinners by their words," i.e. by bearing false witness against them; while Delitzsch upholds the rendering of the Authorized Version. Mr. Vance Smith has other suggestions ("Prophecies," p, 171). There seems to be, on the whole, no sufficient reason for setting aside the authorized rendering, which condemns one form of oppression the severe punishment of mere words. And lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate. "The gate" was the place where judgment was given and public assemblies held. If any one boldly stood up and reproved the oppressors "in the gate," they instantly set to work to lay a trap for him and bring him to ruin. And turn aside the just for a thing of naught; rather, and deprive the just of their right by empty charges. "Turning aside the just" means turning them from their; (Amo_5:12 Exo_23:6) and bat tohu is not for nothing" but by nothing," i.e. by some vain empty pretence.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That make a man - That condemn a man, as if he was a great criminal. For him - For God's faithful prophets and ministers. The gate - There the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies. Turn - From his right. The just - The faithful ministers of God. Nought - Not for any great advantage, but for a trifle.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“Making a man a sinner for a word, and for him disputing in the gate they laid a snare, and turned aside the righteous through deceit.” An amplification of the last phrase in the foregoing verse. Some understand the first clause to mean, seducing people into sin by their words. It is much more common to explain the whole phrase to mean unjustly condemning a man in his cause, which agrees well with the obvious allusion to forensic process in the remainder of the verse. The English and many other early versions explain the clause to mean accusing or condemning men for a mere error of the tongue or lips. The general sense is plain, viz. that they embrace all opportunities and use all arts to wrong the guiltless. Most of the modern writers take the word translated ‘disputing’, in the sense of arguing, pleading in the gate, (i.e., the court, often held in the gates of oriental cities). The other explanation supposes the gate to be mentioned only as a place of public concourse. By the turning aside of the righteous (i.e., of the party who is in the right) we are here to understand the depriving him of that which is his due. For the meaning and usage of the figure, see the commentary on Isa 10:2. The last words have been variously understood to mean through falsehood (with particular reference to false testimony), or by means of a judgment which is null and void, or for nothing i e. without just cause. In either case the phrase describes the perversion or abuse of justice by dishonest mean, and thus agrees with the expressions used in the foregoing clauses.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Those who cause man to sin by a word They are the false prophets.

and him who reproves in the gate they trap (יְקשׁוּן. Jonathan renders:) And for the one who reproves them, they seek for him a stumblingblock. (יְקשׁוּן is) an expression related to מוֹקֵשׁ, a trap.

and they mislead the righteous through fraud And they pervert with fraud the cause of the just [from Jonathan].

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

מחטיאי אדם בדבר That make a man an offender for a word, that watch the words of man, and accuse him, in order to see him punished; or that cause others to sin by their words.

יקושון They lay a snare. Comp. מוקש snare (Deut. 7:16). R. Moses Hakkohen explains יקושון they rebuke, comparing it with התקששו וקשו be rebuked and rebuke (Zeph. 2:1), and says that the ש ought to have a Dagesh.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.