Isaiah 5:21

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

American Standard Version (1901)

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Bible in Basic English

Cursed are those who seem wise to themselves, and who take pride in their knowledge!

Free Bible Version

Tragedy is coming to you who are wise in your own eyes and think you're so clever.

Geneva Bible 1599

Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eyes, and prudent in their owne sight.

King James (Authorized) Version

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

One Unity Resource Bible

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Translation for Translators

Terrible things will happen to those who think that they are wise and that they ◄are very clever/know everything►.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own understanding!

Noah Webster Bible

Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

World English Bible

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Young's Literal Translation

Woe [to] the wise in their own eyes, And — before their own faces — intelligent!

Context

Woes to the Wicked

²⁰Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. ²¹Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

Sermons

Humanism-the Fifth Woe

Martyn-Lloyd Jones

Summary

In Isaiah 5:21, the prophet warns against arrogance and self-righteousness by condemning those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. This verse serves as a caution against pride and overconfidence in one's own understanding, highlighting the importance of humility before God. It reminds believers to rely on the wisdom and guidance of the Lord rather than trusting in their own limited knowledge. By acknowledging our need for God's wisdom and direction, we can avoid the pitfalls of self-reliance and instead walk in obedience and reverence towards Him.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

The fifth woe: "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." The third woe had reference to the unbelieving naturalists, the opponents of prophecy (nebuâh); the fourth to the moralists, who threw all into confusion; and to this there is appended, by a very natural association of ideas, the woe denounced upon those whom want of humility rendered inaccessible to that wisdom which went hand in hand with prophecy, and the true foundation of which was the fear of Jehovah (Pro 1:7; Job 28:28; Ecc 12:13). "Be not wise in thine own eyes," is a fundamental rule of this wisdom (Pro 3:7). It was upon this wisdom that that prophetic policy rested, whose warnings, as we read in Isa 28:9-10, they so scornfully rejected. The next woe, which has reference to the administration of justice in the state, shows very clearly that in this woe the prophet had more especially the want of theocratic wisdom in relation to the affairs of state in his mind.