Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Isaiah 5:20

ה֣וֹי הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לָרַ֛ע ט֖וֹב וְלַטּ֣וֹב רָ֑ע שָׂמִ֨ים חֹ֤שֶׁךְ לְאוֹר֙ וְא֣וֹר לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ שָׂמִ֥ים מַ֛ר לְמָת֖וֹק וּמָת֥וֹק לְמָֽר׃ (ס)

Woe unto them that call evil good, And good evil; That change darkness into light, And light into darkness; That change bitter into sweet, And sweet into bitter!

Rashi on Isaiah

Those who say of the evil that it is good They praise idolators [var. idolatry], but they consider it evil to worship the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is good.
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah

Woe unto them that call, etc. They wish that these evils shall come, they are therefore like those that have no reason.
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Rashi on Isaiah

who present darkness as light A thing which is destined to bring darkness upon them, they say, will bring light to them.
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Rashi on Isaiah

who present bitter as sweet Iniquity, [var. idolatry] which is destined to bring upon them bitter retribution, they say, will be sweet for them.
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Rashi on Isaiah

and sweet as bitter The sweet worship of the Holy One, blessed be He, they say, is bitter.
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