Isaiah 1:17
New International Version
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

New Living Translation
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

English Standard Version
learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Berean Standard Bible
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

King James Bible
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

New King James Version
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

New American Standard Bible
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor, Obtain justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow’s case.

NASB 1995
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

NASB 1977
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

Legacy Standard Bible
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Execute justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow.

Amplified Bible
Learn to do good. Seek justice, Rebuke the ruthless, Defend the fatherless, Plead for the [rights of the] widow [in court].

Christian Standard Bible
Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Learn to do what is good. Seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.”

American Standard Version
learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And learn to do good. Search for judgment and do good to the oppressed; do justice for orphans and do justice for widows

Brenton Septuagint Translation
learn to do well; diligently seek judgement, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.

Contemporary English Version
and learn to live right. See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help the oppressed."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow.

English Revised Version
learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Arrest oppressors. Defend orphans. Plead the case of widows."

Good News Translation
and learn to do right. See that justice is done--help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows."

International Standard Version
Learn to practice what is good; seek justice, alleviate oppression, defend orphans in court, and plead the widow's case.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Learn to do well; Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Literal Standard Version
Seek judgment, make the oppressed blessed, | Judge the fatherless, strive [for] the widow.

Majority Standard Bible
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

New American Bible
learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

NET Bible
Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!

New Revised Standard Version
learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

New Heart English Bible
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow."

Webster's Bible Translation
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

World English Bible
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

Young's Literal Translation
Seek judgment, make happy the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, strive for the widow.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Meaningless Offerings
16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! 17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.” 18“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.…

Cross References
James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Deuteronomy 14:29
Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.

Psalm 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.

Proverbs 31:9
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.

Isaiah 56:1
This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is coming soon, and My righteousness will be revealed.

Isaiah 58:6
Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?


Treasury of Scripture

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

seek

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.

Psalm 82:3,4
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy…

Proverbs 31:9
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

relieve.

Jump to Previous
Case Cause Child Correct Cruel Decision Defend Encourage Fatherless Good Happy Judge Judgment Justice Learn Oppressed Oppression Orphan Plead Pleasure Relieve Reprove Right Ruthless Seek Strive Upright Ways Well-Doing Widow
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Case Cause Child Correct Cruel Decision Defend Encourage Fatherless Good Happy Judge Judgment Justice Learn Oppressed Oppression Orphan Plead Pleasure Relieve Reprove Right Ruthless Seek Strive Upright Ways Well-Doing Widow
Isaiah 1
1. Isaiah complains of Judah for her rebellion
5. He laments her judgments
10. He upbraids their whole service
16. He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats
21. Bewailing their wickedness, he denounces God's judgments
25. He promises grace
28. And threatens destruction to the wicked














(17) Relieve the oppressed.--More accurately, correct the oppressor. The prophet calls on the rulers not merely to acts of benevolence, but to the courageous exercise of their authority to restrain the wrong-doing of the men of their own order. We are reminded of what Shakespeare says of Time, that it is his work--

"To wrong the wronger till he render right."

(Rape of Lucrece.)

Judge the fatherless.--The words are still primarily addressed to men in office. They are told that they must be true to their calling, and that the "fatherless" and the "widow," as the typical instances of the defenceless, ought to find an advocate in the judge.

Verse 17. - Learn to do well. Now comes the positive; first, in the general form" learn," etc.; which resembles the apostle's "Put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12). Then follow the particulars. Seek judgment; or, seek out justice; i.e. endeavor to get justice done to all men; see that they "have right." Relieve the oppressed. So the LXX., the Vulgate, the Syriac, and the Chaldean Versions. But the word translated "oppressed" is thought by many to mean "oppressor" (Kimchi, Gesenius, Cheyne). This is certainly its meaning in Psalm 71:4. Translate, tighten the oppressor; i.e. correct and chasten him. Judge the fatherless; rather, do justice to the orphan (Cheyne); see that he is not wronged - be his champion. Plead for the widow; i.e. plead her cause in the courts; or, if judge, and she have no advocate, lean towards her, as if her advocate. The widow and the orphan were taken under God's special protection from the time of Moses, and constantly commended to the tender care of the righteous (Exodus 22:22-24; Deuteronomy 10:18; Deuteronomy 24:17; Deuteronomy 27:19, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Learn
לִמְד֥וּ (lim·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3925: To exercise in, learn

to do right,
הֵיטֵ֛ב (hê·ṭêḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

seek
דִּרְשׁ֥וּ (dir·šū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

justice,
מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

correct
אַשְּׁר֣וּ (’aš·šə·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 833: To be straight, to go forward, be honest, proper

the oppressor,
חָמ֑וֹץ (ḥā·mō·wṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2541: The ruthless (ones)

defend
שִׁפְט֣וּ (šip̄·ṭū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

the fatherless,
יָת֔וֹם (yā·ṯō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3490: A bereaved person

plead
רִ֖יבוּ (rî·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7378: To toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

for the widow.”
אַלְמָנָֽה׃ (’al·mā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 490: A widow, a desolate place


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do well (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 1:16
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