Bible Strands
Isaiah 1:21
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord speaks through the prophet to Jerusalem, delivering this declaration immediately after warning the people that continued rebellion will result in being devoured by the sword.
The words — אֵיכָה (ei.Khah) translates to “how!” as an exclamation of lament, and זוֹנָה (zo.Nah) literally means “prostitute,” framing the city’s spiritual abandonment in marital infidelity terms.
The thread — The lament parallels Zephaniah 3:1’s “Woe to the city of oppressors” and Zechariah 8:3’s promise that Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, while Ezekiel 22:1 provides only a standard prophetic introduction formula without cataloging specific sins.
Why it lands — The text states the city’s transformation from a place full of justice and righteousness to one dominated by murderers, demanding a clear-eyed assessment of moral collapse before any appeal for repentance or judgment can be understood.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 22:1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
- Zephaniah 3:1 Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
- Zechariah 8:3 This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”
- 2 Samuel 8:15 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:
- 2 Chronicles 19:9 He commanded them, saying, “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD.
- Nehemiah 11:1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.
- Psalms 46:4 There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
- Psalms 48:1 A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
- Psalms 48:8 As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish her forever. Selah
- Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.