to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that those in power are not just hindering the poor from justice, but actively robbing them. It's a deliberate act of plunder, turning the very concept of "right" into their spoils and preying on the most vulnerable like widows and orphans, who should have been protected.
to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes the corrupt actions of powerful leaders in ancient Israel. They are accused of twisting justice to disadvantage the vulnerable – the poor, widows, and orphans. The prophet is exposing the systemic injustice and greed that permeates the leadership, setting the stage for God's impending judgment against them.
Imagine a courtroom where the scales of justice are tipped before the trial even begins. That's the scene Isaiah paints.
Isaiah 10:2 exposes a deeply broken system where those in power actively subvert justice.
Perverting the Law
Instead of upholding what is right, leaders and judges manipulated the legal process. The phrase "to turn aside the needy from judgment" means they actively prevented the poor and vulnerable from even having their cases heard or fairly decided. It wasn't just a lack of action; it was deliberate obstruction.
Plundering the Helpless
The consequence was dire: "to take away the right from the poor of my people." This wasn't mere neglect; it was a systematic robbery. The wealthy and powerful used their positions to steal from those who had no one to defend them.
This corruption created a horrifying cycle where the most vulnerable – widows and orphans – became targets, treated not as individuals deserving of protection, but as spoils of war for the greedy.
When the cries of the vulnerable go unheard by human courts, they ascend to a higher court – God's.
This verse isn't just a description of injustice; it's a precursor to God's fierce response.
The Weight of the Sin
Isaiah emphasizes that this wasn't a minor transgression. Turning aside the needy and robbing the poor, especially widows and orphans, was a profound offense against God. These individuals were specifically under God's protection in the Mosaic Law. To prey upon them was to defy God himself.
Ask a follow-up
A Coming Judgment
The "woe" pronounced in the preceding verses (Isaiah 10:1) sets the stage for judgment. God views this systemic oppression not as a private matter, but as a direct assault on His order and His people. The language of 'spoil' and 'prey' reveals the predatory nature of the oppressors, a nature God promises to counter with His own righteous judgment.
This verse acts as a stark warning: actions that exploit the vulnerable will not escape divine notice or consequence.
Understand the original words
ʾebyôn · Hebrew Noun
The poor, destitute, or those who lack power or status; in Scripture, they are the special object of God's concern and protection.
mišpāṭ · Hebrew Noun
The standard of what is right, fair, and legally correct according to God’s law; it involves protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty.
dîn · Hebrew Noun
A word denoting the objective truth, status, or claim to which one is legally or morally entitled; God’s law mandates that these be upheld for the vulnerable.
ʾalmānâ · Hebrew Noun
Women who have lost their husbands; in biblical culture, they were particularly vulnerable to exploitation and were specifically under God’s protection.
šālāl · Hebrew Noun
Plunder or loot taken from the weak by the strong; it implies an act of violence or theft that strips someone of their possessions.
yāṯôm · Hebrew Noun
Children who have lost one or both parents; they are archetypal figures of vulnerability and are frequently commanded by God to be protected.
Isaiah 10:2 speaks to a systemic injustice within Judah, where those in power exploit the vulnerable, particularly during a time of intense external threat from the Assyrian Empire. This internal corruption weakened the nation, making it ripe for divine judgment, even as God promised protection to those who trusted Him.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Expansion
The Neo-Assyrian Empire under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II significantly expanded its territory, exerting pressure on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, and its population was largely exiled, serving as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Campaign in Judah
Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem, though the city itself was ultimately spared due to divine intervention and tribute.
Post-701 BC
Continued Assyrian Influence
Despite the failed siege of Jerusalem, Judah remained a vassal state under Assyrian influence, facing ongoing demands and political instability.
This passage directly echoes the concern for the vulnerable found in Isaiah, highlighting God's fierce protection of the poor and oppressed and His judgment against those who exploit them.
Ezekiel 18:12-13Ezekiel describes a similar pattern of injustice and oppression by those in power, emphasizing that such actions bring God's judgment and wrath upon the perpetrators.
Psalm 82:3-4This psalm speaks to the duty of judges to defend the weak and the poor, directly contrasting it with the failure to do so, a theme strongly present in Isaiah's denunciation.
James 2:6-7James condemns the rich who oppress the poor and disrespect them, mirroring the corrupt practices Isaiah condemns where the powerful prey on the vulnerable.
barnesIsaiah 10:2: "To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!"
To turn aside - Their sentences have the effect, and are designed to have, to pervert justice, and to oppress the poor, or to deprive them of their rights and just claims; compare Isaiah 29:21 ; Proverbs 27:5 . The needy - daliym - דלים dalı̂ym. Those of humble rank and circumstances; who have no powerful friends and d…
jfbIsaiah 10:2: "To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!"
- To turn aside, &c.—The effect of their conduct is to pervert the cause of the needy [Horsley]. In English Version "from judgment" means "from obtaining justice."take away the right—"make plunder of the right" (rightful claim) [Horsley].
The verse highlights that those in power are not just hindering the poor from justice, but actively robbing them. It's a deliberate act of plunder, turning the very concept of "right" into their spoils and preying on the most vulnerable like widows and orphans, who should have been protected.
This verse describes the corrupt actions of powerful leaders in ancient Israel. They are accused of twisting justice to disadvantage the vulnerable – the poor, widows, and orphans. The prophet is exposing the systemic injustice and greed that permeates the leadership, setting the stage for God's impending judgment against them.
This verse describes the corrupt actions of powerful leaders in ancient Israel. They are accused of twisting justice to disadvantage the vulnerable – the poor, widows, and orphans. The prophet is exposing the systemic injustice and greed that permeates the leadership, setting the stage for God's impending judgment against them.
"to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!" — The verse highlights that those in power are not just hindering the poor from justice, but actively robbing them. It's a deliberate act of plunder, turning the very concept of "right" into their…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026