Isaiah 5:18
New International Version
Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes,

New Living Translation
What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!

English Standard Version
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes,

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,

King James Bible
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

New King James Version
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, And sin as if with a cart rope;

New American Standard Bible
Woe to those who drag wrongdoing with the cords of deceit, And sin as if with cart ropes;

NASB 1995
Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes;

NASB 1977
Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes;

Legacy Standard Bible
Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of worthlessness, And sin as if with cart ropes,

Amplified Bible
Woe (judgment is coming) to those who drag along wickedness with cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes [towing their own punishment];

Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who drag iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who drag wickedness with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,

American Standard Version
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and sin as it were with a cart rope;

Contemporary English Version
You are in for trouble! The lies you tell are like ropes by which you drag along sin and evil.

English Revised Version
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How horrible it will be for those who string people along with lies and empty promises, whose lives are sinful.

Good News Translation
You are doomed! You are unable to break free from your sins.

International Standard Version
"How terrible it will be for those who parade iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin along as with a cart rope;

Majority Standard Bible
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,

NET Bible
Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, who pull sin as with cart ropes.

New Heart English Bible
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope;

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart-rope:

World English Bible
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Woe [to] those drawing out iniquity with cords of vanity, "" And as [with] thick ropes of the cart—sin.

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to those drawing out iniquity with cords of vanity, And as with thick ropes of the cart -- sin.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wo to those drawing iniquity with cords of evil, and sin as the cords of a wagon:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as the rope of a cart.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Woe to you who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and who draw sin as if with the rope of a cart,

New American Bible
Ah! Those who tug at guilt with cords of perversity, and at sin as if with cart ropes!

New Revised Standard Version
Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood, who drag sin along as with cart ropes,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Woe to them that spin out their iniquities like a long rope, and their sins are like a bridle on the neck of a heifer;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Woe to those who pull out their sins like a long rope and their sin like the leather rein of an heifer!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, And sin as it were with a cart rope,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Woe to them that draw sins to them as with a long rope, and iniquities as with a thong of the heifer's yoke:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to the Wicked
17Lambs will graze as in their own pastures, and strangers will feed in the ruins of the wealthy. 18Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes, 19to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”…

Cross References
Proverbs 5:22
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.

Jeremiah 17:1
“The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus, engraved with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Romans 2:5
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Psalm 7:14-16
Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood. / He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. / His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

Hosea 4:8
They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.

Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

Matthew 23:32
Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.

2 Timothy 3:13
while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Job 15:25-26
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty, / rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.

Ezekiel 23:14-16
But Oholibah carried her prostitution even further. She saw the men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion, / wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like officers of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. / At the sight of them, she lusted for them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.


Treasury of Scripture

Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

draw

Isaiah 28:15
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

Judges 17:5,13
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest…

2 Samuel 16:20-23
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do…

Jump to Previous
Bands Cart Cords Cursed Deceit Drag Draw Drawing Evil Falsehood Iniquity Pulling Rope Ropes Sin Use Vanity Wickedness Woe Young
Jump to Next
Bands Cart Cords Cursed Deceit Drag Draw Drawing Evil Falsehood Iniquity Pulling Rope Ropes Sin Use Vanity Wickedness Woe Young
Isaiah 5
1. Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8. His judgments upon covetousness
11. Upon lasciviousness
13. Upon impiety
20. And upon injustice
26. The executioners of God's judgments














Woe to those
The word "woe" in Hebrew is "הוֹי" (hoy), a term often used by the prophets to express lamentation or impending judgment. It serves as a divine warning, indicating that the actions of the people have reached a point where God's patience is wearing thin. This phrase sets the tone for the verse, highlighting the seriousness of the behavior being addressed. In a conservative Christian perspective, it is a call to self-examination and repentance, urging believers to heed God's warnings and turn from sinful ways.

who draw iniquity
The Hebrew word for "iniquity" is "עָוֹן" (avon), which refers to moral perversity or sinfulness. The imagery of "drawing" suggests an intentional and active engagement in sin. It is not merely a passive falling into sin but a deliberate choice to embrace and perpetuate it. This phrase challenges believers to consider the ways in which they might be complicit in sin, whether through actions, thoughts, or societal systems, and to seek God's strength to resist and overcome such tendencies.

with cords of deceit
"Cords of deceit" implies that the iniquity is intertwined with falsehood and deception. The Hebrew word for "deceit" is "שֶׁקֶר" (sheker), which denotes falsehood or lies. This suggests that sin is often masked by lies, both to oneself and to others, making it more insidious and difficult to recognize. From a conservative Christian viewpoint, this serves as a reminder of the importance of truth and integrity in the life of a believer, as well as the need for discernment to see through the deceptions of sin.

and pull sin along
The act of "pulling" sin indicates a willful effort to carry or transport sin, suggesting a burden that one chooses to bear. The Hebrew word for "sin" here is "חַטָּאָה" (chatta'ah), which refers to an offense or a missing of the mark. This phrase emphasizes the active role individuals play in perpetuating sin in their lives. It calls believers to reflect on the burdens of sin they may be carrying and to seek liberation through Christ, who offers freedom from the weight of sin.

with cart ropes
The imagery of "cart ropes" suggests a heavy, burdensome load, indicating that the sin being carried is substantial and significant. The Hebrew word for "ropes" is "עֲבֹת" (avoth), which can also mean thick cords or bands. This conveys the idea that sin, when not addressed, becomes a heavy and entangling burden. In a conservative Christian context, this serves as a powerful illustration of the ensnaring nature of sin and the urgent need for repentance and reliance on God's grace to break free from its hold.

(18) That draw iniquity with cords of vanity.--The phrase is boldly figurative. Evil-doers are thought of as harnessing themselves as to the chariot of sin. The "cords of vanity"--i.e., of emptiness or ungodliness--are the habits by which they are thus bound. The "cart ropes," thicker and stronger than the "cords," represent the extreme stage, when such habits become irresistibly dominant. Probably the words may point to some idolatrous procession, in which the chariot of Baal or Ashtaroth was thus drawn by their worshippers, like that of Demeter or Cybele in Greece, or Juggernath in India.

Verse 18. - Woe unto them, etc. We come here to the third woe, which is pronounced against those who openly pile up sin upon sin, and scoff at God. These men are represented as "drawing iniquity with cords of vanity," i.e. dragging after them a load of sin by cords that seem too weak; and then as "sinning with a cart-rope," which is a mere variant expression of the same idea. Mr. Cheyne quotes from the Rig-Veda, as a parallel metaphor, the phrase, "Undo the rope of sin."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Woe
ה֛וֹי (hō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 1945: Ah! alas! ha!

to those who draw
מֹשְׁכֵ֥י (mō·šə·ḵê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4900: To draw, drag

iniquity
הֶֽעָוֺ֖ן (he·‘ā·wōn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

with cords
בְּחַבְלֵ֣י (bə·ḥaḇ·lê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

of deceit
הַשָּׁ֑וְא (haš·šāw)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

and pull sin along
חַטָּאָֽה׃ (ḥaṭ·ṭā·’āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

with cart
הָעֲגָלָ֖ה (hā·‘ă·ḡā·lāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5699: Something revolving, a wheeled vehicle

ropes,
וְכַעֲב֥וֹת (wə·ḵa·‘ă·ḇō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 5688: Something intwined, a string, wreath, foliage


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 5:18 Woe to those who draw iniquity (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 5:17
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