Isaiah 1:21 (LSB)

Passage

How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obey, You will eat the best of the land;

Isaiah 1:20 But if you refuse and rebel, You will be eaten by the sword.” For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.

Isaiah 1:21 How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Isaiah 1:22 Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water.

Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And pursues rewards. They do not execute justice for the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "faithful", "city", "become", "harlot", "full", "justice", and "righteousness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "faithful", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "But if you refuse and rebel You..." into verse 22's "Your silver has become dross Your drink...", so "faith" and "faithful" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "faith" and "faithful" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.