ישעיהו, פרק י׳, פסוק א׳

A corrupt justice system turns the very laws meant to protect the weak into tools of exploitation. A harsh warning and expression of deep sorrow is directed at the judges and their scribes, lamenting a society where injustice becomes institutionalized and officially recorded [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

In the ancient world, writing began by engraving words into stone, an act that symbolized permanence and eternity [שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The prophecy rebukes those who use this permanent medium to establish rules of sin and crime. There are two primary ways commentators understand who these individuals are. One approach suggests they are the lawmakers and judges themselves, who abuse their power and authority to create twisted laws designed to harm others and pervert justice [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, other scholars explain that this refers to the scribes of the courts, who draft forged documents, false claims, and unfair verdicts [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

The focus then shifts to the specific relationship between the judges and their scribes, and the production of these documents of crime and injustice [אבן עזרא, שד״ל, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that the judges first twist the law, and then command their scribes to record the corrupt verdict to give it official validity [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. Another perspective views this not as a command given to others, but as a description of the routine, daily work of the court officials, whose regular occupation is drafting unjust rulings [שד״ל]. Expanding on the scribes' role, another view suggests they intentionally write unnecessarily long legal documents simply to inflate court costs and extort money from those standing trial [אברבנאל]. Finally, a unique opinion understands the recording of these injustices not as an action, but as a direct reference to the physical letters and legal documents themselves [רש״י].