Rebellion of God’s People
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the [a]reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Listen, heavens, and hear, earth;
For the Lord has spoken:
“Sons I have raised and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
3 An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”
4 Oh, sinful nation,
People weighed down with guilt,
[b]Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the Lord,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away [c]from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The entire head is sick
And the entire heart is faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing healthy in it,
Only bruises, slashes, and raw wounds;
Not pressed out nor bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.
7 Your land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire;
As for your fields, strangers are devouring them in front of you;
It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.
8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a city under watch.
9 If the Lord of armies
Had not left us a few survivors,
We would be like Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.
God Has Had Enough
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
You rulers of Sodom;
Listen to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah!
11 “What are your many sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I [d]have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fattened cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.
12 When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires [e]of you this trampling of My courtyards?
13 Do not go on bringing your worthless offerings,
Incense is an abomination to Me.
New moon and Sabbath, the proclamation of an assembly—
I cannot endure wrongdoing and the festive assembly.
14 [f]I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am tired of bearing them.
15 So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you offer many prayers,
I will not be listening.
Your hands are [g]covered with blood.
16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Stop doing evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor,
Obtain justice for the orphan,
Plead for the widow’s case.
Invitation to Debate
18 “Come now, and let us [h]debate your case,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You will eat the best of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Zion Corrupted; Will Be Redeemed
21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once dwelt in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become [i]waste matter,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after gifts.
They do not obtain justice for the [j]orphan,
Nor does the widow’s case come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord [k]God of armies,
The Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will have satisfaction against My adversaries,
And avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 I will also turn My hand against you,
And smelt away your impurities as with lye;
And I will remove all your slag.
26 Then I will restore your judges as at first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”
27 Zion will be redeemed with justice
And her [l]repentant ones with righteousness.
28 But [m]wrongdoers and sinners together will be broken,
And those who abandon the Lord will come to an end.
29 [n]You certainly will be ashamed of the [o]oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed by the gardens which you have chosen.
30 For you will be like an [p]oak whose leaf withers away,
Or like a garden that has no water.
31 The strong man will become like [q]flax fiber,
And his work a spark.
So they shall both burn together
And there will be no one to extinguish them.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:1 Lit days
- Isaiah 1:4 Lit Seed
- Isaiah 1:4 Lit backward
- Isaiah 1:11 Or am sated with
- Isaiah 1:12 Lit of your hand
- Isaiah 1:14 Lit My soul hates
- Isaiah 1:15 Lit full of
- Isaiah 1:18 Or argue
- Isaiah 1:22 Lit dross
- Isaiah 1:23 Or fatherless
- Isaiah 1:24 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 1:27 Or returning
- Isaiah 1:28 Lit a breaking of wrongdoers and sinners together
- Isaiah 1:29 As in some mss; MT They
- Isaiah 1:29 Or terebinths
- Isaiah 1:30 Or terebinth
- Isaiah 1:31 Lit tow