Isaiah 1

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The Wickedness of Judah

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its masters crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.5 Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints.6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? Says the Lord. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.12 When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.18 Come now, and let us reason together, Says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The Degenerate City

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers.22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water.23 Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.24 Therefore the Lord says, The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies.25 I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy.26 I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness.28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees Which you have desired; And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens Which you have chosen.30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades, And as a garden that has no water.31 The strong shall be as tinder, And the work of it as a spark; Both will burn together, And no one shall quench them.

Isaiah 1

Heading

1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalems that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.ts

Obedience, not Sacrifice

2 Listen, O heavens,
pay attention, O earth!s
For the Lord speaks:
“I raised children,ts I brought them up,s
buts they have rebelleds against me!

3 An ox recognizes its owner,
a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food;t
but Israel does not recognize me,t
my people do not understand.”

4 s The sinful nation is as good as dead,t
the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong,
childrent who do wicked things.
They have abandoned the Lord,
and rejected the Holy One of Israel.s
They are alienated from him.t

5 s Why do you insist on being battered?
Why do you continue to rebel?t
Your head has a massive wound,t
your whole body is weak.t

6 From the soles of your feet to your head,
there is no spot that is unharmed.t
There are only bruises, cuts,
and open wounds.
They have not been cleansedt or bandaged,
nor have they been treatedt with olive oil.s

7 Your land is devastated,
your cities burned with fire.
Right before your eyes your crops
are being destroyed by foreign invaders.t
They leave behind devastation and destruction.t

8 Daughter Ziont is left isolated,
like a hut in a vineyard,
or a shelter in a cucumber field;
she is a besieged city.t

9 If the Lord who commands armiest had not left us a few survivors,
we would have quickly become like Sodom,s
we would have become like Gomorrah.

10 Listen to the Lord’s word,
you leaders of Sodom!s
Pay attention to our God’s rebuke,t
people of Gomorrah!

11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?”ts
says the Lord.
“I am stuffed witht burnt sacrifices
of rams and the fat from steers.
The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats
I do not want.s

12 When you enter my presence,
do you actually think I want this –
animals trampling on my courtyards?t

13 Do not bring any more meaninglesst offerings;
I consider your incense detestable!s
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!t

14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;
they are a burden
that I am tired of carrying.

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I look the other way;t
when you offer your many prayers,
I do not listen,
because your hands are covered with blood.s

16 s Wash! Cleanse yourselves!
Remove your sinful deedss
from my sight.
Stop sinning!

17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!t
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow!t

18 s Come, let’s consider your options,”t says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can becomet white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can becomet white like wool.t

19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,t
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoureds by the sword.”
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.t

Purifying Judgment

21 How tragic that the once-faithful city
has become a prostitute!t
She was once a center oft justice,
fairness resided in her,
but now only murderers.t

22 Yourt silver has become scum,t
your beer is diluted with water.s

23 Your officials are rebels,t
they associate witht thieves.
All of them love bribery,
and look fort payoffs.s
They do not take up the cause of the orphan,s
or defend the rights of the widow.s

24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies,t
the powerful ruler of Israel,t says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeancet against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies.s

25 I will attack you;t
I will purify your metal with flux.t
I will remove all your slag.s

26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,
wise advisers as in earlier days.t
Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,
Faithful Town.’”

27 s Zion will be freed by justice,t
and her returnees by righteousness.s

28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered,t
those who abandon the Lord will perish.

29 Indeed, theys will be ashamed of the sacred trees
yout find so desirable;
you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchardst
where you choose to worship.

30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,
like an orchardt that is unwatered.

31 The powerful will be liket a thread of yarn,
their deeds like a spark;
both will burn together,
and no one will put out the fire.