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.

2 Hear, heavens,
and listen, earth; for Yahweht has spoken:
“I have nourished and brought up children,
and they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his owner,
and the donkey his master’s crib;
but Israel doesn’t know,
my people don’t consider.”
4 Ah sinful nation,
a people loaded with iniquity,
a seed of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken Yahweh.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel.
They are estranged and backward.
5 Why should you be beaten more,
that you revolt more and more?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it:
wounds, welts, and open sores.
They haven’t been closed, neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil.
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 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut in a field of melons,
like a besieged city.
9 Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant,
we would have been as Sodom;
we would have been like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our Godt, you people of Gomorrah!
11 “What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?,” says Yahweh.
“I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fat of fed animals.
I don’t delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs,
or of male goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings.
Incense is an abomination to me;
new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:
I can’t bear with evil assemblies.
14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.
They are a burden to me.
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil.
17 Learn to do well.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Judge the fatherless.
Plead for the widow.”

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh:
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be 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 with the sword;
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute!
She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her,
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 don’t judge the fatherless,
neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Therefore the Lord,t Yahweh of Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, says:
“Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries,
and avenge myself of my enemies;
25 and I will turn my hand on you,
thoroughly purge away your dross,
and will take away all your tin.
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,
a faithful town.’
27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
and her converts with righteousness.
28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together,
and those who forsake Yahweh shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
30 For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades,
and as a garden that has no water.
31 The strong will be like tinder,
and his work like a spark.
They will both burn together,
and no one will 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.