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Accusation and Appeal

[a]Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth,
    for the Lord speaks:
Sons have I raised and reared,
    but they have rebelled against me!(A)
An ox knows its owner,
    and an ass,[b] its master’s manger;
But Israel does not know,
    my people has not understood.(B)
Ah![c] Sinful nation, people laden with wickedness,
    evil offspring, corrupt children!
They have forsaken the Lord,
    spurned the Holy One of Israel,
    apostatized,(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:2–31 This chapter is widely considered to be a collection of oracles from various periods in Isaiah’s ministry, chosen by the editor as a compendium of his most characteristic teachings.
  2. 1:3 Ox…ass: Isaiah uses animals proverbial for their stupidity and stubbornness to underline Israel’s failure to respond to God. Israel: a term Isaiah (and other prophets) frequently applies to Judah, especially after the fall of the Northern Kingdom (which Isaiah normally calls Ephraim, as in 7:2, 9, 17; 9:8), but sometimes applies to the entire chosen people, as in 8:14.
  3. 1:4 Ah: see note on 5:8–24. Holy One of Israel: a title used frequently in the Book of Isaiah, rarely elsewhere in the Old Testament (see 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11, 12, 15; 31:1; 37:23; 41:14, 16, 20; 43:3, 14; 45:11; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 54:5; 55:5; 60:9, 14).

A Rebellious Nation

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!(A)
    For the Lord has spoken:(B)
“I reared children(C) and brought them up,
    but they have rebelled(D) against me.
The ox knows(E) its master,
    the donkey its owner’s manger,(F)
but Israel does not know,(G)
    my people do not understand.(H)

Woe to the sinful nation,
    a people whose guilt is great,(I)
a brood of evildoers,(J)
    children given to corruption!(K)
They have forsaken(L) the Lord;
    they have spurned the Holy One(M) of Israel
    and turned their backs(N) on him.

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12 Go, proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

Return, rebel Israel—oracle of the Lord
    I will not remain angry with you;
For I am merciful, oracle of the Lord,
    I will not keep my anger forever.(A)

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12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:(A)

“‘Return,(B) faithless(C) Israel,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’(D) declares the Lord,
    ‘I will not be angry(E) forever.

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