Isaiah 1
Legacy Standard Bible
Judah, a Sinful Nation
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning (A)Judah and Jerusalem, which he beheld in the days of (B)Uzziah, (C)Jotham, (D)Ahaz, and (E)Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 (F)Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O (G)earth;
For [a]Yahweh speaks,
“(H)Sons I have reared and raised up,
But they have (I)transgressed against Me.
3 An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel (J)does not know;
My people (K)do not perceive.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
People heavy with iniquity,
(L)Seed of evildoers,
Sons who (M)act corruptly!
They have (N)forsaken Yahweh;
They have (O)spurned the Holy One of Israel;
They have [b]become estranged [c]from Him.
5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you (P)continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is (Q)sick,
And the whole heart is faint.
6 (R)From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is (S)nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, wounds, and raw wounds,
(T)Not pressed out, not bandaged,
Not softened with oil.
7 Your (U)land is desolate;
Your cities are burned with fire;
Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;
It is desolate, 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 besieged city.
9 (V)Unless Yahweh of hosts
Had left us a few (W)survivors,
We would be like (X)Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.
10 Hear (Y)the word of Yahweh,
You rulers of (Z)Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah.
11 “(AA)What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?”
Says Yahweh.
“I [d]have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle;
And in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats [e]I take no pleasure.
12 When you come (AB)to appear before Me,
Who requires [f]of you this trampling of My courts?
13 Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
(AC)Incense is an abomination to Me.
(AD)New moon and sabbath, the (AE)calling of convocation—
I cannot (AF)endure wickedness and the solemn assembly.
14 My soul hates your new moon festivals and your (AG)appointed times,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am (AH)weary of bearing them.
15 So when you (AI)spread out your hands in prayer,
(AJ)I will hide My eyes from you;
Indeed, even though you (AK)multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
(AL)Your hands are full of blood.
16 “(AM)Wash yourselves, (AN)purify yourselves;
(AO)Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes.
(AP)Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
(AQ)Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
(AR)Execute justice for the [g]orphan,
Plead for the widow.
18 “Come now, and (AS)let us reason together,”
Says Yahweh,
“(AT)Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.
19 (AU)If you are willing and obey,
You will (AV)eat the best of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be (AW)eaten by the sword.”
For (AX)the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.
Zion Will Be Redeemed with Justice
21 How the faithful city has become a (AY)harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your (AZ)rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone (BA)loves a bribe
And pursues rewards.
They (BB)do not execute justice for the [h]orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of hosts,
The (BC)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will be comforted concerning My adversaries,
And I will (BD)avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 I will also turn My hand against you,
And will (BE)smelt away your dross as with lye
And will remove all your alloy.
26 Then I will have your (BF)judges return as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
Afterwards you will be called the (BG)city of righteousness,
A faithful town.”
27 Zion will be (BH)redeemed with justice
And her [i]repentant ones with righteousness.
28 But [j]transgressors and sinners will be (BI)broken together,
And those who forsake Yahweh will come to an end.
29 For [k]you will be ashamed of the [l](BJ)oaks which you have desired,
And you will be humiliated because of the (BK)gardens which you have chosen.
30 For you will be like [m]an oak whose (BL)leaf withers away
Or as a garden that has no water.
31 And the strong man will become tinder,
His work also a spark.
Thus they shall both (BM)burn together,
And there will be (BN)none to quench them.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
- Isaiah 1:4 Or turned away
- Isaiah 1:4 Lit backward
- Isaiah 1:11 Or am sated with
- Isaiah 1:11 Or I do not desire, cf. Ps 40:6
- Isaiah 1:12 Lit of your hand
- Isaiah 1:17 Or fatherless
- Isaiah 1:23 Or fatherless
- Isaiah 1:27 Or returnees
- Isaiah 1:28 Lit breaking of transgressors and sinners shall be together
- Isaiah 1:29 As in some mss; M.T. they
- Isaiah 1:29 Or terebinths
- Isaiah 1:30 Or a terebinth
Isaiah 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 The vision(A) concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah(B) son of Amoz saw during the reigns[a][b] of Uzziah,(C) Jotham,(D) Ahaz,(E) and Hezekiah,(F) kings of Judah.(G)
Judah on Trial
2 Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth,(H)
for the Lord has spoken:
“I have raised children[c] and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against Me.(I)
3 The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s feeding trough,
but Israel does not know;
My people do not understand.”(J)
4 Oh sinful nation,
people weighed down with iniquity,(K)
brood of evildoers,(L)
depraved children![d]
They have abandoned(M) the Lord;
they have despised(N) the Holy One of Israel;(O)
they have turned their backs on Him.
5 Why do you want more beatings?
Why do you keep on rebelling?
The whole head is hurt,
and the whole heart is sick.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,(P)
no spot is uninjured(Q)—
wounds, welts, and festering sores
not cleansed, bandaged,
or soothed with oil.
7 Your land is desolate,
your cities burned with fire;(R)
foreigners devour your fields
before your very eyes—
a desolation demolished by foreigners.
8 Daughter Zion(S) is abandoned
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a shack in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 If the Lord of Hosts(T)
had not left us a few survivors,(U)
we would be like Sodom,
we would resemble Gomorrah.(V)
10 Hear the word of the Lord,(W)
you rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!(X)
11 “What are all your sacrifices to Me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.(Y)
12 When you come to appear before Me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of My courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings.(Z)
Your incense is detestable to Me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,(AA)
and the calling of solemn assemblies(AB)—
I cannot stand iniquity(AC) with a festival.
14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to Me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer,(AD)
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.(AE)
Your hands are covered with blood.(AF)
Purification of Jerusalem
16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.(AG)
Remove your evil deeds from My sight.
Stop doing evil.(AH)
17 Learn to do what is good.
Seek justice.(AI)
Correct the oppressor.[e]
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.
18 “Come, let us discuss this,”(AJ)
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;(AK)
though they are as red as crimson,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land.(AL)
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”(AM)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(AN)
21 The faithful city—
what an adulteress[f] she has become!
She was once full of justice.
Righteousness once dwelt in her—
but now, murderers!
22 Your silver has become dross,[g]
your beer[h] is diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels,
friends of thieves.(AO)
They all love graft
and chase after bribes.(AP)
They do not defend the rights of the fatherless,
and the widow’s case never comes before them.(AQ)
24 Therefore the Lord God of Hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
“Ah, I will gain satisfaction from My foes;
I will take revenge against My enemies.(AR)
25 I will turn My hand against you(AS)
and will burn away your dross[i] completely;[j]
I will remove all your impurities.(AT)
26 I will restore your judges(AU) to what they once were,[k]
and your advisers to their former state.[l]
Afterward you will be called the Righteous City,(AV)
a Faithful City.”
27 Zion will be redeemed by justice,
her repentant ones by righteousness.(AW)
28 But both rebels and sinners will be destroyed,
and those who abandon the Lord will perish.
29 Indeed, they[m] will be ashamed of the sacred trees
you desired,(AX)
and you will be embarrassed because of the gardens
you have chosen.(AY)
30 For you will become like an oak
whose leaves are withered,
and like a garden without water.(AZ)
31 The strong one will become tinder,
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,(BA)
with no one to quench the flames.(BB)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:1 Lit saw in the days
- Isaiah 1:1 ca 792–686 b.c.
- Isaiah 1:2 Or sons
- Isaiah 1:4 Or sons
- Isaiah 1:17 Or Aid the oppressed
- Isaiah 1:21 Or prostitute
- Isaiah 1:22 Or burnished lead
- Isaiah 1:22 Or wine
- Isaiah 1:25 Or burnished lead
- Isaiah 1:25 Lit dross as with lye
- Isaiah 1:26 Lit judges as at the first
- Isaiah 1:26 Lit advisers as at the beginning
- Isaiah 1:29 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, Tg read you
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.