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Judah, a Sinful Nation

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.

(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.
An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel (J)does not know;
My people (K)do not perceive.”

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.

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.
(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.

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.
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.
(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

  1. Isaiah 1:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  2. Isaiah 1:4 Or turned away
  3. Isaiah 1:4 Lit backward
  4. Isaiah 1:11 Or am sated with
  5. Isaiah 1:11 Or I do not desire, cf. Ps 40:6
  6. Isaiah 1:12 Lit of your hand
  7. Isaiah 1:17 Or fatherless
  8. Isaiah 1:23 Or fatherless
  9. Isaiah 1:27 Or returnees
  10. Isaiah 1:28 Lit breaking of transgressors and sinners shall be together
  11. Isaiah 1:29 As in some mss; M.T. they
  12. Isaiah 1:29 Or terebinths
  13. Isaiah 1:30 Or a terebinth

The vision(A) concerning Judah and Jerusalem(B) that Isaiah son of Amoz saw(C) during the reigns of Uzziah,(D) Jotham,(E) Ahaz(F) and Hezekiah,(G) kings of Judah.

A Rebellious Nation

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!(H)
    For the Lord has spoken:(I)
“I reared children(J) and brought them up,
    but they have rebelled(K) against me.
The ox knows(L) its master,
    the donkey its owner’s manger,(M)
but Israel does not know,(N)
    my people do not understand.(O)

Woe to the sinful nation,
    a people whose guilt is great,(P)
a brood of evildoers,(Q)
    children given to corruption!(R)
They have forsaken(S) the Lord;
    they have spurned the Holy One(T) of Israel
    and turned their backs(U) on him.

Why should you be beaten(V) anymore?
    Why do you persist(W) in rebellion?(X)
Your whole head is injured,
    your whole heart(Y) afflicted.(Z)
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head(AA)
    there is no soundness(AB)
only wounds and welts(AC)
    and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged(AD)
    or soothed with olive oil.(AE)

Your country is desolate,(AF)
    your cities burned with fire;(AG)
your fields are being stripped by foreigners(AH)
    right before you,
    laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.(AI)
Daughter Zion(AJ) is left(AK)
    like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut(AL) in a cucumber field,
    like a city under siege.
Unless the Lord Almighty
    had left us some survivors,(AM)
we would have become like Sodom,
    we would have been like Gomorrah.(AN)

10 Hear the word of the Lord,(AO)
    you rulers of Sodom;(AP)
listen to the instruction(AQ) of our God,
    you people of Gomorrah!(AR)
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
    what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
    of rams and the fat of fattened animals;(AS)
I have no pleasure(AT)
    in the blood of bulls(AU) and lambs and goats.(AV)
12 When you come to appear before me,
    who has asked this of you,(AW)
    this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!(AX)
    Your incense(AY) is detestable(AZ) to me.
New Moons,(BA) Sabbaths and convocations(BB)
    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon(BC) feasts and your appointed festivals(BD)
    I hate with all my being.(BE)
They have become a burden to me;(BF)
    I am weary(BG) of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands(BH) in prayer,
    I hide(BI) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.(BJ)

Your hands(BK) are full of blood!(BL)

16 Wash(BM) and make yourselves clean.
    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;(BN)
    stop doing wrong.(BO)
17 Learn to do right;(BP) seek justice.(BQ)
    Defend the oppressed.[a](BR)
Take up the cause of the fatherless;(BS)
    plead the case of the widow.(BT)

18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”(BU)
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;(BV)
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.(BW)
19 If you are willing and obedient,(BX)
    you will eat the good things of the land;(BY)
20 but if you resist and rebel,(BZ)
    you will be devoured by the sword.”(CA)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(CB)

21 See how the faithful city
    has become a prostitute!(CC)
She once was full of justice;
    righteousness(CD) used to dwell in her—
    but now murderers!(CE)
22 Your silver has become dross,(CF)
    your choice wine is diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels,(CG)
    partners with thieves;(CH)
they all love bribes(CI)
    and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
    the widow’s case does not come before them.(CJ)

24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    the Mighty One(CK) of Israel, declares:
“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes
    and avenge(CL) myself on my enemies.(CM)
25 I will turn my hand against you;[b](CN)
    I will thoroughly purge(CO) away your dross(CP)
    and remove all your impurities.(CQ)
26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old,(CR)
    your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called(CS)
    the City of Righteousness,(CT)
    the Faithful City.(CU)

27 Zion will be delivered with justice,
    her penitent(CV) ones with righteousness.(CW)
28 But rebels and sinners(CX) will both be broken,
    and those who forsake(CY) the Lord will perish.(CZ)

29 “You will be ashamed(DA) because of the sacred oaks(DB)
    in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardens(DC)
    that you have chosen.
30 You will be like an oak with fading leaves,(DD)
    like a garden without water.
31 The mighty man will become tinder
    and his work a spark;
both will burn together,
    with no one to quench the fire.(DE)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:17 Or justice. / Correct the oppressor
  2. Isaiah 1:25 That is, against Jerusalem