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
Revised Standard Version
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi′ah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki′ah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
“Sons have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its owner,
and the ass its master’s crib;
but Israel does not know,
my people does not understand.”
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
sons who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
5 Why will you still be smitten,
that you continue to rebel?
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,
but bruises and sores
and bleeding wounds;
they are not pressed out, or bound up,
or softened with oil.
7 Your country lies desolate,
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
aliens devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomor′rah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomor′rah!
11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of he-goats.
12 “When you come to appear before me,
who requires of you
this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread forth your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
defend the fatherless,
plead for the widow.
18 “Come now, 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 become like 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,
she that 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 rebels
and companions of thieves.
Every one loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not defend the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.
24 Therefore the Lord says,
the Lord of hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will vent my wrath on my enemies,
and avenge myself on my foes.
25 I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
26 And 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 by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
28 But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 For you shall be ashamed of the oaks
in which you delighted;
and you shall blush for the gardens
which you have chosen.
30 For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
31 And the strong shall become tow,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them.
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Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.