Isaiah 1
Modern English Version
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.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth.
For the Lord 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 does not know;
My people do not consider.
4 Alas, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
a brood of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger,
they are estranged and backward.
5 Why should you be beaten again,
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, bruises,
and open sores;
they have not been closed,
nor bandaged, nor 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 the Lord of Hosts
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 the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the law of our God,
you people of Gomorrah:
11 For what purpose is the multitude
of your sacrifices to Me? says the Lord.
I am full of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fat of fed animals.
I do not 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 cannot 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 reach out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
even when you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
put away the evil from your deeds, from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice,
relieve the oppressed;
judge the fatherless,
plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together,
says the Lord.
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 the Lord has spoken it.
The Degenerate City
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 a bribe
and follows after rewards.
They do not defend the fatherless,
nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of Hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel, says:
Ah, I will get relief from My adversaries,
and avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 And I will turn My hand against you,
thoroughly purge away your dross,
and take away all your impurities.
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 the transgressors and sinners shall be together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks
which you have desired,
and you shall be humiliated 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 shall be as tinder,
and his work like a spark;
they will both burn together,
and no one will quench them.
Isaiah 1
American Standard Version
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, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have [a]nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward. 5 [b]Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? [c]the whole head is sick, and [d]the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil. 7 Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, [e]as overthrown by strangers. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye [f]rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the [g]law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12 When ye come [h]to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more [i]vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies,—[j]I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a [k]trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 learn to do well; seek justice, [l]relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: 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 ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
21 How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water. 23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies; 25 and I will [m]turn my hand upon thee, and [n]thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy [o]tin; 26 and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, a faithful town. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and [p]her converts with righteousness. 28 But the [q]destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be ashamed of the [r]oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30 For ye shall be as [s]an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31 And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:2 Or, made great and exalted. See Ezek. 31:4.
- Isaiah 1:5 Or, Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt etc.
- Isaiah 1:5 Or, every
- Isaiah 1:5 Or, every
- Isaiah 1:7 Or, as the overthrow of strangers
- Isaiah 1:10 Or, judges
- Isaiah 1:10 Or, teaching
- Isaiah 1:12 Or, as otherwise read, to see my face
- Isaiah 1:13 Hebrew an oblation of vanity.
- Isaiah 1:13 Or, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting
- Isaiah 1:14 Or, cumbrance
- Isaiah 1:17 Or, set right the oppressor
- Isaiah 1:25 Or, bring my hand again
- Isaiah 1:25 Hebrew as with lye.
- Isaiah 1:25 Or, alloy
- Isaiah 1:27 Or, they that return of her
- Isaiah 1:28 Hebrew breaking.
- Isaiah 1:29 Or, terebinths
- Isaiah 1:30 Or, a terebinth
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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