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10 “Listen to what the Lord says,
    you rulers of Sodom,
and[a] pay attention to the teaching of our God,
    you people of Gomorrah!

11 “How do your voluminous sacrifices benefit me?”
    the Lord is asking.
“I’ve had enough of burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts.
I don’t enjoy the blood of bulls,
    lambs, or goats.

12 “When you come to present yourselves in my presence,[b]
    who has required you
        to trample on my courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings!
    Incense is detestable to me,
as are your New Moons, Sabbaths, and calling of convocations.
    I cannot stand iniquity within[c] a solemn assembly.
14 As for your New Moons and your appointed festivals,
    I abhor[d] them.
They’ve become a burden to me;
    I’ve grown weary of carrying that burden.[e]
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,[f]
    I’ll hide my eyes from you.
Even though you pray repeatedly,
    I won’t listen.
Your hands are full of blood,
    your fingers drenched[g] with iniquity.”[h]

An Invitation to Reconciliation

16 “Wash yourselves,
    and[i] make yourselves clean;
remove your evil behavior
    from my presence;
        stop practicing what is evil.
17 Learn to practice what is good;
    seek justice,
alleviate oppression,[j]
    defend orphans[k] in court,
        and[l] plead the widow’s case.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:10 So 1:10 1QIsaa Syr; MT LXX Targ Vulgate lack and
  2. Isaiah 1:12 Lit. come for my face to appear
  3. Isaiah 1:13 Lit. and
  4. Isaiah 1:14 Lit. festivals, my soul abhors
  5. Isaiah 1:14 Lit. carrying them
  6. Isaiah 1:15 DSS MT lack in prayer
  7. Isaiah 1:15 DSS lack drenched
  8. Isaiah 1:15 MT 4QIsaf lack this line
  9. Isaiah 1:16 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsaf MT lack and
  10. Isaiah 1:17 Or rescue the oppressed
  11. Isaiah 1:17 Or defend the fatherless
  12. Isaiah 1:17 DSS MT lack and

10 Hear the word of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom!
    Listen to the teaching of our God, people of Gomorrah!
11 What is the abundance of your sacrifices to me? says Yahweh.
    I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
        and the fat of fattened animals
    and I do not delight in the blood of bulls
        and ram-lambs and goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
    who asked for this from your hand:
    you trampling my courts?
13 You must not continue[a] to bring offerings[b] of futility,
    incense—it is an abomination to me;
new moon and Sabbath, the calling of a convocation—
    I cannot endure iniquity with solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates;
    they have become to me like a burden,
    I am not able to bear them.
15 And when you stretch out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,[c]
    I will not be listening.
Your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash! Make yourselves clean!
    Remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes!
Cease to do evil! 17 Learn to do good!
    Seek justice! Rescue the oppressed!
    Defend the orphan! Plead for the widow!

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 1:13 Literally “increase” or “add to”
  2. Isaiah 1:13 Hebrew “offering”
  3. Isaiah 1:15 Hebrew “prayer”