Isaiah 1

1The 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.[#6:1; #Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1; #2 Kgs. 15:1, 72 Chr. 26; #2 Kgs. 15:32-38; 2 Chr. 27; #7:1, 3, 10, 12; 14:28; 2 Kgs. 16; 2 Chr. 28; #37:2–39:8; 2 Kgs. 18–20; 2 Chr. 29–32]

The Wickedness of Judah

2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;[#Deut. 32:1; Deut. 4:26; #Mic. 1:2; 6:2]

for the Lord has spoken:

“Children have I reared and brought up,

but they have rebelled against me.

3The ox knows its owner,[#Jer. 8:7]

and the donkey its master’s crib,

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.”

4Ah, sinful nation,

a people laden with iniquity,

offspring of evildoers,

children who deal corruptly!

They have forsaken the Lord ,

they have despised the Holy One of Israel,

they are utterly estranged.

5Why will you still be struck down?[#Jer. 5:3; 9:13]

Why will you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

and the whole heart faint.

6From the sole of the foot even to the head,[#Ps. 38:3]

there is no soundness in it,

but bruises and sores

and raw wounds;

they are not pressed out or bound up

or softened with oil.

7Your country lies desolate;[#5:5; 6:11, 12; Deut. 28:51, 52]

your cities are burned with fire;

in your very presence

foreigners devour your land;

it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

8And the daughter of Zion is left[#10:32; 37:22; Zech. 2:10; 9:9]

like a booth in a vineyard,

like a lodge in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.

9If the Lord of hosts[#Lam. 3:22]

had not left us a few survivors,

we should have been like Sodom,

and become like Gomorrah.

10Hear the word of the Lord ,

you rulers of Sodom!

Give ear to the teaching of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!

11“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?[#Prov. 15:8; Jer. 6:20; Mal. 1:10; 66:3]

says the Lord ;

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of well-fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.

12“When you come to appear before me,[#Ex. 23:17; 34:23]

who has required of you

this trampling of my courts?

13Bring no more vain offerings;

incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—

I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

14Your new moons and your appointed feasts[#13]

my soul hates;

they have become a burden to me;

I am weary of bearing them.

15When you spread out your hands,[#1 Kgs. 8:22]

I will hide my eyes from you;

even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;[#Jer. 2:22]

remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;

cease to do evil,

17learn to do good;

seek justice,

correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow’s cause.

18“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord :[#Mic. 6:2; 43:26; #1:18 Or dispute]

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool.

19If you are willing and obedient,[#Deut. 30:15, 16]

you shall eat the good of the land;

20but if you refuse and rebel,

you shall be eaten by the sword;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

The Unfaithful City

21How the faithful city

has become a whore,

she who was full of justice!

Righteousness lodged in her,

but now murderers.

22Your silver has become dross,[#Jer. 6:30; Ezek. 22:18]

your best wine mixed with water.

23Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not bring justice to the fatherless,

and the widow’s cause does not come to them.

24Therefore the Lord declares,[#3:1; 10:33]

the Lord of hosts,

the Mighty One of Israel:

“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies

and avenge myself on my foes.

25I will turn my hand against you[#Ps. 81:14; Amos 1:8; 5:25]

and will smelt away your dross as with lye

and remove all your alloy.

26And I will restore your judges as at the first,[#Jer. 33:7, 11]

and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city.”

27Zion shall be redeemed by justice,[#Jer. 22:3, 4]

and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

28But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,[#Job 31:3; Ps. 1:6]

and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks[#Hos. 4:19; #1:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts; #57:5; Hos. 4:13]

that you desired;

and you shall blush for the gardens

that you have chosen.

30For you shall be like an oak[#Jer. 17:8]

whose leaf withers,

and like a garden without water.

31And the strong shall become tinder,[#Judg. 16:9]

and his work a spark,

and both of them shall burn together,

with none to quench them.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Published by: Crossway / Good News Publishers