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This is the vision which Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem at the time of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

The Lord Accuses Israel of Sin

Listen, heaven, and pay attention, earth!
    Yahweh has spoken,
        “I raised my children and helped them grow,
            but they have rebelled against me.
Oxen know their owners,
    and donkeys know where their masters feed them.
    But Israel doesn’t know its owner.
    My people don’t understand who feeds them.

“How horrible it will be for a nation that sins.
    Its people are loaded down with guilt.
        They are descendants of evildoers
            and destructive children.
    They have abandoned Yahweh.
    They have despised Qedosh Yisrael.
    They have turned their backs on him.

“Why do you still want to be beaten?
    Why do you continue to rebel?
    Your whole head is infected.
    Your whole heart is failing.
From the bottom of your feet to the top of your head
    there is no healthy spot left on your body—
        only bruises, sores, and fresh wounds.
            They haven’t been cleansed, bandaged,
                or soothed with oil.

“Your country is devastated.
    Your cities are burned down.
    Your fields are destroyed right before your eyes by foreigners.
    Your fields are devastated and taken over by foreigners.
My people Zion are left like a hut in a vineyard,
    like a shack in a cucumber field,
    like a city under attack.”

If Yahweh Tsebaoth hadn’t left us a few survivors,
    we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Israel’s Corrupt Religion

10 Listen to the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom!
    Pay attention to the teachings from our Elohim, you people of Gomorrah!
11 Yahweh asks, “What do your many animal sacrifices mean to me?
    I’ve had enough of your burnt offerings of rams
        and enough fat from your fattened calves.
    I’m not pleased with the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats.
12 When you appear in my presence,
    who asked you to trample on my courtyards?
13 Don’t bring any more worthless grain offerings.
    Your incense is disgusting to me,
    so are your New Moon Festivals, your days of worship,
        and the assemblies you call.
    I can’t stand your evil assemblies.
14 I hate your New Moon Festivals and your appointed festivals.
    They’ve become a burden to me,
        and I’m tired of putting up with them.
15 So when you stretch out your hands in prayer,
    I will turn my eyes away from you.
    Even though you offer many prayers,
    I will not listen because your hands are covered with blood.

The Lord Invites Israel to Turn Away from Sin

16 “Wash yourselves! Become clean!
    Get your evil deeds out of my sight.
    Stop doing evil.
17 Learn to do good.
    Seek justice.
    Arrest oppressors.
    Defend orphans.
    Plead the case of widows.”

18 “Come on now, let’s discuss this!” says Yahweh.
    “Though your sins are bright red,
    they will become as white as snow.
    Though they are dark red,
    they will become as white as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the best from the land.
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
    you will be destroyed by swords.”
    Yahweh has spoken.

Jerusalem’s Future

21 How the faithful town has become a prostitute!
    She was full of justice,
        and righteousness lived in her.
            But now murderers live there!
22 Your silver is not pure.
    Your wine is watered down.
23 Your rulers are rebels, friends with thieves.
    They all love bribes and run after gifts.
    They never defend orphans.
    They don’t notice the widows’ pleas.

24 That’s why Adonay, Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Mighty One of Israel, says,

“How horrible it will be when I take revenge on my opponents!
    I will avenge myself against my enemies.
25 I will turn my power against you.
    I will remove your impurities with bleach.
    I will get rid of all your impurities.
26 I will give you judges like you had long ago,
    advisers like you had in the beginning.
    After that you will be called the Righteous City,
    the Faithful Town.”

27 Zion will be pardoned by the Lord’s justice,
    and those who return will be pardoned
        by the Lord’s righteousness.
28 Rebels and sinners will be crushed at the same time,
    and those who abandon Yahweh will come to an end.
29 You will be ashamed of the oaks that you wanted to worship
    and embarrassed by the garden that you have chosen for your gods.
30 You will be like an oak whose leaves wither
    and like a garden without water.
31 Strong people will become tinder for a fire,
    and their work will be the spark.
    Both of them will burn together,
    and there will be no one to put out the fire.

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.

Hear, heavens,
    and listen, earth; for Yahweh[a] has spoken:
“I have nourished and brought up children
    and they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows his owner,
    and the donkey his master’s crib;
    but Israel doesn’t know.
    My people don’t consider.”
Ah sinful nation,
    a people loaded with iniquity,
    offspring[b] of evildoers,
    children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken Yahweh.
    They have despised the Holy One of Israel.
    They are estranged and backward.
Why should you be beaten more,
    that you revolt more and more?
The whole head is sick,
    and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it,
    but wounds, welts, and open sores.
    They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
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.
The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
    like a hut in a field of melons,
    like a besieged city.
Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant,
    we would have been as Sodom.
    We would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom!
    Listen to the law of our God,[c] you people of Gomorrah!
11 “What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh.
    “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fed animals.
    I don’t 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 can’t stand 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 spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
    Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
    Your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean.
    Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
    Cease to do evil.
17 Learn to do well.
    Seek justice.
    Relieve the oppressed.
Defend the fatherless.
    Plead for the widow.”

18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh:
    “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
    Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the good of the land;
20     but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword;
    for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it.”

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute!
    She was full of justice.
Righteousness lodged in her,
    but now there are murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
    your wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves.
    Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards.
    They don’t defend the fatherless,
    neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

24 Therefore the Lord,[d] Yahweh of Armies,
    the Mighty One of Israel, says:
“Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries,
    and avenge myself on my enemies.
25 I will turn my hand on you,
    thoroughly purge away your dross,
    and will take away all your tin.[e]
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 transgressors and sinners shall be together,
    and those who forsake Yahweh shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
    and you shall be confounded 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 will be like tinder,
    and his work like a spark.
They will both burn together,
    and no one will quench them.”

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
  2. 1:4 or, seed
  3. 1:10 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
  4. 1:24 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
  5. 1:25 tin is a metal that is separated from silver during the refining and purification process.

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.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full 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 to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear 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 judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith 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 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 the Lord hath spoken it.

21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; 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 gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord 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 turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy 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, the faithful city.

27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.