1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the ①reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
▷ ①Lit days
1:2 Listen, heavens, and hear, earth;
For the LORD has spoken:
“Sons I have raised and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
1:3 An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”
1:4 Oh, sinful nation,
People weighed down with guilt,
①Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away ②from Him.
▷ ①Lit Seed ②Lit backward
1:5 Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The entire head is sick
And the entire heart is faint.
1:6 From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing healthy in it,
Only bruises, slashes, and raw wounds;
Not pressed out nor bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.
1:7 Your land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire;
As for your fields, strangers are devouring them in front of you;
It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.
1:8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a city under watch.
1:9 If the LORD of armies
Had not left us a few survivors,
We would be like Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.
1:10 Hear the word of the LORD,
You rulers of Sodom;
Listen to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah!
1:11 “What are your many sacrifices to Me?”
Says the LORD.
“I ①have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fattened cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.
▷ ①Or am sated with
1:12 When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires ①of you this trampling of My courtyards?
▷ ①Lit of your hand
1:13 Do not go on bringing your worthless offerings,
Incense is an abomination to Me.
New moon and Sabbath, the proclamation of an assembly—
I cannot endure wrongdoing and the festive assembly.
1:14 ①I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am tired of bearing them.
▷ ①Lit My soul hates
1:15 So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you offer many prayers,
I will not be listening.
Your hands are ①covered with blood.
▷ ①Lit full of
1:16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Stop doing evil,
1:17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor,
Obtain justice for the orphan,
Plead for the widow’s case.
1:18 “Come now, and let us ①debate your case,”
Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.
▷ ①Or argue
1:19 If you are willing and obedient,
You will eat the best of the land;
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
1:21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once dwelt in her,
But now murderers.
1:22 Your silver has become ①waste matter,
Your drink diluted with water.
▷ ①Lit dross
1:23 Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after gifts.
They do not obtain justice for the ①orphan,
Nor does the widow’s case come before them.
▷ ①Or fatherless
1:24 Therefore the Lord ①GOD of armies,
The Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will have satisfaction against My adversaries,
And avenge Myself on My enemies.
▷ ①Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD
1:25 I will also turn My hand against you,
And smelt away your impurities as with lye;
And I will remove all your slag.
1:26 Then I will restore your judges as at first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”
1:27 Zion will be redeemed with justice
And her ①repentant ones with righteousness.
▷ ①Or returning
1:28 But ①wrongdoers and sinners together will be broken,
And those who abandon the LORD will come to an end.
▷ ①Lit a breaking of wrongdoers and sinners together
1:29 ①You certainly will be ashamed of the ②oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed by the gardens which you have chosen.
▷ ①As in some mss; MT They ②Or terebinths
1:30 For you will be like an ①oak whose leaf withers away,
Or like a garden that has no water.
▷ ①Or terebinth
1:31 The strong man will become like ①flax fiber,
And his work a spark.
So they shall both burn together
And there will be no one to extinguish them.
▷ ①Lit tow