Isaiah 1
1
1The vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw in the days of Judah’s kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
Rebels condemned
2Hear you heavens, and listen earth,
for the LORD has spoken:
I reared children; I raised them,
and they turned against me!
3An ox knows its owner,
and a donkey its master’s feeding trough.
But Israel doesn’t know;
my people don’t behave intelligently.
4Doom! Sinful nation, people weighed down with crimes,
evildoing offspring, corrupt children!
They have abandoned the LORD,
despised the holy one of Israel;
they turned their backs on God.
5Why do you invite further beatings?
Why continue to rebel?
Everyone’s head throbs,
and everyone’s heart fails.
6From head to toe, none are well—
only bruises, cuts, and raw wounds,
not treated, not bandaged,
not soothed with oil.
7Your country is deserted,
your cities burned with fire;
your land—strangers are devouring it in plain sight.
It’s a wasteland, as when foreigners raid.
8Daughter Zion is left like a small shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut in a cucumber field,
like a city besieged.#1.8 LXX, Vulg; MT spared
9If the LORD of heavenly forces had not spared a few of us,
we would be like Sodom; we would resemble Gomorrah.
Hands filled with bloodshed
10Hear the LORD’s word, you leaders of Sodom.
Listen to our God’s teaching,
people of Gomorrah!
11What should I think about all your sacrifices?
says the LORD.
I’m fed up with entirely burned offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts.
I don’t want the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats.
12When you come to appear before me,
who asked this from you,
this trampling of my temple’s courts?
13Stop bringing worthless offerings.
Your incense repulses me.
New moon, sabbath, and the calling of an assembly—
I can’t stand wickedness with celebration!
14I hate your new moons and your festivals.
They’ve become a burden that I’m tired of bearing.
15When you extend your hands,
I’ll hide my eyes from you.
Even when you pray for a long time,
I won’t listen.
Your hands are stained with blood.
16Wash! Be clean!
Remove your ugly deeds from my sight.
Put an end to such evil;
17learn to do good.
Seek justice:
help the oppressed;#1.17 LXX, Vulg; MT lead the oppressor
defend the orphan;
plead for the widow.
18Come now, and let’s settle this,
says the LORD.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they will be white as snow.
If they are red as crimson,
they will become like wool.
19If you agree and obey,
you will eat the best food of the land.
20But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.
The LORD has said this.
Zion will be redeemed
21This faithful town has become a prostitute!
She was full of justice;
righteousness lived in her—
but now murderers.
22Your silver has become impure;
your beer is diluted with water.
23Your princes are rebels,
companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe and pursues gifts.
They don’t defend the orphan,
and the widow’s cause never reaches them.
24Therefore, says the LORD God of heavenly forces,
the mighty one of Israel:
Doom! I will vent my anger against my foes;
I will take it out on my enemies,
25and I will turn my hand against you.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
and remove all your cinders.
26Then I will restore your judges as in earlier times,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
After this you will be called Righteous City, Faithful Town.
27Zion will be redeemed by justice,
and those who change their lives by righteousness.
28But God will shatter rebels and sinners alike;
those who abandon the LORD will be finished.
29You will be ashamed of the oaks you once desired,
and embarrassed by the gardens you once chose.
30You will be like an oak with withering leaves,
like a garden without water.
31The strong will be like dry twigs,
their deeds like sparks;
the two will burn together,
with no one to extinguish them.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 1
1
1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2Hear, ye heavens, and give ear, thou earth! for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children; and they have rebelled against me. 3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; Israel doth not know, my people hath no intelligence. 4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that corrupt themselves! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they are turned away backward. 5Why should ye be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him; wounds, and weals, and open sores: they have not been dressed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil. 7Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers eat it up in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8And the daughter of Zion is left, as a booth in a vineyard, as a night-lodge in a cucumber-garden, as a besieged city. 9Unless Jehovah of hosts had left us a very small residue, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10Hear the word of Jehovah, rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God#GodHebrew: Elohim people of Gomorrah! 11To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure. 12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this from your hand — to tread my courts? 13Bring no more vain oblations! Incense is an abomination unto me, — new moon and sabbath, the calling of convocations — wickedness and the solemn meeting I cannot bear. 14Your new moons and your set feasts my soul hateth: they are a burden to me; I am wearied of bearing them. 15And 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.
16Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; — cease to do evil, 17learn to do well: seek judgment, gladden the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18Come now, 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. 19If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land; 20but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.
21How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness used to lodge in it, but now murderers. 22Thy silver is become dross, thy wine is mixed with water: 23thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them. 24Therefore 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. 25And I will turn my hand upon thee, and will thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thine alloy; 26and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. Afterwards thou shalt be called, Town of righteousness, Faithful city. 27Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and they that return of her with righteousness. 28But the ruin of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together; and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed. 29For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths that ye have desired, and ye shall blush for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30For ye shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31And the strong shall be for tow, and his work a spark; and they shall both burn together, and there shall be none to quench them.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.