Isaiah 1
1
1This is the vision of Isaiah son of Amoz. God showed Isaiah what would happen to Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah saw this during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.
God’s Case Against Israel
2Heaven and earth, listen! This is what the Lord says:
“I raised my children and helped them grow up,
but they have turned against me.
3A bull knows its master,
and a donkey knows where its owner feeds it.
But Israel does not know me.
My people do not understand.”
4Oh, what a sinful nation! Their guilt is like a heavy weight that they must carry. They are evil, destructive children.#1:4 They … children Or “They are destructive children of evil parents.” They left the Lord and insulted the Holy One of Israel. They turned away and treated him like a stranger.
5What good will it do to keep punishing you? You will continue to rebel. Your whole head and heart are already sick and aching.#1:5 Your whole … aching Or “Every head and heart is already sick and aching.” 6From the bottom of your feet to the top of your head, every part of your body has wounds, cuts, and open sores. You have not taken care of them. Your wounds have not been cleaned and bandaged.
7Your land is in ruins, and your cities are in flames. Your enemies have taken your land, and foreigners are taking what it produces. It looks like some foreigners destroyed it.#1:7 It looks … destroyed it Or “It looks like the land of the foreigners that was destroyed.” This might refer to civil war in Israel or to some time when God destroyed foreign nations, such as Sodom and Gomorrah.
Warnings for Jerusalem
8The city of Jerusalem#1:8 city of Jerusalem Literally, “daughter Zion.” See “Zion” in the Word List. is now like an empty shed left in a vineyard. It is like an old straw hut abandoned in a field of cucumbers or like a city surrounded by enemies. 9If the Lord All-Powerful had not allowed a few people to live, we would have been destroyed completely like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And that almost happened!
10You officers of Sodom, listen to the Lord’s message. You people of Gomorrah,#1:10 officers of Sodom … Gomorrah Here, this refers to leaders and people from Judah. listen to God’s teaching. 11The Lord says, “Why do you continue giving me all these sacrifices? I have had enough of your sacrifices of rams and the fat from well-fed animals. I don’t want the blood of those bulls, sheep, and goats. 12When you people come to meet with me, you trample everything in my yard. Who told you to do this?
13“Don’t keep bringing me those worthless sacrifices. I hate the incense you give me. I cannot stand your festivals for the New Moon, the Sabbath, and other special meeting days. I hate the evil you do during those holy times together. 14I hate your monthly meetings and councils. They have become like heavy weights to me, and I am tired of carrying them.
15“When you raise your arms to pray to me, I will refuse to look at you. You will say more and more prayers, but I will refuse to listen because your hands are covered with blood.
16“Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Stop doing the evil things I see you do. Stop doing wrong. 17Learn to do good. Treat people fairly. Punish those who hurt others. Speak up for the widows and orphans. Argue their cases for them in court.
18“I, the Lord, am the one speaking to you. Come, let’s discuss this. Even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow.
19“If you listen to what I say, you will get the good things from this land. 20But if you refuse to listen and rebel against me, your enemies will destroy you.”
The Lord himself said this.
Unfaithful Jerusalem
21Look at Jerusalem. She was a faithful city. What made her become like a prostitute? In the past, Jerusalem was filled with justice, and goodness should live there now. Instead, there are murderers.
22Once you were like pure silver, but now you are like the impurities that people throw away when the silver is purified. You are like good wine that has been weakened with water. 23Your rulers are rebels and friends of thieves. They demand bribes and accept money for doing wrong. They take money to cheat people, and they don’t speak up for widows and orphans. They will not even listen to their cries for help.
24Because of this, the Lord GOD All-Powerful, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “Look, I will get relief from my enemies. You will not cause me any more trouble. 25People use lye to clean silver. In the same way, I will clean away all your wrongs. I will remove all the impurities from you. 26I will bring back the kind of judges you had in the beginning. Your counselors will be like those you had long ago. Then you will be called ‘The Good and Faithful City.’”
27God is good and does what is right, so he will rescue Zion and the people who come back to him. 28But all the criminals and sinners will be destroyed. Those who stopped following the Lord will be removed.
29In the future, you will be ashamed of the oak trees and special gardens#1:29 special gardens Gardens where people worshiped false gods. you chose to worship, 30because you will be like an oak tree whose leaves are dying. You will be like a garden dying without water. 31Powerful people will be like small, dry pieces of wood, and what they did will be like the sparks that start a fire. These people and their works will both burn up, and no one will be able to put out that fire.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 1: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 1
1
1The vision of Yeshayahu son of Amots, which he saw concerning Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim in the days of Uzziyahu, Yotham, Aḥaz, Ḥizqiyahu – sovereigns of Yehuḏah.
2Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth! For יהוה has spoken, “I have reared and brought up children, but they have transgressed against Me.
3An ox knows its owner and a donkey its master’s crib – Yisra’ĕl does not know, My people have not understood.”
4Alas, sinning nation, a people loaded with crookedness, a seed of evil-doers, sons acting corruptly! They have forsaken יהוה, they have provoked the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, they went backward.
5Why should you be stricken any more? You continue in apostasy! All the head is sick, and all the heart faints.
6From the sole of the foot, to the head, there is no soundness in it – wounds and bruises and open sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment.
7Your land is laid waste, your cities are burned with fire, strangers devour your land in your presence. And it is laid waste, as overthrown by strangers.
8And the daughter of Tsiyon is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9Unless יהוה of hosts had left to us a small remnant, we would have become like Seḏom, we would have been made like Amorah.
10Hear the word#“Word” and “Torah” (teaching) are used as synonyms. of יהוה, you rulers of Seḏom; give ear to the Torah#“Word” and “Torah” (teaching) are used as synonyms. of our Elohim, you people of Amorah!
11“Of what use to Me are your many slaughterings?” declares יהוה. “I have had enough of ascending offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.
12“When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courtyards?
13“Stop bringing futile offerings, incense, it is an abomination to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, the calling of gatherings – I am unable to bear unrighteousness and assembly.
14“My being hates your New Moons and your appointed times, they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
15“And when you spread out your hands, I hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I do not hear. Your hands have become filled with blood.
16“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Stop doing evil!
17“Learn to do good! Seek right-ruling, reprove the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18“Come now, and let us reason together,” says יהוה. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19“If you submit and obey, you shall eat the good of the land;
20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of יהוה has spoken.
21How the steadfast city has become a whore! I have filled it with right-ruling; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers.
22Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water.
23Your rulers are stubborn, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and runs after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow reach them.
24Therefore the Master declares, יהוה of hosts, the Mighty One of Yisra’ĕl, “Ah, I shall be eased of My adversaries, and I shall be avenged of My enemies.
25“And I shall turn My hand against you, and shall refine your dross as with lye, and shall remove all your alloy.
26“And I shall give back your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. After this you shall be called the city of righteousness, a steadfast city.”
27Tsiyon shall be ransomed with right-ruling, and her returning ones with righteousness.
28And the destruction of transgressors and of sinners is together, and those who forsake יהוה shall be consumed.
29For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees which you have desired. And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens which you have chosen.
30For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.
31The strong shall be for tow, and his work for a spark. And both shall burn together, with no one to extinguish.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright© 1993 – 2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR). All rights reserved.