Isaiah 1

Superscription

1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Rebellious Judah

2 Hear, heavens, and listen, earth, for Yahweh has spoken: "I reared children and I brought [them] up, but they rebelled against me.
3 An ox knows its owner and a donkey the manger of its master. Israel does not know; my people do not understand.
4 Ah, sinful nation, a people heavy [with] iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly. They have forsaken Yahweh; they have despised the holy one of Israel. They are estranged [and gone] backward.
5 Why do you want to be beaten again? You continue [in] rebellion. [The] whole of [the] head [is] sick, and [the] whole of [the] heart [is] faint.
6 From the sole of the foot and up to [the] head there is no health in it; bruise and sore and bleeding wound have not been cleansed, and they have not been bound up and not softened with the oil.
7 Your country [is] desolate, your cities [are] burned [with] fire; [As for] your land, aliens are devouring it in your presence, and [it is] desolate, like devastation [by] foreigners.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a shelter in a cucumber field, like a city that is besieged.[a]
9 If Yahweh of hosts had not left us survivors,[b] we would have been as few as Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom! Listen [to] the teaching of our God, people of Gomorrah!
11 What [is the] abundance of your sacrifices to me? says Yahweh. I have had enough [of] burnt offerings of rams and [the] fat [of] fattened animals and I do not delight in [the] blood of bulls and ram-lambs and goats.
12 When you come to appear before me, who asked for this from your hand: you trampling my courts?
13 You must not {continue}[c] to bring offerings[d] of futility, incense--it [is] an abomination to me; new moon and Sabbath, [the] calling of a convocation-- I cannot endure iniquity with [solemn] assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become to me like [a] burden, I am not able to bear [them].
15 And when you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers,[e] I [will] not be listening. Your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash! Make yourselves clean! Remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes! Cease to do evil!
17 Learn to do good! Seek justice! Rescue [the] oppressed! Defend [the] orphan! Plead for [the] widow!
18 "Come now, and let us argue," says Yahweh. "Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow; even though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and you are obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.
20 But if you refuse and you rebel, you shall be devoured [by the] sword. For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."

Purifying Jerusalem

21 How has a faithful city become like a whore? Full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
22 Your silver has become [as] dross; Your wine [is] diluted with waters.
23 Your princes [are] rebels and companions of thieves. Every one loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend [the] orphan and [the] legal dispute of [the] widow does not come before them.
24 Therefore, the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will be relieved of my enemies, and I will avenge myself on my foes.
25 And I will turn my hand against you; I will purify your dross like lye, and I will remove all [of] your tin.
26 And I will restore your judges, as at the first, and your counselors, as at the beginning. After this {you will be called}[f] the city of righteousness, faithful city.
27 Zion will be redeemed by justice, and those of her who repent, by righteousness.
28 But [the] destruction [of] rebels and sinners [shall be] together, and those who forsake Yahweh will perish.
29 For you[g] will be ashamed of [the] oaks [in] which you delighted, and you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen.
30 For you shall be like an oak withering its leaves, and like a garden where there is no water for her.
31 And the strong [man] shall become like tinder, and his work like a spark. And both of them shall burn together, and there is not one to quench [them]."

Images for Isaiah 1

Footnotes 7

  • [a]. Or "preserved"
  • [b]. Hebrew "survivor"
  • [c]. Literally "increase" or "add to"
  • [d]. Hebrew "offering"
  • [e]. Hebrew "prayer"
  • [f]. Literally "it will be called for you"
  • [g]. Literally "they," but a few manuscripts read "you," which fits the context better

Isaiah 1 Commentaries

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.