Isaiah 1:12

12 When you came to appear before me, who required these things at your hands, that you should walk in my courts?

Isaiah 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 1:12

When ye come to appear before me
At the grand festivals of the passover, pentecost, and tabernacles, at which times all the males in Israel appeared before God, ( Exodus 23:17 ) who hath required this at your hand;
either to appear at such times, these feasts being no more to be observed; or to offer the above sacrifices; these were not required of the Israelites when they first came out of Egypt, ( Jeremiah 7:22 ) nor were they necessary to appear before God with, or to introduce them to the throne of his grace, ( Micah 6:6 Micah 6:7 ) and much less under the Gospel dispensation, being abolished by the sacrifice of Christ; or this relates to what follows, to tread my courts?
in that unbecoming and hypocritical way they did, and with such wicked hearts and bloody hands. "Courts" are mentioned, because, as Kimchi observes, the Israelites stood in the courts of the Lord's house, and did not go into the temple, only the priests.

Isaiah 1:12 In-Context

10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrha.

11 To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck goats.

12 When you came to appear before me, who required these things at your hands, that you should walk in my courts?

13 Offer sacrifice no more in vain: incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, and the sabbaths and other festivals I will not abide, your assemblies are wicked.

14 My soul hateth your new moons, and your solemnities: they are become troublesome to me, I am weary of bearing them.