1The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
A rebellious nation
2Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.3The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.’4Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.5Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.6From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness – only wounds and bruises and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.7Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.8Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.9Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!11‘The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.12When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?13Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.14Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!16Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.17Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[1] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.18‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;20but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.21See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her – but now murderers!22Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.23Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.24Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: ‘Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.25I will turn my hand against you;[2] I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.26I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterwards you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.’27Zion will be delivered with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.28But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish.29‘You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen.30You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water.31The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no-one to quench the fire.’
2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children[1] have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. (De 4:26; De 32:1; De 32:6; De 32:10; De 32:15; Mic 1:2; Mic 6:2)3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” (Jer 8:7)4Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. (Isa 5:24; Isa 31:1; Eze 14:5; Mt 3:7)5Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. (Isa 9:13; Isa 31:6; Jer 5:3)6From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. (Ps 38:3; Jer 8:22)7Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. (De 28:51; Isa 5:5; Isa 6:11)8And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. (Job 27:18; Isa 10:32; Isa 37:22; Zec 2:10; Zec 9:9)9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. (Ge 19:24; Isa 10:21; Isa 13:19; La 3:22; Ro 9:29)10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching[2] of our God, you people of Gomorrah! (De 32:32; Isa 3:9; Eze 16:46; Eze 16:48; Eze 16:55; Re 11:8)11“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. (1Sa 15:22; Pr 15:8; Isa 66:3; Jer 6:20; Mal 1:10)12“When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? (Ex 23:17; Ex 34:23)13Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. (Ex 12:16; Le 23:36; Nu 28:11; 1Ch 23:31; Jer 7:9; Joe 2:15)14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. (Isa 1:13)15When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. (1Ki 8:22; Pr 1:28; Isa 59:3; Mic 3:4)16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, (Jer 2:22; 1Pe 3:11)17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. (Isa 1:23; Jer 22:3; Jas 1:27)18“Come now, let us reason[3] together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Ps 51:7; Isa 43:26; Mic 6:2; Re 7:14)19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; (De 30:15)20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Nu 23:19; Isa 1:2; Isa 24:3; Isa 40:5; Isa 58:14; Mic 4:4)
The Unfaithful City
21How the faithful city has become a whore,[4] she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. (Ex 34:15; Jer 2:20; Jer 31:23)22Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. (Jer 6:30; Eze 22:18)23Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them. (Ex 23:8; Isa 1:17; Jer 5:28; Mic 7:3; Zec 7:10)24Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. (De 32:41; Ps 132:2; Isa 3:1; Isa 10:33)25I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. (Ps 81:14; Isa 5:25; Eze 22:20; Am 1:8; Mal 3:3)26And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” (Jer 33:7; Jer 33:11; Zec 8:3)27Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. (Jer 22:3)28But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. (Job 31:3; Ps 1:6)29For they[5] shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. (Isa 57:5; Isa 65:3; Isa 66:17; Ho 4:13; Ho 4:19)30For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. (Jer 17:8)31And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them. (Jud 16:9; Isa 66:24)