Here is the vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah had. It came to him when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were ruling. They were kings of Judah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.

Israel Refuses to Obey the Lord

²Listen to me, heavens! Pay attention to me, earth!

The Lord has said,

“I raised children. I brought them up.

But they have refused to obey me.

³The ox knows its master.

The donkey knows where its owner feeds it.

But Israel does not know me.

My people do not understand me.”

⁴They are a sinful nation.

They are loaded down with guilt.

They are people who do nothing but evil.

They are children who are always sinning.

They have deserted the Lord.

They have turned against the Holy One of Israel.

They have turned their backs on him.

⁵Israel, why do you want to be beaten all the time?

Why do you always refuse to obey the Lord?

Your head is covered with wounds.

Your whole heart is weak.

⁶There isn’t a healthy spot on your body

from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

There are only wounds, cuts

and open sores.

They haven’t been cleaned up or bandaged

or treated with olive oil.

⁷Your country has been deserted.

Your cities have been burned down.

The food from your fields is being eaten up by outsiders.

They are doing it right in front of you.

Your land has been completely destroyed.

It looks as if strangers have taken it over.

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