Isaiah 1:1–20
The visiona concerning Judah and Jerusalemb that Isaiah son of Amoz sawc during the reigns of Uzziah,d Jotham,e Ahazf and Hezekiah,g kings of Judah.
2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!h
For the Lord has spoken:i
“I reared childrenj and brought them up,
but they have rebelledk against me.
3 The ox knowsl its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,m
but Israel does not know,n
my people do not understand.o”
a people whose guilt is great,p
a brood of evildoers,q
children given to corruption!r
They have forsakens the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy Onet of Israel
and turned their backsu on him.
5 Why should you be beatenv anymore?
Why do you persistw in rebellion?x
Your whole head is injured,
6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your heada
there is no soundnessb—
only wounds and weltsc
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandagedd
or soothed with olive oil.e
7 Your country is desolate,f
your cities burned with fire;g
your fields are being stripped by foreignersh
right before you,
laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.i
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hutl in a cucumber field,
like a city under siege.
had left us some survivors,m
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.n
10 Hear the word of the Lord,o
you rulers of Sodom;p
listen to the instructionq of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!r
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;s
I have no pleasuret
in the blood of bullsu and lambs and goats.v
12 When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,w
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!x
Your incensey is detestablez to me.
New Moons,a Sabbaths and convocationsb—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moonc feasts and your appointed festivalsd
I hate with all my being.e
They have become a burden to me;f
I am wearyg of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your handsh in prayer,
I hidei my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.j
Your handsk are full of blood!l
16 Washm and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;n
stop doing wrong.o
17 Learn to do right;p seek justice.q
Take up the cause of the fatherless;s
plead the case of the widow.t
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”u
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;v
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.w
19 If you are willing and obedient,x
you will eat the good things of the land;y
20 but if you resist and rebel,z
you will be devoured by the sword.”a
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.b