1 Thevision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in thedays of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,andHezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
For theLordhas spoken:
“I have nourished and brought up children,
And they have rebelled against Me;
3 The ox knows its owner
And the donkey its master’s crib;
# ButIsraeldoes not know,
My people do not consider.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
A people laden with iniquity,
# A brood of evildoers,
Children who are corrupters!
They have forsaken theLord,
They have provoked to anger
The Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away backward.
5 Why should you be stricken again?
You will revolt more and more.
The whole head is sick,
And the whole heart faints.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
Thereisno soundness in it,
Butwounds and bruises and putrefying sores;
They have not been closed or bound up,
Or soothed with ointment.
7 Your countryisdesolate,
Your citiesareburned with fire;
Strangers devour your land in your presence;
Anditisdesolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 So the daughter of Zion is leftas a booth in a vineyard,
As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,
# As a besieged city.
9 Unless theLordof hosts
Had left to us a very small remnant,
# We would have become likeSodom,
We would have been made like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of theLord,
# You rulersof Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
11 “To what purposeisthe multitude of yoursacrifices to Me?”
Says theLord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
12 “When you cometo appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no morefutile sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
# The New Moons, the Sabbaths, andthe calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 YourNew Moons and yourappointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearingthem.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
# Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 “Washyourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
# Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
18 “Come now, and let usreason together,”
Says theLord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
# They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
# For the mouth of theLordhas spoken.
The Degenerate City
21 How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
# But nowmurderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your wine mixed with water.
23 Your princesarerebellious,
# Andcompanions of thieves;
# Everyone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
# Theydo not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord says,
TheLordof hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,
# “Ah,I will rid Myself of My adversaries,
And take vengeance on My enemies.
25 I will turn My hand against you,
# Andthoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.
26 I will restore your judgesas at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
# Afterwardyou shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
And her penitents with righteousness.
28 Thedestruction of transgressors and of sinnersshallbetogether,
And those who forsake theLordshall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees
Which you have desired;
And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens
Which you have chosen.
30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,
And as a garden that has no water.
31 The strong shall be as tinder,
And the work of it as a spark;
Both will burn together,
# And no one shallquenchthem.