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Judah, a Sinful Nation

¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning ^(C1)Judah and Jerusalem, which he beheld in the days of ^(C2)Uzziah, ^(C3)Jotham, ^(C4)Ahaz, and ^(C5)Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

^2 (C1)Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O ^(C2)earth;
For ^(F1)Yahweh speaks,
"^(C3)Sons I have reared and raised up,
But they have ^(C4)transgressed against Me.

³ "An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master's manger,
But Israel ^(C1)does not know;
My people ^(C2)do not perceive."

⁴ Alas, sinful nation,
People heavy with iniquity,
^(C1)Seed of evildoers,
Sons who ^(C2)act corruptly!
They have ^(C3)forsaken Yahweh;
They have ^(C4)spurned the Holy One of Israel;
They have ^(F1)become estranged ^(F2)from Him.

⁵ Where will you be stricken again,
As you ^(C1)continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is ^(C2)sick,
And the whole heart is faint.

^6 (C1)From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is ^(C2)nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, wounds, and raw wounds,
^(C3)Not pressed out, not bandaged,
Not softened with oil.

⁷ Your ^(C1)land is desolate;
Your cities are burned with fire;
Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;
It is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸ The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

^9 (C1)Unless Yahweh of hosts
Had left us a few ^(C2)survivors,
We would be like ^(C3)Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.

¹⁰ Hear ^(C1)the word of Yahweh,
You rulers of ^(C2)Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah.

¹¹ "^(C1)What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?"
Says Yahweh.
"I ^(F1)have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle;
And in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats ^(F2)I take no pleasure.

¹² "When you come ^(C1)to appear before Me,
Who requires ^(F1)of you this trampling of My courts?

¹³ "Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
^(C1)Incense is an abomination to Me.
^(C2)New moon and sabbath, the ^(C3)calling of convocation—
I cannot ^(C4)endure wickedness and the solemn assembly.

¹⁴ "My soul hates your new moon festivals and your ^(C1)appointed times,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am ^(C2)weary of bearing them.

¹⁵ "So when you ^(C1)spread out your hands in prayer,
^(C2)I will hide My eyes from you;
Indeed, even though you ^(C3)multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
^(C4)Your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶ "^(C1)Wash yourselves, ^(C2)purify yourselves;
^(C3)Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes.
^(C4)Cease to do evil,

¹⁷ Learn to do good;
^(C1)Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
^(C2)Execute justice for the ^(F1)orphan,
Plead for the widow.

¹⁸ "Come now, and ^(C1)let us reason together,"
Says Yahweh,
"^(C2)Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.

¹⁹ "^(C1)If you are willing and obey,
You will ^(C2)eat the best of the land;

²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be ^(C1)eaten by the sword."
For ^(C2)the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.

Zion Will Be Redeemed with Justice

²¹ How the faithful city has become a ^(C1)harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.

²² Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.

²³ Your ^(C1)rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone ^(C2)loves a bribe
And pursues rewards.
They ^(C3)do not execute justice for the ^(F1)orphan,
Nor does the widow's plea come before them.

²⁴ Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of hosts,
The ^(C1)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
"Ah, I will be comforted concerning My adversaries,
And I will ^(C2)avenge Myself on My enemies.

²⁵ "I will also turn My hand against you,
And will ^(C1)smelt away your dross as with lye
And will remove all your alloy.

²⁶ "Then I will have your ^(C1)judges return as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
Afterwards you will be called the ^(C2)city of righteousness,
A faithful town."

²⁷ Zion will be ^(C1)redeemed with justice
And her ^(F1)repentant ones with righteousness.

²⁸ But ^(F1)transgressors and sinners will be ^(C1)broken together,
And those who forsake Yahweh will come to an end.

²⁹ For ^(F1)you will be ashamed of the ^(F2)(C1)oaks which you have desired,
And you will be humiliated because of the ^(C2)gardens which you have chosen.

³⁰ For you will be like ^(F1)an oak whose ^(C1)leaf withers away
Or as a garden that has no water.

³¹ And the strong man will become tinder,
His work also a spark.
Thus they shall both ^(C1)burn together,
And there will be ^(C2)none to quench them.