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Rebellion of God's People

¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning ^(C1)Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the ^(F1)reigns of ^(C2)Uzziah, ^(C3)Jotham, ^(C4)Ahaz and ^(C5)Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

^2 (C1)Listen, O heavens, and hear, O ^(C2)earth;
For the LORD speaks,
"^(C3)Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have ^(C4)revolted 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 understand."

⁴ Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity,
^(F1)(C1)Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who ^(C2)act corruptly!
They have ^(C3)abandoned the LORD,
They have ^(C4)despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away ^(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, welts and raw wounds,
^(C3)Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor 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 desolation, 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 the LORD of hosts
Had left us a few ^(C2)survivors,
We would be like ^(C3)Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

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

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

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 assemblies--
I cannot ^(C4)endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

¹⁴ "I hate your new moon festivals and your ^(C1)appointed feasts,
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;
Yes, even though you ^(C3)multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
^(C4)Your hands are ^(F1)covered with blood.

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

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

"Let Us Reason"

¹⁸ "Come now, and ^(C1)let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
"^(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 consent and obey,
You will ^(C2)eat the best of the land;

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

Zion Corrupted, to be Redeemed

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 chases after rewards.
They ^(C3)do not ^(F1)defend the ^(F2)orphan,
Nor does the widow's plea come before them.

²⁴ Therefore the Lord ^(F1)GOD of hosts,
The ^(C1)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
"Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries
And ^(C2)avenge Myself on My foes.

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 restore your ^(C1)judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the ^(C2)city of righteousness,
A faithful city."

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

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

²⁹ Surely ^(F1)you will be ashamed of the ^(F2)(C1)oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed at the ^(C2)gardens which you have chosen.

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

³¹ 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.