1 The
vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem
in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear,
O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished
and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The
ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not
know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah
sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children
that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the
Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 5 Why
should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole
head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From
the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but
wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed,
neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 7 Your
country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers
devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 And
the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in
a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except
the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have
been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. 10 Hear
the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our
God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To
what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD:
I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and
I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When
ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread
my courts? 13 Bring
no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons
and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity,
even the solemn meeting.
14
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble
unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And
when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when
ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash
you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil; 17 Learn
to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless,
plead for the widow. 18 Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. 19 If
ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But
if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth
of the LORD hath spoken it. 21 How
is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness
lodged in it; but now murderers. 22 Thy
silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23 Thy
princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts,
and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth
the cause of the widow come unto them. 24 Therefore
saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will
ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: 25 And
I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take
away all thy tin: 26 And
I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the
beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the
faithful city. 27 Zion
shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28 And
the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together,
and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. 29 For
they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be
confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30 For
ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31 And
the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall
both burn together, and none shall quench them.