Study Desk

The vision of Esai ye sonne of Amos, which he sawe vpon Iuda and Hierusalem, in the dayes of Uzia & Ioathan, Ahaz and Iehezekiah, kinges of Iuda.

Heare O heauens, and hearken O earth: for the Lorde hath spoken, I haue norished and brought vp children, and they haue done vnfaithfully against me.

The oxe hath knowen his owner, and the asse his maisters cribbe: [but] Israel hath not knowen, my people hath geuen no heede.

Ah sinnefull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of the wicked, corrupt children: they haue forsaken the Lorde, they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel vnto anger, they are gone backwarde.

Why shoulde ye be stricken any more? [for] ye are euer fallyng away: euery head is diseased, and euery heart heauy:

From the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothyng sounde in it: [but] woundes, blaynes, and putrifiyng sore: they haue not ben salued, neither wrapped vp, neither molified with the oyntment.

Your lande is wasted, your cities are burnt vp, straungers deuour your lande before your face, and it is made desolate, as it were the destruction of enemies [in the tyme of warre.]

And the daughter of Sion shalbe left as a cotage in a vineyarde, lyke a lodge in a garden of Cucumbers, lyke a besieged citie.

Except the Lorde of hoastes had left vs a small remnaunt, we shoulde haue ben as Sodoma, & lyke vnto Gomorra.

Heare the worde of the Lord ye lordes of Sodoma, and hearken vnto the lawe of our God thou people of Gomorra.

Why offer ye so many sacrifices to me, wyll the Lorde say? I am full of the burnt offeringes of weathers, & of the fatnesse of fed beastes, I haue no pleasure in the blood of bullockes, lambes, and goates.

When ye come to appeare before me treadyng in my courtes, who hath required this at your handes?

Offer me no mo oblations, for it is but lost labour: incense is an abhominable thyng vnto me, I may not away with your newe moones, your sabbathes & solempne meetynges, your solempne assemblies are wicked.

I hate your newe moones and appoynted feastes euen from my very heart, they make me weery, I can not abyde them.

When you holde out your handes, I wyll turne myne eyes from you: and though ye make many prayers, yet I wyll heare nothyng at all, seyng your handes are full of blood.

Washe you, make you cleane, put away your euyll thoughtes out of my syght: ceasse from doyng of euyll,

Learne to do well, applie your selues to equitie, deliuer the oppressed, helpe the fatherlesse to his ryght, let the widdowes complaynt come before you:

And then go to, saith the Lorde, let vs talke together: though your sinnes be as red as scarlet, they shalbe as whyte as snowe: and though they were lyke purple, they shalbe as whyte as wooll.

If ye be wyllyng and obedient, ye shal eate the good of the lande:

But yf ye be obstinate and rebellious, ye shalbe deuoured with the sworde: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken [it.]

Howe happeneth it then that the righteous citie which was full of equitie, is become vnfaythfull as a whore? Righteousnesse dwelt in it, but nowe murtherers.

Thy siluer is turned to drosse, and thy wine mixt with water.

Thy princes are wicked, and companions of theeues: they loue gyftes altogether, and gape for rewardes: As for the fatherlesse they helpe hym not to his ryght, neither wyll they let the widdowes causes come before them.

Therfore saith the Lorde God of hoastes, the mightie one of Israel: Ah I must ease me of mine enemies, and auenge me of mine aduersaries:

And I shall lay my hande vpon thee, and purely purge away thy drosse, and take away all thy tinne:

And set thy iudges agayne as they were sometyme, and thy senatours as they were from the begynnyng: and then thou shalt be called the ryghteous citie, the faythfull citie.

Sion shalbe redeemed with equitie, and her conuertes with righteousnesse.

But the transgressours, and the vngodly, and such as forsake the Lorde, shall altogether be vtterly destroyed.

For ye shalbe confounded for the trees which ye haue desired: and ye shalbe ashamed of the gardens that ye haue chosen.

For ye shalbe as a tree whose leaues are fallen away, and as a garden that hath no moystnesse.

And the very strong one [of your idols] shalbe as towe, and the maker of it as a sparke [of fire] and they shal both burne together, and no man quenche them.