Study Desk

The vision^(a) concerning Judah and Jerusalem^(b) that Isaiah son of Amoz saw^(c) during the reigns of Uzziah,^(d) Jotham,^(e) Ahaz^(f) and Hezekiah,^(g) kings of Judah.

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!^(h) For the Lord has spoken:⁽ⁱ⁾ "I reared children^(j) and brought them up, but they have rebelled^(k) against me.

The ox knows^(l) its master, the donkey its owner's manger,^(m) but Israel does not know,⁽ⁿ⁾ my people do not understand.^(o)"

Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great,^(p) a brood of evildoers,^(q) children given to corruption!^(r) They have forsaken^(s) the Lord ; they have spurned the Holy One^(t) of Israel and turned their backs^(u) on him.

Why should you be beaten^(v) anymore? Why do you persist^(w) in rebellion?^(x) Your whole head is injured, your whole heart^(y) afflicted.^(z)

From the sole of your foot to the top of your head^(aa) there is no soundness^(ab)— only wounds and welts^(ac) and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged^(ad) or soothed with olive oil.^(ae)

Your country is desolate,^(af) your cities burned with fire;^(ag) your fields are being stripped by foreigners^(ah) right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.^(ai)

Daughter Zion^(aj) is left^(ak) like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut^(al) in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.

Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors,^(am) we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.^(an)

Hear the word of the Lord ,^(ao) you rulers of Sodom;^(ap) listen to the instruction^(aq) of our God, you people of Gomorrah!^(ar)

"The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the Lord . "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals;^(as) I have no pleasure^(at) in the blood of bulls^(au) and lambs and goats.^(av)

When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you,^(aw) this trampling of my courts?

Stop bringing meaningless offerings!^(ax) Your incense^(ay) is detestable^(az) to me. New Moons,^(ba) Sabbaths and convocations^(bb)— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

Your New Moon^(bc) feasts and your appointed festivals^(bd) I hate with all my being.^(be) They have become a burden to me;^(bf) I am weary^(bg) of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands^(bh) in prayer, I hide^(bi) my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.^(bj) Your hands^(bk) are full of blood!^(bl)

Wash^(bm) and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight;^(bn) stop doing wrong.^(bo)

Learn to do right;^(bp) seek justice.^(bq) Defend the oppressed.^[a](br) Take up the cause of the fatherless;^(bs) plead the case of the widow.^(bt)

"Come now, let us settle the matter,"^(bu) says the Lord . "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;^(bv) though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.^(bw)

If you are willing and obedient,^(bx) you will eat the good things of the land;^(by)

but if you resist and rebel,^(bz) you will be devoured by the sword."^(ca) For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(cb)

See how the faithful city has become a prostitute!^(cc) She once was full of justice; righteousness^(cd) used to dwell in her— but now murderers!^(ce)

Your silver has become dross,^(cf) your choice wine is diluted with water.

Your rulers are rebels,^(cg) partners with thieves;^(ch) they all love bribes^(ci) and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.^(cj)

Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One^(ck) of Israel, declares: "Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge^(cl) myself on my enemies.^(cm)

I will turn my hand against you;^[b](cn) I will thoroughly purge^(co) away your dross^(cp) and remove all your impurities.^(cq)

I will restore your leaders as in days of old,^(cr) your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called^(cs) the City of Righteousness,^(ct) the Faithful City.^(cu)"

Zion will be delivered with justice, her penitent^(cv) ones with righteousness.^(cw)

But rebels and sinners^(cx) will both be broken, and those who forsake^(cy) the Lord will perish.^(cz)

"You will be ashamed^(da) because of the sacred oaks^(db) in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens^(dc) that you have chosen.

You will be like an oak with fading leaves,^(dd) like a garden without water.

The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.^(de)"

The Mountain of the Lord ^(a)

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:^(b)

In the last days^(c) the mountain^(d) of the Lord 's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;^(e) it will be exalted^(f) above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.^(g)

Many peoples^(h) will come and say, "Come, let us go⁽ⁱ⁾ up to the mountain^(j) of the Lord , to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law^(k) will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.^(l)

He will judge^(m) between the nations and will settle disputes⁽ⁿ⁾ for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.^(o) Nation will not take up sword against nation,^(p) nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, descendants of Jacob,^(q) let us walk in the light^(r) of the Lord .

You, Lord , have abandoned^(s) your people, the descendants of Jacob.^(t) They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination^(u) like the Philistines^(v) and embrace^(w) pagan customs.^(x)

Their land is full of silver and gold;^(y) there is no end to their treasures.^(z) Their land is full of horses;^(aa) there is no end to their chariots.^(ab)

Their land is full of idols;^(ac) they bow down^(ad) to the work of their hands,^(ae) to what their fingers^(af) have made.

So people will be brought low^(ag) and everyone humbled^(ah)— do not forgive them.^[a](ai)

Go into the rocks, hide^(aj) in the ground from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty!^(ak)

The eyes of the arrogant^(al) will be humbled^(am) and human pride^(an) brought low;^(ao) the Lord alone will be exalted^(ap) in that day.^(aq)

The Lord Almighty has a day^(ar) in store for all the proud^(as) and lofty,^(at) for all that is exalted^(au) (and they will be humbled),^(av)

for all the cedars of Lebanon,^(aw) tall and lofty,^(ax) and all the oaks of Bashan,^(ay)

for all the towering mountains and all the high hills,^(az)

for every lofty tower^(ba) and every fortified wall,^(bb)

for every trading ship^[b](bc) and every stately vessel.

The arrogance of man will be brought low^(bd) and human pride humbled;^(be) the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,^(bf)

and the idols^(bg) will totally disappear.^(bh)

People will flee to caves^(bi) in the rocks and to holes in the ground^(bj) from the fearful presence^(bk) of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty,^(bl) when he rises to shake the earth.^(bm)

In that day^(bn) people will throw away to the moles and bats^(bo) their idols of silver and idols of gold,^(bp) which they made to worship.^(bq)

They will flee to caverns in the rocks^(br) and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty,^(bs) when he rises^(bt) to shake the earth.^(bu)

Stop trusting in mere humans,^(bv) who have but a breath^(bw) in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?^(bx)