Study Desk

The Uision of Isaiah the sonne of Amoz, which hee sawe concerning Iudah and Ierusalem, in the dayes of Uzziah, Iotham, Ahaz, & Hezekiah kings of Iudah.

Heare, O heauens, and giue eare, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken; I haue nourished and brought vp children, and they haue rebelled against me.

The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters cribbe: but Israel doeth not know, my people doeth not consider.

Ah sinnefull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of euill doers, children that are corrupters: they haue forsaken the Lord, they haue prouoked the Holy one of Israel vnto anger, they are gone away backward.

Why should yee be stricken any more? yee will reuolt more and more: the whole head is sicke, and the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foote, euen vnto the head, there is no soundnesse in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they haue not beene closed, neither bound vp, neither mollified with oyntment.

Your countrey is desolate, your cities are burnt with fire: your land, strangers deuoure it in your presence, and it is desolate as ouerthrowen by strangers.

And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged citie.

Except the Lord of hostes had left vnto vs a very small remnant, we should haue beene as Sodom, and we should haue bene like vnto Gomorrah.

Heare the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, giue eare vnto the Law of our God, yee people of Gomorrah.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices vnto me, sayth the Lord? I am full of the burnt offerings of rammes, and the fat of fedde beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bullockes, or of lambes, or of hee goates.

When ye come to appeare before mee, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Bring no more vaine oblations, incense is an abomination vnto me: the new Moones, and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with; it is iniquitie, euen the solemne meeting.

Your new Moones, and your appointed Feasts my soule hateth: they are a trouble vnto me, I am weary to beare them.

And when ye spread foorth your handes, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when yee make many prayers I will not heare: your hands are full of blood.

Wash yee, make you cleane, put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to doe euill,

Learne to doe well, seeke iudgement, relieue the oppressed, iudge the fatherlesse, plead for the widow.

Come now and let vs reason together, saith the Lord: though your sinnes be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimsin, they shall be as wooll.

If yee be willing and obedient, yee shall eate the good of the land.

But if yee refuse and rebell, yee shalbe deuoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Howe is the faithfull citie become an harlot? it was full of iudgement, righteousnesse lodged in it; but now murtherers.

Thy siluer is become drosse, thy wine mixt with water.

Thy princes are rebellious and companions of theeues: euery one loueth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the fatherlesse, neither doth the cause of the widowe come vnto them.

Therefore, saith the Lord, the Lord of hostes, the mighty one of Israel; Ah, I will ease me of mine aduersaries, and auenge me of mine enemies.

And I will turne my hand vpon thee, and purely purge away thy drosse, and take away all thy tinne.

And I will restore thy iudges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called the citie of righteousnesse, the faithfull citie.

Zion shall be redeemed with iudgement, and her conuerts with righteousnesse.

And the destruction of the transgressours and of the sinners shall be together: and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

For they shall be ashamed of the okes which yee haue desired, and yee shalbe confounded for the gardens that yee haue chosen.

For yee shall be as an oke whose leafe fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

And the strong shall be as towe, and the maker of it as a sparke, and they shall both burne together, and none shall quench them.