God's New Revelations

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

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- Chapter 1 -

(2 Chronicles 28:5–15)
1
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, that Yahweh showed him about Judah and Jerusalem during the years of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2
Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, because this is what Yahweh said: “I have raised people since they were born, but they have rebelled against me.
3
Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who feeds them, but Israel does not know; Israel does not understand.”
4
Terrible things will happen to this sinful nation, this people group weighted down by their sin, these children of people who do evil things, these sons who are unjust. They have left Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away from him.
5
Why do you do things for which Yahweh should punish you? Why do you continue to rebel against him? You are like someone whose whole mind and heart are sick.
6
From the bottom of the foot to the top of the head, nothing is healthy. There are open wounds, cuts, and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no one has put oil on them to heal them.
7
Enemies have ruined your country; they have burned your towns, and there is no one left. Foreigners plunder the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything that they see.
8
The city of Jerusalem has become as small as a shepherd’s hut. It is like a shelter in a vineyard; it is like a watchman’s hut in a field of melons. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it.
9
If Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, had not allowed a few of his people to survive, we would have all been destroyed, like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.

Meaningless Offerings

10
Listen to what Yahweh has to say to you, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11
“What do your many sacrifices mean to me?” says Yahweh; “I do not want any more burnt offerings of rams, or the fat of bulls. The blood of bulls, lambs, or goats does not make me happy.
12
When you come to my temple to worship me, who has told you to tramp around in my courtyard while you perform all those rituals?
13
Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless to me; I am disgusted with the incense that the priests burn! And your feasts to celebrate the new moon each month and your Sabbath days and your other festivals, I hate them because of the wicked things that you do!
14
I hate all your celebrations of the new moon and the other festivals that you celebrate. They are like a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying.
15
So when you lift up your hands to pray to me, I will not look at you. Even if you pray to me often, I will not listen to you, because it is as though your hands are covered with the blood of people whom you have killed.
16
Wash your hearts and become clean! Get rid of your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!
17
Learn to do deeds that are good and try to cause people to do what is just. Stop people from mistreating others, and defend orphans and widows when people take them to court.”
18
Yahweh says, “You need to think about what you do. Even though your sins are like scarlet red, they will be as white as snow; though your sins are like crimson red, they will be as white as sheep’s wool.
19
If you are willing to obey me, you will eat good food from the land.
20
But if you turn away from me and rebel against me, your enemies will slaughter you.” That will happen because Yahweh said it.

The Corruption of Zion

21
At one time you people of Jerusalem faithfully worshiped only Yahweh, but now you have become like prostitutes who are not faithful to any husband. The people there always acted justly and righteously, but now your city is full of murderers.
22
Your silver is no longer pure, and your wine has become mixed with water.
23
Your leaders are rebels; they are friends of thieves. They all want to get money and make others to give them gifts in order to decide cases in court in their favor. They do not defend orphans in court, and they do not help widows to get what they should receive.
24
Therefore Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, the mighty God of Israel, says, “I will get revenge against those who are against me, and avenge myself on my enemies.
25
I will raise my fist to strike you, and I will punish you severely, as though you were silver and I needed to heat you very greatly to melt you and get rid of the impurities.
26
After that happens, I will give you good judges like you had in the past. You will have wise counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city a city where people act righteously, a faithful city.”
27
Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair, Yahweh will restore their city, and he will save those who repent because of their righteousness.
28
But he will crush rebels and sinners, and those who forsake him will disappear.
29
“You will be ashamed because you worshiped idols under the oak trees that you thought were sacred, and you will be disgraced because you worshiped idols in the gardens that you loved so much.
30
You will be like a very large tree that has withered leaves, like a garden that has dried up because it has no water.
31
Those among you who are very strong will become like dry wood, and the work they do will be like a spark. Both they and the evil things that they do will burn up, and no one will be able to put out the fire.”
(2 Chronicles 28:5–15)
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, heavens, and listen, earth; for the LORD (a) has spoken:I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me.
3
The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.”
4
Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring (b) of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.
5
Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
7
Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8
The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city.
9
Unless the LORD of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

Meaningless Offerings

10
Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God,(c) you people of Gomorrah!
11
What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says the LORD.I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.
12
When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
13
Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations I can’t stand evil assemblies.
14
My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.
15
When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
16
Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
17
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
18
Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land;
20
but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.”

The Corruption of Zion

21
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers.
22
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
23
Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24
Therefore the Lord,(d) GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says:Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.
25
I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.(e)
26
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be calledThe city of righteousness, a faithful town.’
27
Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
28
But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
30
For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.
31
The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

Footnotes

(a)1:2 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(b)1:4 or, seed
(c)1:10 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(d)1:24 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
(e)1:25 tin is a metal that is separated from silver during the refining and purification process.