Isaiah 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~740-700 BC, spanning the reigns of Judah's kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, with the aftermath of Assyria's invasion of 701 BC in view
Location
Jerusalem and the surrounding towns of Judah, the small southern kingdom in the hill country west of the Dead Sea
Audience
The people of Jerusalem, their rulers, and the priests serving at the temple
Situation
The book opens with God calling heaven and earth to witness a case against his own children. Judah is described as a body covered in untreated wounds and a country whose towns have been burned, with Jerusalem left standing alone like a shelter in a stripped field.
Key Background
Summoning heaven and earth as witnesses copies the form of ancient treaty documents, where gods or natural forces were listed as observers who would enforce the agreement. The picture of a lone hut in a cucumber field is drawn from harvest practice, when a farmer built a temporary shelter to guard the crop and abandoned it after. The rejection of sacrifices here is aimed at worshipers whose hands are stained with violence, not at the temple system, and the demand to defend orphans and widows names the two groups with no male protector and therefore no standing in court.
The of son of Amoz — what he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Listen, Pay attention, earth! Yahweh has spoken: "I raised children, I brought them up — and they their on me."
An ox knows its owner, a donkey knows its master's feeding trough — but Israel doesn't know. My people don't get it.
What a a nation weighed down with corruption, a people loaded with wrongdoing, offspring of those who destroy, children who deal in ruin! They have abandoned Yahweh, they have despised the No Other in Israel, they have turned their backs and walked away.
Why keep inviting more punishment? Why keep piling up rebellion? The whole head is wounded, the whole heart is failing.
From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head — nothing is intact. Bruises, welts, and open wounds, not cleaned, not bandaged, not soothed with oil.
Your land — devastated. Your cities — scorched with fire. Your soil — strangers are devouring it right in front of you, a wasteland, as if overthrown by invaders.
And is left behind like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.
If of hadn't left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have ended up like Gomorrah.
Hear what Yahweh has to say, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
"What are all your to me?" says Yahweh. "I've had enough of burnt offerings — rams and the fat of well-fed cattle. The blood of bulls and lambs and goats gives me no pleasure."
"When you come to appear before me, who asked you to trample my
"Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is disgusting to me. New moon festivals, special assemblies — I can't stand your
"Your new moon celebrations and your — I despise them with everything in me. They've become a burden to me; I'm tired of carrying them."
"When you out in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. Even if you multiply prayers, I am not listening. Your are covered in
"Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Get the evil of your actions out of my sight. Stop doing harm."
"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Stand up for the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the
"Come now, let's this," says Yahweh. "Though your are like scarlet, they can become white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they can become like wool."
"If you are willing and you listen, you will eat the good things of the land."
"But if you refuse and rebel, you will be by the sword." The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.
How the city has become a prostitute! She was once full of — what was right lived in her. But now? Murderers.
Your silver has turned to waste. Your wine is watered down.
Your are rebels, partners with thieves. Every one of them loves a bribe and chases after kickbacks. They don't defend the orphan. The widow's case never reaches them.
Therefore — this is the declaration of the Master, Yahweh of Armies, the of Israel: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, I will take revenge on my enemies."
"I will turn my hand against you. I will your waste as with lye, and remove all your impurities."
"I will restore your judges as they were at the beginning, your counselors as they were at the start. After that, you will be called the of Right, the Faithful Town."
Zion will be through justice, and those in her who — through what is right.
But and those who fail God will be shattered together, and those who abandon Yahweh will come to an end.
"You will be ashamed of the you desired, and you will be humiliated by the you chose."
"For you will be like an oak whose leaves are withering, like a garden with no water."
"The will become kindling, and their work will be the spark. Both will burn together, and no one will put it out."