ISAIAH
1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem seen by Isaiah, son of Amoz, during the time that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah:
2 Listen up, heavens, and pay attention, earth, because Yahweh has spoken!
“I brought up sons and exalted them, but they rebelled against me! 3 An ox recognises its owner, and a donkey knows the stable its master provides, but Israel doesn’t! My people don’t get it!” 4 Oh sinful nation, a people heavy with guilt – the seed of sinners, sons of corrupters! They have abandoned Yahweh. They have ridiculed the Holy One of Israel. They have turned their back and are alienated. 5 Why continue being clobbered? You are storing up apostasy! Every head is sick and every heart faints. 6 There is no health from the sole of his foot to his head. His cuts, bruises and open wounds have not been closed up nor bandaged nor soothed with olive oil. 7 Your land is desolate; your cities are pits of fire. Foreigners are devouring your land right in front of you; there is destruction as if foreigners are taking over! 8 The daughter of Zion is left over like a lean-to in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of cucumbers, like a city under observation. 9 If Yahweh of Warriors hadn’t spared us a remnant we would have become as scarce a Sodom; we’d have been just like Gomorrah. 10 Listen to Yahweh’s word, leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to the law of our Godhead, people of Gomorrah! 11 “What good to me are your countless sacrifices?” says Yahweh. “I’ve had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of your pudgiest cattle, and I don’t take pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats. 12 For when you come in to be seen by my face, who would want to accept from your hands this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing in more and more empty gifts! Your incense is despicable to me. New Moon and Sabbath, when you call a get-together… I can’t take wickedness and sacred assembly! 14 My soul hates your New Moon assemblies and your appointed festivals. They have become a burden I’m tired of carrying. 15 When you raise your hands I will shield my eyes from you; even though you will make lots of prayers no part of me is paying attention – your hands are covered with blood! 16 Wash! Clean yourselves! Get your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop being evil, 17 learn to do right! Seek out justice! Straighten out the oppressor! Defend the orphan! Fight for the widow!”
18 “Come on now, let’s weigh it up,” says Yahweh. “Even though your sins may be like scarlet, they can be made as white as snow; though they may be as red as crimson, they can be white like wool. 19 If you are willing and listen you will eat the good things of the land, 20 but if you refuse and rebel you will be devoured by a sword.” Indeed the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.
21 How has the faithful city become a prostitute? She was full of justice, and righteousness lived in her – but now there are murderers! 22 Your silver is just dross and your alcohol is watered down. 23 Your leaders are rebellious and in partnership with thieves. Each one loves a bribe and looks for kickbacks. They don’t stand up for the orphan and the trouble of a widow doesn’t bother them. 24 So here is the word of the Lord, Yahweh of Warriors, the Mighty One of Israel: “Right! I will relieve myself from my irritators and take revenge against my enemies. 25 I will place my hand back on you and purify your dross like the refiner. I will smelt away all your impurities. 26 I will re-establish your judges like in your early days and your advisors like in the beginning. Then you will be called ‘The Righteous City, a faithful town.’”
27 Zion will be ransomed in judgement, and her repentant in righteousness. 28 (Rebels and sinners will be crushed as one, and those who abandon Yahweh will be finished.) 29 Indeed they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you desire; you will be disparaged because of the gardens you have chosen. 30 For you will be like a sacred tree whose leaves are withering, and like a garden without water. 31 The affluent one will be like a strand of yarn and his work like a spark; both will burn together with no one putting them out.
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2 Listen up, heavens, and pay attention, earth, because Yahweh has spoken!
“I brought up sons and exalted them, but they rebelled against me! 3 An ox recognises its owner, and a donkey knows the stable its master provides, but Israel doesn’t! My people don’t get it!” 4 Oh sinful nation, a people heavy with guilt – the seed of sinners, sons of corrupters! They have abandoned Yahweh. They have ridiculed the Holy One of Israel. They have turned their back and are alienated. 5 Why continue being clobbered? You are storing up apostasy! Every head is sick and every heart faints. 6 There is no health from the sole of his foot to his head. His cuts, bruises and open wounds have not been closed up nor bandaged nor soothed with olive oil. 7 Your land is desolate; your cities are pits of fire. Foreigners are devouring your land right in front of you; there is destruction as if foreigners are taking over! 8 The daughter of Zion is left over like a lean-to in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of cucumbers, like a city under observation. 9 If Yahweh of Warriors hadn’t spared us a remnant we would have become as scarce a Sodom; we’d have been just like Gomorrah. 10 Listen to Yahweh’s word, leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to the law of our Godhead, people of Gomorrah! 11 “What good to me are your countless sacrifices?” says Yahweh. “I’ve had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of your pudgiest cattle, and I don’t take pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats. 12 For when you come in to be seen by my face, who would want to accept from your hands this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing in more and more empty gifts! Your incense is despicable to me. New Moon and Sabbath, when you call a get-together… I can’t take wickedness and sacred assembly! 14 My soul hates your New Moon assemblies and your appointed festivals. They have become a burden I’m tired of carrying. 15 When you raise your hands I will shield my eyes from you; even though you will make lots of prayers no part of me is paying attention – your hands are covered with blood! 16 Wash! Clean yourselves! Get your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop being evil, 17 learn to do right! Seek out justice! Straighten out the oppressor! Defend the orphan! Fight for the widow!”
18 “Come on now, let’s weigh it up,” says Yahweh. “Even though your sins may be like scarlet, they can be made as white as snow; though they may be as red as crimson, they can be white like wool. 19 If you are willing and listen you will eat the good things of the land, 20 but if you refuse and rebel you will be devoured by a sword.” Indeed the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.
21 How has the faithful city become a prostitute? She was full of justice, and righteousness lived in her – but now there are murderers! 22 Your silver is just dross and your alcohol is watered down. 23 Your leaders are rebellious and in partnership with thieves. Each one loves a bribe and looks for kickbacks. They don’t stand up for the orphan and the trouble of a widow doesn’t bother them. 24 So here is the word of the Lord, Yahweh of Warriors, the Mighty One of Israel: “Right! I will relieve myself from my irritators and take revenge against my enemies. 25 I will place my hand back on you and purify your dross like the refiner. I will smelt away all your impurities. 26 I will re-establish your judges like in your early days and your advisors like in the beginning. Then you will be called ‘The Righteous City, a faithful town.’”
27 Zion will be ransomed in judgement, and her repentant in righteousness. 28 (Rebels and sinners will be crushed as one, and those who abandon Yahweh will be finished.) 29 Indeed they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you desire; you will be disparaged because of the gardens you have chosen. 30 For you will be like a sacred tree whose leaves are withering, and like a garden without water. 31 The affluent one will be like a strand of yarn and his work like a spark; both will burn together with no one putting them out.
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26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“Our city is strong! He will make salvation our walls and our defence. 2 Open the gates and come in, righteous nation that maintains faithfulness. 3 Those with a firm purpose you shelter in complete peace because they trust in you. 4 Trust in Yahweh until eternity – yes, in Yah, Yahweh, the rock through the ages. 5 For he humbles those who live in high places. He brings an exalted city right down – he will level her to the ground and will pound her into the dirt. 6 She will be totally trampled underfoot by the feet of a humble man, and the footsteps of frail men.
7 "The way for the righteous man is straight. You clear a direct path for the righteous one. 8 Yes, Yahweh! We wait expectantly for the path of your judgements. The passion of our soul is for your name and your reputation. 9 My soul longs for you in the night. Yes, my spirit within me pursues you, because when your judgements come upon the earth, those living in the world will learn justice – 10 if the wicked one is shown mercy he will not learn justice. In the land of truths he will still sin and will not see Yahweh’s majesty. 11 Yahweh, your hand is raised but they don’t even notice. But they will take notice and will be ashamed by your passion for your people – yes, fire will consume your enemies. 12 Yahweh, you will establish peace for us, because even all our achievements you have done for us.
13 "O Yahweh, our Godhead, other lords besides you took charge of us, but we will celebrate your name alone. 14 These dead men are no longer living – Rephaim will not rise again – because you went to them and you wiped them out. You destroyed all memory of them. 15 But you have grown the nation, Yahweh – you have grown the nation and you are honoured. You have extended all the boundaries of the land. 16 Yahweh, in the tribulation they have searched for you; they have poured out silent prayers when your discipline was on them. 17 Like when a pregnant woman is close to giving birth she will writhe and cry out in pain. This is how we were before you, Yahweh. 18 We were pregnant. We writhed but were pretty much just giving birth to wind. We will accomplish no salvations on the earth and no one living in the world has fallen.”
19 Your dead will live. My dead body, they will arise. Wake up! Those who wait in the dirt, celebrate! For the dew of first light is your dew and the land of the Rephaim she will cast down. 20 Go, my people! Come in to your inner rooms and shut both doors behind you! Hide yourself in the blink of an eye until the fury has passed.
21 Look! Yahweh is coming out from his place to bring punishment for the sin of the man who is at home on the earth, and to expose the blood shed on her. She will not cover up her slain any longer.
“Our city is strong! He will make salvation our walls and our defence. 2 Open the gates and come in, righteous nation that maintains faithfulness. 3 Those with a firm purpose you shelter in complete peace because they trust in you. 4 Trust in Yahweh until eternity – yes, in Yah, Yahweh, the rock through the ages. 5 For he humbles those who live in high places. He brings an exalted city right down – he will level her to the ground and will pound her into the dirt. 6 She will be totally trampled underfoot by the feet of a humble man, and the footsteps of frail men.
7 "The way for the righteous man is straight. You clear a direct path for the righteous one. 8 Yes, Yahweh! We wait expectantly for the path of your judgements. The passion of our soul is for your name and your reputation. 9 My soul longs for you in the night. Yes, my spirit within me pursues you, because when your judgements come upon the earth, those living in the world will learn justice – 10 if the wicked one is shown mercy he will not learn justice. In the land of truths he will still sin and will not see Yahweh’s majesty. 11 Yahweh, your hand is raised but they don’t even notice. But they will take notice and will be ashamed by your passion for your people – yes, fire will consume your enemies. 12 Yahweh, you will establish peace for us, because even all our achievements you have done for us.
13 "O Yahweh, our Godhead, other lords besides you took charge of us, but we will celebrate your name alone. 14 These dead men are no longer living – Rephaim will not rise again – because you went to them and you wiped them out. You destroyed all memory of them. 15 But you have grown the nation, Yahweh – you have grown the nation and you are honoured. You have extended all the boundaries of the land. 16 Yahweh, in the tribulation they have searched for you; they have poured out silent prayers when your discipline was on them. 17 Like when a pregnant woman is close to giving birth she will writhe and cry out in pain. This is how we were before you, Yahweh. 18 We were pregnant. We writhed but were pretty much just giving birth to wind. We will accomplish no salvations on the earth and no one living in the world has fallen.”
19 Your dead will live. My dead body, they will arise. Wake up! Those who wait in the dirt, celebrate! For the dew of first light is your dew and the land of the Rephaim she will cast down. 20 Go, my people! Come in to your inner rooms and shut both doors behind you! Hide yourself in the blink of an eye until the fury has passed.
21 Look! Yahweh is coming out from his place to bring punishment for the sin of the man who is at home on the earth, and to expose the blood shed on her. She will not cover up her slain any longer.