Isaiah1
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1The 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.
2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward.
5Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.
7Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies,—I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting.
14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them.
15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
16Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
21How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
22Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.
23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies;
25and I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin;
26and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, a faithful town.
27Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
28But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
31And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The corruptions prevailing among the Jews. (1-9). Severe censures. (10-15). Exhortations to repentance. (16-20). The state of Judah is lamented; with gracious promises of the gospel times. (21-31).
vv1-9
Isaiah signifies, "The salvation of the Lord;" a very suitable name for this prophet, who prophesies so much of Jesus the Saviour, and his salvation. God's professing people did not know or consider that they owed their lives and comforts to God's fatherly care and kindness. How many are very careless in the affairs of their souls! Not considering what we do know in religion, does us as much harm, as ignorance of what we should know. The wickedness was universal. Here is a comparison taken from a sick and diseased body. The distemper threatens to be mortal. From the sole of the foot even to the head; from the meanest peasant to the greatest peer, there is no soundness, no good principle, no religion, for that is the health of the soul. Nothing but guilt and corruption; the sad effects of Adam's fall. This passage declares the total depravity of human nature. While sin remains unrepented, nothing is done toward healing these wounds, and preventing fatal effects. Jerusalem was exposed and unprotected, like the huts or sheds built up to guard ripening fruits. These are still to be seen in the East, where fruits form a large part of the summer food of the people. But the Lord had a small remnant of pious servants at Jerusalem. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. The evil nature is in every one of us; only Jesus and his sanctifying Spirit can restore us to spiritual health.
vv10-15
Judea was desolate, and their cities burned. This awakened them to bring sacrifices and offerings, as if they would bribe God to remove the punishment, and give them leave to go on in their sin. Many who will readily part with their sacrifices, will not be persuaded to part with their sins. They relied on the mere form as a service deserving a reward. The most costly devotions of wicked people, without thorough reformation of heart and life, cannot be acceptable to God. He not only did not accept them, but he abhorred them. All this shows that sin is very hateful to God. If we allow ourselves in secret sin, or forbidden indulgences; if we reject the salvation of Christ, our very prayers will become abomination.
vv16-20
Not only feel sorrow for the sin committed, but break off the practice. We must be doing, not stand idle. We must be doing the good the Lord our God requires. It is plain that the sacrifices of the law could not atone, even for outward national crimes. But, blessed be God, there is a Fountain opened, in which sinners of every age and rank may be cleansed. Though our sins have been as scarlet and crimson, a deep dye, a double dye, first in the wool of original corruption, and afterwards in the many threads of actual transgression; though we have often dipped into sin, by many backslidings; yet pardoning mercy will take out the stain, Ps. 51:7. They should have all the happiness and comfort they could desire. Life and death, good and evil, are set before us. O Lord, incline all of us to live to thy glory.
Key Words
חָזוֹן: a sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oracle
יְשַׁעְיָה: Jeshajah, the name of seven Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָמוֹץ: Amots, an Israelite
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
חָזָה: to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have avision of
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
Cross References
Isaiah 1Direct verbal echo of Moses' covenant witness: 'Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth.'
Supported by JFB
Paul directly quotes this verse in Greek to demonstrate the preservation of a faithful remnant.
Parallels the contrast between migrating birds knowing their times and Israel's ignorance.
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Deep thematic connection using the exact imagery of being washed whiter than snow.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jerusalem restored and called again "the city of truth" and "the faithful city."
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Legal background from the Torah regarding the punishment for a stubborn and rebellious son.
Supported by JFB, Matthew Poole
Spiritually equates Jerusalem with Sodom and Egypt, continuing Isaiah's prophetic identification.
Matches the divine rejection of ritual sacrifices without heart obedience and righteousness.
Strong contemporary prophetic parallel: God hating and despising their feast days.
Summarizes the call to walk humbly, seek justice, and care for the vulnerable.
God planted Israel a noble vine, but she turned into a degenerate, unfaithful plant.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Elaborates on the metaphor of Israel becoming dross in the furnace to be melted.
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The Lord acts as a refiner's fire to purge away dross from His people.
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Illustrates the typical ancient Middle Eastern medical treatment of binding and mollifying wounds with oil.
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Isaiah's own later development of the desolate, trodden-down vineyard metaphor.
Parallel warning that those who reject wisdom will cry out but God will not answer.
Reprobate silver because the Lord has rejected them, echoing the dross imagery.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Condemns rulers whose drink is diluted or sour, loving shameful gifts instead of justice.
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Law forbidding the very bribery, gift-loving, and perverted justice condemned by Isaiah.
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Parallels rulers who judge for reward and priests who teach for hire.
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The unquenchable fire of judgment that burns up the chaff, matching the fading oak.
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The foundational Torah definition of how Yahweh speaks to prophets via visions.
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The covenant curse of the sword and desolation for refusing to obey.
Lament over the gold becoming dim, echoing the decline of the faithful city.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Lord finding ease or comfort in executing His anger against His adversaries.
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Sacrificing under oaks, poplars, and elms, connecting to the desired pagan oaks.
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The wicked as a parched shrub in the desert, matching the waterless garden.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The future blessing of Jerusalem being called the habitation of justice and holiness.
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