Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Isaiah 1

World English Bible

WEB

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, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. 3The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.” 4Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. 5Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6From 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. 7Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. 9Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah. 10Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh. “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. 12When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies. 14My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. 15When 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. 16Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. 17Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” 18“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; 20but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it.” 21How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers. 22Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23Your 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. 24Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. 25I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. 26I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall 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 those who forsake Yahweh shall be consumed. 29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen. 30For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water. 31The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Isaiah Chapter 1 serves as a powerful introduction to the prophetic ministry of #Isaiah, addressing the people of #Judah and #Jerusalem. The chapter opens with a vivid depiction of Israel's rebellion against God, as the Lord laments that His children have turned away from Him. The imagery of a weary and wounded nation illustrates the spiritual and moral decay that has taken root among the people. God calls out their empty rituals and sacrifices, expressing His disdain for their worship that lacks true devotion and righteousness. This sets the stage for the urgent call to repentance and a return to genuine faithfulness to God’s covenant.

The Lord invites the people to reason together, offering them hope for redemption despite their sinful state. He emphasizes that though their sins are like scarlet, they can be made white as snow through repentance (Isaiah 1:18). This promise of forgiveness highlights God's grace and mercy, urging the people to abandon their wicked ways and seek justice, defend the oppressed, and care for the vulnerable. The chapter concludes with a stark contrast between the fate of the faithful and the unfaithful, reminding the people that true restoration comes from a sincere heart aligned with God's will. This chapter sets the tone for the themes of judgment and hope that will unfold throughout the book of Isaiah.

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. 1 Samuel 15:23v191 Samuel 15:23 compares rebellion to the sin of divination, highlighting the seriousness of disobedience. Isaiah 1:19-20 similarly contrasts the blessings of obedience with the consequences of rebellion.
  2. Job 6:29v18Job 6:29 is a plea for reconsideration and justice, asking his friends to judge him fairly. Isaiah 1:18 invites reasoning together with God, promising that sins can be made as white as snow, emphasizing the theme of seeking justice and understanding.
  3. Job 15:34v28Job 15:34 speaks of the destruction of the ungodly, which aligns with Isaiah 1:28, where the destruction of transgressors and sinners is foretold, emphasizing divine retribution.
  4. Job 36:11v19Job 36:11 promises prosperity and pleasures to those who obey and serve God, similar to Isaiah 1:19, which promises that the willing and obedient will eat the good of the land.
  5. Job 39:9v3Job 39:9 questions whether the wild ox will consent to serve humans, highlighting its untamed nature. Isaiah 1:3 uses the ox as a metaphor for understanding and recognition, contrasting Israel's lack of knowledge of God.
  6. Psalms 82:3v17Psalm 82:3 calls for justice for the weak and fatherless, aligning with Isaiah 1:17, which urges the defense of the fatherless and the plea for the widow, emphasizing God's concern for justice and care for the vulnerable.
  7. Proverbs 29:7v17Proverbs 29:7 highlights the righteous concern for the poor, which aligns with Isaiah 1:17's call to seek justice and defend the oppressed.
  8. Jeremiah 5:3v5Jeremiah 5:3 highlights the people's refusal to repent despite God's correction, paralleling Isaiah 1:5, which describes the persistent rebellion of Israel despite divine discipline.
  9. Jeremiah 8:7v3Jeremiah 8:7 highlights the people's ignorance of God's law, contrasting it with the instinctual obedience of birds to their migration patterns. Similarly, Isaiah 1:3 uses the metaphor of animals knowing their owner to illustrate Israel's lack of knowledge of God.
  10. Jeremiah 15:19v18In Jeremiah 15:19, God promises restoration if Jeremiah returns to Him, echoing Isaiah 1:18 where God invites Israel to reason together and promises cleansing from sin.
  11. Jeremiah 21:12v17Jeremiah 21:12 calls for justice and righteousness, similar to Isaiah 1:17, which urges the people to seek justice and correct oppression.
  12. Ezekiel 6:8v9Ezekiel 6:8 speaks of a remnant that will be spared, similar to Isaiah 1:9 where a remnant is left by the Lord of hosts.
  13. Ezekiel 8:18v15Ezekiel 8:18 speaks of God not hearing the cries of the people due to their abominations, similar to Isaiah 1:15, where God refuses to listen to prayers because of the people's sins.
  14. Hosea 8:13v11Hosea 8:13 criticizes Israel's sacrifices as unacceptable to God, similar to Isaiah 1:11-14, where God expresses disdain for the people's offerings due to their insincerity and sin.
  15. Amos 3:10v3Amos 3:10 highlights Israel's ignorance of doing right, similar to Isaiah 1:3 where Israel is described as not knowing or understanding God, despite being His people.
  16. Amos 5:14v17Amos 5:14 urges to 'seek good, and not evil,' which aligns with Isaiah 1:17's call to 'learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression.' Both passages emphasize righteous living.
  17. Micah 1:9v5Micah 1:9 describes the incurable wound of Judah, similar to Isaiah 1:5-6 where the nation is depicted as being sick from head to toe due to sin.
  18. Micah 3:1v23Micah 3:1 addresses the leaders of Israel, calling them to account for their injustice, similar to Isaiah 1:23, which condemns the rulers for their corruption and failure to defend the needy.
  19. James 1:27v17James 1:27 defines pure religion as caring for orphans and widows, echoing Isaiah 1:17's call to defend the fatherless and plead for the widow.
  20. Revelation 7:14v18Revelation 7:14 speaks of those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, echoing Isaiah 1:18 where sins, though red as scarlet, are made white as snow.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights