1This is the vision that Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw about Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Judah’s kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
2Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth, because Yahweh has spoken: “I raised children and helped them grow, but they turned against me.
3An ox knows its owner, and a donkey knows the place where its master feeds it, but Israel doesn’t know me; my people don’t understand.”
4Oh, what a sinful nation, a people loaded with wrongdoing, descendants of evil people, children who act corruptly! They have abandoned Yahweh. They have disrespected the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away and rejected him.
5Why should you be punished more, since you keep rebelling? Your whole head is sick, and your whole heart is weak.
6From the bottom of your feet to the top of your head, there is no healthy part; only wounds, bruises, and open sores. They have not been cleaned, bandaged, or soothed with oil.
7Your country is empty. Your cities have been burned with fire. Foreigners are destroying your land right before your eyes, and it is wasted, as if overthrown by strangers.
8The people of Zion are left like a small shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a melon field, like a city under attack.
9If Yahweh of Armies had not left a very small number of survivors, we would have been completely destroyed like Sodom; we would have become like Gomorrah.
10Hear Yahweh’s message, 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 am fed up with the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed animals. I don’t enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats.
12When you come to worship me, who asked you to trample my temple courts?
13Stop bringing your useless offerings. I hate your incense; your New Moons, Sabbaths, and special meetings and I cannot stand your evil assemblies.
14I hate your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them.
15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. Even when you pray a lot, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.
16Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean. Stop doing evil things in my sight. Stop doing wrong.
17Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help those who are oppressed. Defend orphans. Speak up for widows.”
18“Come now, let’s discuss this,” says Yahweh. “Even if your sins are bright red like scarlet, they will become as white as snow. Even if they are deep red like crimson, they will be like wool.
19If you are willing to obey, you will eat the good produce of the land.
20But if you refuse and rebel, you will be destroyed by war, because Yahweh himself has spoken it.
21How the faithful city has become like a prostitute! It used to be full of justice and fairness, but now murderers live there.
22Your silver has become worthless, your wine watered down.
23Your leaders are rebellious and friends with thieves. Everyone loves bribes and chases after rewards. They don't defend orphans, and they don't listen to the pleas of widows.
24Therefore, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from those who oppose me and get revenge on my enemies.
25I will turn against you, thoroughly remove your impurities, and take away all your unnecessary elements.
26I will bring back your judges as they were at first, and your advisors as they were in the beginning. Afterwards, you will be called 'The city of fairness, a faithful town.'
27Jerusalem will be set free through justice, and those who return to her will be set free through fairness.
28But those who break the law and sin will be destroyed together, and those who abandon Yahweh will be wiped out.
29For you will be ashamed of the sacred trees you desired, and you will be disgraced by the gardens you chose for worship.
30For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither, and like a garden that has no water.
31The strong will be like tinder, and their work like a spark. Both will burn up together, and no one will put out the fire."