Font Size
Isaiah 1:10-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Isaiah 1:10-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
10 [a]Hear the word of the Lord,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
11 What do I care for the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord.
I have had enough of whole-burnt rams
and fat of fatlings;
In the blood of calves, lambs, and goats
I find no pleasure.(A)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who asks these things of you?
13 Trample my courts no more!
To bring offerings is useless;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath, calling assemblies—
festive convocations with wickedness—
these I cannot bear.(B)
14 Your new moons and festivals I detest;(C)
they weigh me down, I tire of the load.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will close my eyes to you;
Though you pray the more,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood
16 Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil;
17 learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.(E)
18 Come now, let us set things right,[c]
says the Lord:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be red like crimson,
they may become white as wool.(F)
19 If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
20 But if you refuse and resist,
you shall be eaten by the sword:
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken!
Footnotes
- 1:10–17 A powerful indictment of the religious hypocrisy of rulers and others who neglect just judgment and oppress the weaker members, yet believe they can please God with sacrifices and other external forms of worship. The long list of observances suggests the Lord’s tedium with such attempts. Sodom…Gomorrah: the names are picked up from v. 9, but now to emphasize their wickedness rather than the good fortune of escaping total destruction.
- 1:15–16 Hands…blood: oppression of the poor is likened to violence that bloodies the hands, which explains why the hands spread out in prayer (v. 15) are not regarded by the Lord. This climax of the accusations is followed by positive admonitions for reversing the evil situation.
- 1:18–20 Let us set things right: the Hebrew word refers to the arbitration of legal disputes (Jb 23:7). God offers to settle his case with Israel on the basis of the change of behavior demanded above. For Israel it is a life or death choice; life in conformity with God’s will or death for continued disobedience.
Isaiah 1:10-20
New International Version
Isaiah 1:10-20
New International Version
10 Hear the word of the Lord,(A)
you rulers of Sodom;(B)
listen to the instruction(C) of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!(D)
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;(E)
I have no pleasure(F)
in the blood of bulls(G) and lambs and goats.(H)
12 When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,(I)
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!(J)
Your incense(K) is detestable(L) to me.
New Moons,(M) Sabbaths and convocations(N)—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon(O) feasts and your appointed festivals(P)
I hate with all my being.(Q)
They have become a burden to me;(R)
I am weary(S) of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands(T) in prayer,
I hide(U) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.(V)
16 Wash(Y) and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;(Z)
stop doing wrong.(AA)
17 Learn to do right;(AB) seek justice.(AC)
Defend the oppressed.[a](AD)
Take up the cause of the fatherless;(AE)
plead the case of the widow.(AF)
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”(AG)
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;(AH)
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.(AI)
19 If you are willing and obedient,(AJ)
you will eat the good things of the land;(AK)
20 but if you resist and rebel,(AL)
you will be devoured by the sword.”(AM)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(AN)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:17 Or justice. / Correct the oppressor
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.