Seeing of Yesha'-yahu, son of Amoz, which he saw over Judah and
Jerusalem in the days of Uzziyahu, Jotham, Ahaz, _and_ Yehizkiyahu,
the kings of Judah.
_PART I._
PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE ONWARD COURSE OF THE GREAT
MASS OF THE PEOPLE TOWARDS HARDENING OF HEART.--CHAPS. I.-VI.
_Opening Address Concerning the Ways of Jehovah with
His Ungrateful and Rebellious Nation._--CHAP. I. 2., _sqq._
2. Hear, O heavens; and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah speaketh! I
have brought up children, and raised them high, and they have fallen
away from Me. 3. An ox knoweth its owner, and an ass its master's
crib: Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
4. Woe upon the sinful nation, the guilt-laden people, the miscreant
race, the children acting corruptly! They have forsaken Jehovah,
blasphemed Israel's Holy One, turned away backwards.
5. Why would ye be perpetually smitten, multiplying rebellion? Every
head is diseased, and every heart is sick. 6. From the sole of the
foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: cuts, and stripes,
and festering wounds; they have not been pressed out, nor bound up,
nor has there been any soothing with oil. 7. Your land . . . a
desert; your cities . . . burned with fire; your field . . .
foreigners consuming it before your eyes, and a desert like
overthrowing by strangers. 8. And the daughter of Zion remains like a
hut in a vineyard; like a hammock in a cucumber field, as a besieged
city. 9. Unless Jehovah of hosts had left us a little of what had
escaped, we had become like Sodom, we were like Gomorrah.
10. Hear the word of Jehovah, ye Sodom judges; give ear to the law of
our God, O Gomorrah nation! 11. What is the multitude of your slain
offerings to Me? saith Jehovah. I am satiated with the whole
offerings of rams, and the fat of stalled calves; and blood of
bullocks and sheep and he-goats I do not like. 12. When ye come to
appear before My face, who hath required this at your hands, to tread
My courts? 13. Continue not to bring lying meat offering; abomination
incense is it to Me. New-moon and Sabbath, calling of festal
meetings . . . I cannot bear ungodliness and a festal crowd. 14. Your
new-moons and your festive seasons My soul hateth; they have become a
burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15. And if ye stretch out
your hands, I hide Mine eyes from you; if ye make ever so much
praying, I do not hear: your hands are full of blood.
16. Wash, clean yourselves; put away the badness of your doings from
the range of My eyes; cease to do evil; 17. learn to do good, attend
to judgment, set the oppressor right, do justice to the orphan,
conduct the cause of the widow.
18. O come, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah. If your sins
come forth like scarlet cloth, they shall become white as snow; if
they are red as crimson, they shall come forth like wool! 19. If ye
then shall willingly hear, ye shall eat the good of the land; 20. if
ye shall obstinately rebel, ye shall be eaten by the sword! for the
mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
21. How is she become an harlot, the faithful citadel! she, full of
right, lodged in righteousness, and now----murderers. 22. Thy silver
has become dross, thy drink mutilated with water. 23. Thy rulers are
rebellious and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and
hunteth after payment; the orphan they right not, and the cause of
the widow has no access to them.
24. Therefore, saying of the Lord, of Jehovah of hosts, of the Strong
One of Israel; Ah! I will relieve Myself on Mine adversaries, and
will avenge Myself upon Mine enemies; 25. and I will bring My hand
over thee, and will smelt out thy dross as with alkali, and will
clear away all thy lead. 26. And I will bring back thy judges as in
the olden time, and thy counsellors as in the beginning; afterwards
thou wilt be called City of Righteousness, Faithful Citadel.
27. Zion will be redeemed through judgment, and her returning ones
through righteousness; 28. and breaking up of the rebellious and
sinners together; and those who forsake Jehovah will perish. 29. For
they become ashamed of the terebinths, in which ye had your delight;
and ye must blush for the gardens, in which ye took pleasure. 30. For
ye shall become like a terebinth with withered leaves, and like a
garden that hath no water. 31. And the rich man becomes tow, and his
work the spark; and they will both burn together, and no one
extinguishes them.