1: 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have 1nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
1Or, made great and exalted children, See Ez 31:4.
1: 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
1: 4 Ah 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.
1: 5 2Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? 3the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
2Or, Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt;
3Or, every head is sick, and every heart faint.
1: 6 From 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.
1: 7 Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, 4as overthrown by strangers.
4Or, as the overthrow of strangers.
1: 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
1: 9 Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
1: 10 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye 5rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the 6law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
5Or, judges
6Or, teaching
1: 11 What 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.
1: 12 When ye come 7to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
7Or with different. points (vowels), to see my face,
1: 13 Bring no more 8vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies, – 9I cannot bear iniquity and the solemn meeting.
8Hb. an oblation of vanity;
9Or, I cannot bear; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
1: 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are 10a trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them.
10Or, an encumbrance or, a hindrance
1: 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yes, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
1: 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
1: 17 learn to do well; seek justice, 11relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
11Or, set right the oppressor,
1: 18 Come 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.
1: 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
1: 20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
1: 21 How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
1: 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.
1: 23 Thy 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.
1: 24 Therefore 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;
1: 25 and I will 12turn my hand upon thee, and 13thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy 14tin;
12Or, bring my hand again,
13Hb. as with lye purge away thy dross,
14Or, alloy
1: 26 and 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.
1: 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and 15her converts with righteousness.
15Or, they that return of her with righteousness.
1: 28 But the 16destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
16Hb. breaking
1: 29 For they shall be ashamed of the 17oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
17Or, terebinths
1: 30 For ye shall be as 18an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
18Or, a terebinth
1: 31 And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
