Judah's Rebellion

(2 Chronicles 28:5-15)

1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2Hear, [ye] heavens, and give ear, [thou] earth! for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children; and they have rebelled against me.

3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; Israel doth not know, my people hath no intelligence.

4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that corrupt themselves! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they are turned away backward.

5Why should ye be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him; wounds, and weals, and open sores: they have not been dressed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil.

7Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers eat it up in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

8And the daughter of Zion is left, as a booth in a vineyard, as a night-lodge in a cucumber-garden, as a besieged city.

9Unless Jehovah of hosts had left us a very small residue, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Meaningless Offerings

10Hear the word of Jehovah, rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!

11To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure.

12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this from your hand -- to tread my courts?

13Bring no more vain oblations! Incense is an abomination unto me, -- new moon and sabbath, the calling of convocations -- wickedness and the solemn meeting I cannot bear.

14Your new moons and your set feasts my soul hateth: they are a burden to me; I am wearied of bearing [them].

15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

16Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; -- cease to do evil,

17learn to do well: seek judgment, gladden the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18Come now, 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.

19If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land;

20but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

Zion Corrupted

21How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness used to lodge in it, but now murderers.

22Thy silver is become dross, thy wine is mixed with water:

23thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them.

24Therefore 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.

25And I will turn my hand upon thee, and will thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thine alloy;

26and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. Afterwards thou shalt be called, Town of righteousness, Faithful city.

27Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and they that return of her with righteousness.

28But the ruin of the transgressors and of the sinners [shall be] together; and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.

29For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths that ye have desired, and ye shall blush for the gardens that ye have chosen.

30For ye shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

31And the strong shall be for tow, and his work a spark; and they shall both burn together, and there shall be none to quench [them].