Focused Passage

Isaiah 1:10-20

The LORD’s Covenant Lawsuit Against a Rebellious People

The chapter moves from covenant indictment, to exposed corruption, to rejected worship, to gracious summons, to warning, to Zion’s promised purification and the destruction of rebels.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

11“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts?

13Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.

14I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!

17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

18“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

20But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Hearשִׁמְע֥וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthe wordדְבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyou rulersקְצִינֵ֣יH7101Noun - masculine plural constructof Sodomסְדֹ֑םH5467Noun - proper - feminine singularlistenהַאֲזִ֛ינוּH238Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralto the instructionתּוֹרַ֥תH8451Noun - feminine singular constructof our Godאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralyou peopleעַ֥םH5971Noun - masculine singular constructof Gomorrahעֲמֹרָֽה׃H6017Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

What [good]לָמָּה־H4100Interrogativeto Meלִּ֤יPreposition | first person common singular[is] your multitudeרֹב־H7230Noun - masculine singular constructof sacrificesזִבְחֵיכֶם֙H2077Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralsaysיֹאמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularI am fullשָׂבַ֛עְתִּיH7646Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularfrom the burnt offeringsעֹל֥וֹתH5930Noun - feminine plural constructof ramsאֵילִ֖יםH352Noun - masculine pluraland the fatוְחֵ֣לֶבH2459Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof well-fed cattleמְרִיאִ֑יםH4806Noun - masculine pluralvvvלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleI take no delightחָפָֽצְתִּי׃H2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularin the bloodוְדַ֨םH1818Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof bullsפָּרִ֧יםH6499Noun - masculine pluraland lambsוּכְבָשִׂ֛יםH3532Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluraland goatsוְעַתּוּדִ֖יםH6260Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 12

Original words

Whenכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionyou comeתָבֹ֔אוּH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralto appearלֵרָא֖וֹתH7200Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive constructbefore Meפָּנָ֑יH6440Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularwhoמִי־H4310Interrogativehas requiredבִקֵּ֥שׁH1245Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularthisזֹ֛אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularof youמִיֶּדְכֶ֖םH3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralthis tramplingרְמֹ֥סH7429Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructof My courtsחֲצֵרָֽי׃H2691Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 13

Original words

Bringהָבִיא֙H935Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructyour worthlessשָׁ֔וְאH7723Noun - masculine singularofferingsמִנְחַת־H4503Noun - feminine singular constructnoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlemoreתוֹסִ֗יפוּH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralyour incenseקְטֹ֧רֶתH7004Noun - feminine singularis detestableתּוֹעֵבָ֛הH8441Noun - feminine singular. . .הִ֖יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularto Meלִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularNew Moonsחֹ֤דֶשׁH2320Noun - masculine singularSabbathsוְשַׁבָּת֙H7676Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singularand convocationsקְרֹ֣אH7121Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .מִקְרָ֔אH4744Noun - masculine singularI cannotלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleendureאוּכַ֥לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singulariniquityאָ֖וֶןH205Noun - masculine singularin a solemn assemblyוַעֲצָרָֽה׃H6116Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Iנַפְשִׁ֔יH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularhateשָׂנְאָ֣הH8130Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularyour New Moonsחָדְשֵׁיכֶ֤םH2320Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluraland your appointed feastsוּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֙H4150Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralThey have becomeהָי֥וּH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plurala burdenלָטֹ֑רַחH2960Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularto Meעָלַ֖יH5921Preposition | first person common singularI am wearyנִלְאֵ֖יתִיH3811Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singularof bearing themנְשֹֽׂא׃H5375Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 15

Original words

When you spread outוּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣םH6566Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine pluralyour hands in prayerכַּפֵּיכֶ֗םH3709Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine pluralI will hideאַעְלִ֤יםH5956Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularMy eyesעֵינַי֙H5869Noun - cdc | first person common singularfrom youמִכֶּ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluralevenגַּ֛םH1571Conjunctionthoughכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou multiplyתַרְבּ֥וּH7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralyour prayersתְפִלָּ֖הH8605Noun - feminine singularI will notאֵינֶ֣נִּיH369Adverb | first person common singularlistenשֹׁמֵ֑עַH8085Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularYour handsיְדֵיכֶ֖םH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine pluralare coveredמָלֵֽאוּ׃H4390Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwith bloodדָּמִ֥יםH1818Noun - masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

Washרַחֲצוּ֙H7364Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluraland cleanse yourselvesהִזַּכּ֔וּH2135Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine pluralRemoveהָסִ֛ירוּH5493Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralyour evilרֹ֥עַH7455Noun - masculine singular constructdeedsמַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖םH4611Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralfromמִנֶּ֣גֶדH5048Preposition-mMy sightעֵינָ֑יH5869Noun - cdc | first person common singularStopחִדְל֖וּH2308Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluraldoing evilהָרֵֽעַ׃H7489Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Verse 17

Original words

Learnלִמְד֥וּH3925Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralto do rightהֵיטֵ֛בH3190Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteseekדִּרְשׁ֥וּH1875Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluraljusticeמִשְׁפָּ֖טH4941Noun - masculine singular[and] correctאַשְּׁר֣וּH833Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluralthe oppressorחָמ֑וֹץH2541Noun - masculine singularDefendשִׁפְט֣וּH8199Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthe fatherlessיָת֔וֹםH3490Noun - masculine singular[and] plead the caseרִ֖יבוּH7378Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralof the widowאַלְמָנָֽה׃סH490Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or and encourage the oppressed
Verse 18

Original words

Comeלְכוּ־H1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralnowנָ֛אH4994Interjectionlet us reason togetherוְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖הH3198Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralsaysיֹאמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularThoughאִם־H518Conjunctionyour sinsחֲטָאֵיכֶ֤םH2399Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralareיִֽהְי֨וּH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plurallike scarletכַּשָּׁנִים֙H8144Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine pluralthey will be as whiteיַלְבִּ֔ינוּH3835Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralas snowכַּשֶּׁ֣לֶגH7950Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularthoughאִם־H518Conjunctionthey are as redיַאְדִּ֥ימוּH119Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralas crimsonכַתּוֹלָ֖עH8438Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularthey will becomeיִהְיֽוּ׃H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plurallike woolכַּצֶּ֥מֶרH6785Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

Ifאִם־H518Conjunctionyou are willingתֹּאב֖וּH14Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraland obedientוּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֑םH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralyou will eatתֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃H398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe bestט֥וּבH2898Noun - masculine singular constructof the landהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou resistתְּמָאֲנ֖וּH3985Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraland rebelוּמְרִיתֶ֑םH4784Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralyou will be devouredתְּאֻכְּל֔וּH398Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralby the swordחֶ֣רֶבH2719Noun - feminine singularForכִּ֛יH3588Conjunctionthe mouthפִּ֥יH6310Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhas spokenדִּבֵּֽר׃סH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.