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

10 Hear 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.

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

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

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

15 When 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.

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

17 Learn 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.

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

20 But 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

Hear שִׁמְע֥וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the word דְבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular you rulers קְצִינֵ֣י H7101 Noun - masculine plural construct of Sodom סְדֹ֑ם H5467 Noun - proper - feminine singular listen הַאֲזִ֛ינוּ H238 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural to the instruction תּוֹרַ֥ת H8451 Noun - feminine singular construct of our God אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural you people עַ֥ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct of Gomorrah עֲמֹרָֽה׃ H6017 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

What [good] לָמָּה־ H4100 Interrogative to Me לִּ֤י Preposition | first person common singular [is] your multitude רֹב־ H7230 Noun - masculine singular construct of sacrifices זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ H2077 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural says יֹאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I am full שָׂבַ֛עְתִּי H7646 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular from the burnt offerings עֹל֥וֹת H5930 Noun - feminine plural construct of rams אֵילִ֖ים H352 Noun - masculine plural and the fat וְחֵ֣לֶב H2459 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of well-fed cattle מְרִיאִ֑ים H4806 Noun - masculine plural vvv לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle I take no delight חָפָֽצְתִּי׃ H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular in the blood וְדַ֨ם H1818 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of bulls פָּרִ֧ים H6499 Noun - masculine plural and lambs וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים H3532 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural and goats וְעַתּוּדִ֖ים H6260 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 12

Original words

When כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you come תָבֹ֔אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to appear לֵרָא֖וֹת H7200 Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct before Me פָּנָ֑י H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular who מִי־ H4310 Interrogative has required בִקֵּ֥שׁ H1245 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular this זֹ֛את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular of you מִיֶּדְכֶ֖ם H3027 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural this trampling רְמֹ֥ס H7429 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct of My courts חֲצֵרָֽי׃ H2691 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 13

Original words

Bring הָבִיא֙ H935 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct your worthless שָׁ֔וְא H7723 Noun - masculine singular offerings מִנְחַת־ H4503 Noun - feminine singular construct no לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle more תוֹסִ֗יפוּ H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural your incense קְטֹ֧רֶת H7004 Noun - feminine singular is detestable תּוֹעֵבָ֛ה H8441 Noun - feminine singular . . . הִ֖יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular to Me לִ֑י Preposition | first person common singular New Moons חֹ֤דֶשׁ H2320 Noun - masculine singular Sabbaths וְשַׁבָּת֙ H7676 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular and convocations קְרֹ֣א H7121 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . מִקְרָ֔א H4744 Noun - masculine singular I cannot לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle endure אוּכַ֥ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular iniquity אָ֖וֶן H205 Noun - masculine singular in a solemn assembly וַעֲצָרָֽה׃ H6116 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

I נַפְשִׁ֔י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular hate שָׂנְאָ֣ה H8130 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular your New Moons חָדְשֵׁיכֶ֤ם H2320 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and your appointed feasts וּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֙ H4150 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural They have become הָי֥וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural a burden לָטֹ֑רַח H2960 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to Me עָלַ֖י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular I am weary נִלְאֵ֖יתִי H3811 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular of bearing them נְשֹֽׂא׃ H5375 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 15

Original words

When you spread out וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם H6566 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural your hands in prayer כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם H3709 Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine plural I will hide אַעְלִ֤ים H5956 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular My eyes עֵינַי֙ H5869 Noun - cdc | first person common singular from you מִכֶּ֔ם Preposition | second person masculine plural even גַּ֛ם H1571 Conjunction though כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you multiply תַרְבּ֥וּ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural your prayers תְפִלָּ֖ה H8605 Noun - feminine singular I will not אֵינֶ֣נִּי H369 Adverb | first person common singular listen שֹׁמֵ֑עַ H8085 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Your hands יְדֵיכֶ֖ם H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine plural are covered מָלֵֽאוּ׃ H4390 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural with blood דָּמִ֥ים H1818 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

Wash רַחֲצוּ֙ H7364 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural and cleanse yourselves הִזַּכּ֔וּ H2135 Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine plural Remove הָסִ֛ירוּ H5493 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural your evil רֹ֥עַ H7455 Noun - masculine singular construct deeds מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם H4611 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural from מִנֶּ֣גֶד H5048 Preposition-m My sight עֵינָ֑י H5869 Noun - cdc | first person common singular Stop חִדְל֖וּ H2308 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural doing evil הָרֵֽעַ׃ H7489 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Verse 17

Original words

Learn לִמְד֥וּ H3925 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural to do right הֵיטֵ֛ב H3190 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute seek דִּרְשׁ֥וּ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural justice מִשְׁפָּ֖ט H4941 Noun - masculine singular [and] correct אַשְּׁר֣וּ H833 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural the oppressor חָמ֑וֹץ H2541 Noun - masculine singular Defend שִׁפְט֣וּ H8199 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the fatherless יָת֔וֹם H3490 Noun - masculine singular [and] plead the case רִ֖יבוּ H7378 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural of the widow אַלְמָנָֽה׃ס H490 Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or and encourage the oppressed
Verse 18

Original words

Come לְכוּ־ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural now נָ֛א H4994 Interjection let us reason together וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖ה H3198 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural says יֹאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Though אִם־ H518 Conjunction your sins חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם H2399 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural are יִֽהְי֨וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural like scarlet כַּשָּׁנִים֙ H8144 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural they will be as white יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ H3835 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural as snow כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג H7950 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular though אִם־ H518 Conjunction they are as red יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ H119 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural as crimson כַתּוֹלָ֖ע H8438 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular they will become יִהְיֽוּ׃ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural like wool כַּצֶּ֥מֶר H6785 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

If אִם־ H518 Conjunction you are willing תֹּאב֖וּ H14 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural and obedient וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural you will eat תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural the best ט֥וּב H2898 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָ֖רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

But if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction you resist תְּמָאֲנ֖וּ H3985 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural and rebel וּמְרִיתֶ֑ם H4784 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural you will be devoured תְּאֻכְּל֔וּ H398 Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - second person masculine plural by the sword חֶ֣רֶב H2719 Noun - feminine singular For כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction the mouth פִּ֥י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has spoken דִּבֵּֽר׃ס H1696 Verb - 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.