Focused Passage

Isaiah 1:21-31

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

21See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

22Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

23Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

24Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies.

25I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.

26I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

27Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.

28But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.

29Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.

30For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.

31The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 21

Original words

[See] howאֵיכָה֙H349Interjectionthe faithfulנֶאֱמָנָ֑הH539Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular. . .מְלֵאֲתִ֣יH4392Adjective - feminine singular constructcityקִרְיָ֖הH7151Noun - feminine singularhas becomeהָיְתָ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singulara harlotלְזוֹנָ֔הH2181Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularShe once was full of justiceמִשְׁפָּ֗טH4941Noun - masculine singularrighteousnessצֶ֛דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularresidedיָלִ֥יןH3885Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwithin herבָּ֖הּPreposition | third person feminine singularbut now onlyוְעַתָּ֥הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbmurderersמְרַצְּחִֽים׃H7523Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 22

Original words

Your silverכַּסְפֵּ֖ךְH3701Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularhas becomeהָיָ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulardrossלְסִיגִ֑יםH5509Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralyour fine wineסָבְאֵ֖ךְH5435Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularis dilutedמָה֥וּלH4107Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularwith waterבַּמָּֽיִם׃H4325Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 23

Original words

Your rulersשָׂרַ֣יִךְH8269Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularare rebelsסוֹרְרִ֗יםH5637Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralfriendsוְחַבְרֵי֙H2270Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof thievesגַּנָּבִ֔יםH1590Noun - masculine pluralThey allכֻּלּוֹ֙H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularloveאֹהֵ֣בH157Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularbribesשֹׁ֔חַדH7810Noun - masculine singularand chasing afterוְרֹדֵ֖ףH7291Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularrewardsשַׁלְמֹנִ֑יםH8021Noun - masculine pluralThey do notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particledefendיִשְׁפֹּ֔טוּH8199Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe fatherlessיָתוֹם֙H3490Noun - masculine singularand the pleaוְרִ֥יבH7379Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof the widowאַלְמָנָ֖הH490Noun - feminine singularneverלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlecomesיָב֥וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularbefore themאֲלֵיהֶֽם׃פH413Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverbthe Lordהָֽאָדוֹן֙H113Article | Noun - masculine singularGODיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralthe Mightyאֲבִ֖ירH46Noun - masculine singular constructOne of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulardeclaresנְאֻ֤םH5002Noun - masculine singular constructAhה֚וֹיH1945InterjectionI will be relievedאֶנָּחֵ֣םH5162Verb - Nifal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularof My foesמִצָּרַ֔יH6862Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularand avenge Myselfוְאִנָּקְמָ֖הH5358Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularon My enemiesמֵאוֹיְבָֽי׃H341Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 25

Original words

I will turnוְאָשִׁ֤יבָהH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularMy handיָדִי֙H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularagainst youעָלַ֔יִךְH5921Preposition | second person feminine singularI will thoroughly purgeוְאֶצְרֹ֥ףH6884Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular. . .כַּבֹּ֖רH1253Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularyour drossסִיגָ֑יִךְH5509Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularI will removeוְאָסִ֖ירָהH5493Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructyour impuritiesבְּדִילָֽיִךְ׃H913Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 26

Original words

I will restoreוְאָשִׁ֤יבָהH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularyour judgesשֹׁפְטַ֙יִךְ֙H8199Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularas at firstכְּבָרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔הH7223Preposition-k, Preposition-b, Article | Adjective - feminine singularand your counselorsוְיֹעֲצַ֖יִךְH3289Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularas at the beginningכְּבַתְּחִלָּ֑הH8462Preposition-k, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularAfter thatאַחֲרֵי־H310Preposition. . .כֵ֗ןH3651Adverbyou will be calledיִקָּ֤רֵאH7121Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe Cityעִ֣ירH5892Noun - feminine singular constructof Righteousnessהַצֶּ֔דֶקH6664Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Faithfulנֶאֱמָנָֽה׃H539Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singularCityקִרְיָ֖הH7151Noun - feminine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Zionצִיּ֖וֹןH6726Noun - proper - feminine singularwill be redeemedתִּפָּדֶ֑הH6299Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularwith justiceבְּמִשְׁפָּ֣טH4941Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularher repentant onesוְשָׁבֶ֖יהָH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularwith righteousnessבִּצְדָקָֽה׃H6666Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 28

Original words

But rebelsפֹּשְׁעִ֛יםH6586Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluraland sinnersוְחַטָּאִ֖יםH2400Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine pluralwill togetherיַחְדָּ֑וH3162Adverbbe shatteredוְשֶׁ֧בֶרH7667Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructand those who forsakeוְעֹזְבֵ֥יH5800Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill perishיִכְלֽוּ׃H3615Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 29

Original words

Surelyכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionyou will be ashamedיֵבֹ֔שׁוּH954Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralof the sacred oaksמֵאֵילִ֖יםH352Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativein which you have delightedחֲמַדְתֶּ֑םH2530Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralyou will be embarrassedוְתַ֨חְפְּר֔וּH2659Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine pluralby the gardensמֵהַגַּנּ֖וֹתH1593Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine pluralthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeyou have chosenבְּחַרְתֶּֽם׃H977Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Verse 30

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionyou will becomeתִֽהְי֔וּH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plurallike an oakכְּאֵלָ֖הH424Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singularwhose leavesעָלֶ֑הָH5929Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularare witheredנֹבֶ֣לֶתH5034Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular constructlike a gardenוּֽכְגַנָּ֔הH1593Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativewithoutאֵ֥יןH369Adverbwaterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine plural
Verse 31

Original words

The strong manהֶחָסֹן֙H2634Article | Adjective - masculine singularwill becomeוְהָיָ֤הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartinderלִנְעֹ֔רֶתH5296Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularand his workוּפֹעֲל֖וֹH6467Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular[will be] a sparkלְנִיצ֑וֹץH5213Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularbothשְׁנֵיהֶ֛םH8147Number - masculine dual construct | third person masculine pluralwill burnוּבָעֲר֧וּH1197Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluraltogetherיַחְדָּ֖וH3162Adverbwith no oneוְאֵ֥יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbto quench the flamesמְכַבֶּֽה׃סH3518Verb - Piel - Participle - 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.