Isaiah 1

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).[4]

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (3rd century BC or later):[5]

• 1QIsa^a: complete
• 4QIsa^a (4Q55): extant: verses 1‑3
• 4QIsa^b (4Q56): extant: verses 1‑6
• 4QIsa^f (4Q60): extant: verses 10‑16, 18‑31
• 4QIsa^j (4Q63): extant: verses 1‑6

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[6]

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.[8]

• "Vision" (Hebrew: חזון chăzôn, from the verb, חזה châzâh, "to see, to behold"): Introducing the whole book as a vision in the title (see Obadiah 1, Nahum 1:1, Amos 1:1, Micah 1:1, Habakkuk 1:1), as well as in 2 Chronicles 32:32: Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold they are written in the vision of Isaiah.[9]
• "The son of Amoz": not of Amos the prophet. Jewish tradition has a note that Amoz, the father of Isaiah, was the brother of Amaziah, king of Judah, so that Isaiah was of the royal family.[10]

According to the Pulpit Commentary, the prophecies of Isaiah "concern primarily the kingdom of Judah, not that of Israel".[11] This verse "is probably best understood as the heading of the first great collection of prophecies" in chapters 1-12. Chapter 13 initiates a proclamation against Babylon.[12]

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;

for the Lord has spoken:

"Children have I reared and brought up,

but they have rebelled against me."[14]

Isaiah's opening words recall those of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:1:

"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;

And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.[15]

The New Century Version combines these two exhortations into one:

Heaven and earth, listen, because the Lord is speaking.[16]

"The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master's crib,

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand."[17]

This verse has played an important part in Christian Christmas tradition, along with a number of other verses in Isaiah which are treated as pointing forward to the time of Christ, and, although not mentioned in the gospels,[18] "the ox and the donkey/ass" are often connected with accounts of the birth of Jesus.[19] The animals in the Christmas crib are first mentioned in the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (dated to the eighth or ninth century CE), where it is said that Mary 'put her child in a manger, and an ox and an ass worshipped him. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "The ox knows his owner and the ass his master's crib"'.[20]

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle.

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

Or of lambs or goats.[23]

Anglican bishop Robert Lowth translates as I am cloyed with the burnt offerings of rams ...[24]

According to the Torah, burnt offerings formed a part of the required sacrifice on all great occasions, as at the Passover (Numbers 28:19), at the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:27), at the Feast of Tabernacles (Numbers 29:13, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 36), at the Feast of Trumpets (Numbers 29:2), and on the great Day of Atonement (Numbers 29:8), as well as being commanded as the sole sacrifice for a trespass offering (Leviticus 5:16, 18).[11]

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:

though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.[25]

The phrase "reason together" has a tone of "legal argument";[9] similar wording appears in Isaiah 43:26.

"And I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city."[27]

The King James Version and American Standard Version speak of "judges" but the New International Version translates Hebrew: שָׁפט‎ (shaphat) as "leaders".

The Jerusalem Bible separates out verses 29-31 as an oracle "against tree worship", suggesting that the prophet "possibly has Samaria in mind".[28]

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.[29]

• "Oaks", or "terebinths" (Pistacia palaestina),[28] may refer to the "oaks" in Isaiah 57:5.[30]
• "Which ye have desired" or "which give you such pleasure"[28]

For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.[31]

• "Garden": may refer to the "gardens" in Isaiah 65:3.[30]

And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.[32]

• "Quench": Illusion of a fire ("spark") which cannot be 'quenched', from the Hebrew root: k-b-h (כבה, kabah, "to be quenched or extinguished, to go out"[33]), links this verse (the beginning chapter) to the last verse (of the ending chapter) of the whole book (Isaiah 66:24: 'their fire shall not be quenched').[3] Moreover, it is also used in three other places: (1) of the servant in 42:3, that 'a dimly burning wick ("smoking flax") he will not quench'; (2) that 'the fire devouring Edom "will not be quenched"' (34:10), and (3) those who oppose the LORD'S path are 'quenched like a wick' (43:17).[3]

• Isaiah 1 Hebrew with Parallel English

• Isaiah 1 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate