View source for Isaiah 1

{{short description|First chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible}}
{{redirect|Vision of Isaiah|the text sometimes known by that name|Ascension of Isaiah}}
{{Bible chapter|letname= Isaiah 1 |previouslink= Song 8 |previousletter= Song 8 |nextlink= Isaiah 2 |nextletter= chapter 2 |book=[[Book of Isaiah]] |biblepart=[[Old Testament]] | booknum= 23 |hbiblepart= [[Nevi'im]] | hbooknum = 5 |category= [[Nevi'im#Latter Prophets|Latter Prophets]] | filename= Great Isaiah Scroll.jpg |size=242px | name=Great Isaiah Scroll |caption=<div style="width: 242px; text-align: center; line-height: 1em">The [[Great Isaiah Scroll]], the best preserved of the biblical scrolls found at [[Qumran]] from the second century BC, contains all the verses in this chapter.</div>}}

'''Isaiah 1''' is the first [[Chapters and verses of the Bible|chapter]] of the [[Book of Isaiah]], one of the [[Nevi'im|Book of the Prophets]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]], which is the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Bible]].<ref name="Davis">J. D. Davis. 1960. ''A Dictionary of the Bible''. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House.</ref><ref name="Hiebert">Theodore Hiebert, et al. 1996. ''The New Interpreter's Bible: Volume VI''. Nashville: Abingdon.</ref>  In this "vision of [[Isaiah]] concerning Judah and Jerusalem", the prophet calls the nation to repentance and predicts the destruction of [[Solomon's Temple|the first temple]] in the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|siege of Jerusalem]]. This chapter provides an introduction to the issues of sin, judgement, and hoped-for restoration which form the overarching structure of the whole book.{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=436}} It concludes (verse 31) with 'a reference to the burning of those who trust in their own strength', in a fire which cannot be 'quenched' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] [[Root (linguistics)|root]]: k-b-h), a relatively rare word which is also used in the last verse of the book ([[Isaiah 66:24|verse 66:24]]: 'their fire shall not be quenched'), thereby linking together beginning and ending of this whole book.{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=436}} It is traditionally read on the [[Special Shabbat#Shabbat Chazon – of Vision|black sabbath]] immediately preceding the [[Tisha B'Av|9th of Av]] fast day.

== Text ==
The original text was written in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew language]]. [[Chapters and verses of the Bible|This chapter is divided into]] 31 verses.

===Textual witnesses===
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew]] are of the [[Masoretic Text]] tradition, which includes the [[Codex Cairensis]] (895), [[Codex Babylonicus Petropolitanus|the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets]] (916), [[Aleppo Codex]] (10th century), [[Leningrad Codex|Codex Leningradensis]] (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}}

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] (3rd century BC or later):{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|p=330-333}}
* [[Isaiah scroll|1QIsa<sup>a</sup>]]: complete
* 4QIsa<sup>a</sup> (4Q55): extant: verses 1‑3
* 4QIsa<sup>b</sup> (4Q56): extant: verses 1‑6
* 4QIsa<sup>f</sup> (4Q60): extant: verses 10‑16, 18‑31
* 4QIsa<sup>j</sup> (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'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>B</sup>; 4th century), [[Codex Sinaiticus]] ('''S'''; [[Biblia Hebraica (Kittel)|BHK]]: <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>S</sup>; 4th century), [[Codex Alexandrinus]] ('''A'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>A</sup>; 5th century) and [[Codex Marchalianus]] ('''Q'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>Q</sup>; 6th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}

==Parashot==
The ''[[parashah]]'' sections listed here are based on the [[Aleppo Codex]].<ref>As reflected in the [http://mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0.htm Jewish Publication Society's 1917 edition of the Hebrew Bible in English].</ref> Isaiah 1 is a part of the ''Prophecies about Judah and Israel (Isaiah 1[[Isaiah 12|-12]])''. {P}: open ''parashah''; {S}: closed ''parashah''.
: 1:1-9 {P} 1:10-17 {S} 1:18-20 {P} 1:21-23 {S} 1:24-31 {P}

== Structure ==
The [[New King James Version]] organises this chapter as follows:
*[[#Verse 1|Isaiah 1:1]] = Subtitle or superscription: the vision of Isaiah
*{{bibleverse||Isaiah|1:2-20|NKJV}} = The Wickedness of Judah
*{{bibleverse||Isaiah|1:21-31|NKJV}} = The Degenerate City

==Superscription (1:1)==
: ''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.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:1|KJV}}: [[King James Version|KJV]]</ref>

This introductory verse of the [[Book of Isaiah]] is closely comparable to the opening verses of the books of [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]], [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]], [[Book of Amos|Amos]], [[Book of Micah|Micah]], and [[Book of Zephaniah|Zephaniah]].{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=436}}

* "Vision" (Hebrew: חזון ''chăzôn'', from the verb, חזה ''châzâh'', "to see, to behold"): Introducing the whole book as a vision in the title (see [[Book of Obadiah|Obadiah 1]], [[Nahum 1:1]], [[Amos 1:1]], [[Micah 1:1]], [[Habakkuk 1:1]]), as well as in {{bibleref2|2 Chronicles|32:32|NRSV}}: ''Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold they are written in the vision of Isaiah.''{{sfn|Coogan|2007|pp=978-980 Hebrew Bible}}
* "The son of [[Amoz]]": not of [[Amos (prophet)|Amos]] the prophet. Jewish tradition has a note that Amoz, the father of Isaiah, was the brother of [[Amaziah of Judah|Amaziah, king of Judah]], so that Isaiah was of the royal family.<ref>T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 10. 2. & Sota, fol. 10. 2. & Seder Olam Zuta, p. 104. Juchasin, fol. 12. 1. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 2.</ref>

According to the [[Pulpit Commentary]], the prophecies of Isaiah "concern primarily the kingdom of Judah, not that of [[Northern Kingdom of Israel|Israel]]".<ref name=Pulpit>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/isaiah/1.htm Pulpit Commentary] on Isaiah 1, accessed 19 February 2018</ref> This verse "is probably best understood as the heading of the first great collection of prophecies" in chapters 1-[[Isaiah 12|12]]. [[Isaiah 13|Chapter 13]] initiates a proclamation against [[Babylon]].<ref>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/isaiah/1.htm Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges] on Isaiah 1, accessed 19 February 2018</ref>

==The great accusation (1:2-4)==
Isaiah calls the people of Judah "a thoughtless people".<ref>[[Jerusalem Bible]]: sub-title to Isaiah 1:2-3</ref>

===Verse 2===
:''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."''<ref>{{bibleref2|Isaiah|1:2|ESV}} [[English Standard Version|ESV]]</ref>
Isaiah's opening words recall those of [[Moses]] in [[Haazinu|Deuteronomy 32:1]]:
:''"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;''
:''And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|32:1|NKJV}} NKJV</ref>
It forms Isaiah's introduction in the style of the [[Song of Moses]].<ref>Wildberger, Hans (1991) ''Isaiah: Isaiah 1-12'', Fortress Press. p. 9</ref>
The [[New Century Version]] combines these two exhortations into one:
:''Heaven and earth, listen, because the Lord is speaking.''<ref>{{bibleverse||Isaiah|1:2|NCV}} NCV</ref>

===Verse 3===
:''"The ox knows its owner,''
::''and the donkey its master's crib,''
:''but Israel does not know,''
::''my people do not understand."''<ref>{{bibleref2|Isaiah|1:3|ESV}} ESV</ref>
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,<ref>DiPippo, G., [http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2012/01/ancient-origins-of-nativity-scene-part.html#.XdlyuHd2vIU The Ancient Origins of the Nativity Scene (Part 1)], ''New Liturgical Movement'', published 5 January 2012, accessed 23 November 2019</ref> "the ox and the donkey/ass" are often connected with accounts of the [[Nativity of Jesus|birth of Jesus]].{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=437}} 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"'.<ref>Hennecke, E. (1963), ''New Testament Apocrypha'' (London: SCM), i. p. 410, ''apud'' Coggins 2007, p. 437</ref>

==The devastation of Judah (1:5–9)==
Isaiah uses images of the sick individual (verses 5–6) and the desolate nation (verses 7–8) to portray the sinfulness of his nation. The "daughter of Zion" (i.e. the city of [[Jerusalem]]) remained an isolated stronghold when [[Sennacherib]], king of [[Assyria]] attacked the fortified cities of Judah in 701 BCE.<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Kings|18:13|KJV}}</ref>

==Pious corruption and its cleansing (1:10–20)==
Considered 'the most powerful and sustained' prophetic outburst at religious unreality{{Clarify|date=August 2019}} (cf. {{bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:22|KJV}}; {{bibleverse|Jeremiah|7:21-23|KJV}}; {{bibleverse|Hosea|6:6|KJV}}; {{bibleverse|Amos|5:21-24|KJV}}; {{bibleverse|Micah|6:6-8|KJV}}), the vehemence of this prophecy is built up together in its form and content.{{sfn|Kidner|1994|p=634}} First, God rejected the offerings, then the offerers (verses 11–12), the specific accusation in the lurid conclusion of verse 15: ''Your hands are full of blood'', followed by the command to 'have done with evil' in 'eight thunderous calls', ending in the reminder of the life-and-death alternatives similar to {{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|30:15-20|KJV}}.{{sfn|Kidner|1994|p=634}}

===Verse 11===
:''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''.<ref>{{bibleref2|Isaiah|1:11|NKJV}} NKJV</ref>

Anglican bishop [[Robert Lowth]] translates as ''I am [[Wiktionary:cloy|cloyed]] with the burnt offerings of rams ...''<ref>Lowth, R., [https://archive.org/details/isaiahnewtransla00lowtrich Isaiah: a new translation: with a preliminary dissertation, and notes, critical, philological and explanatory], Boston, W. Hilliard; Cambridge, J. Munroe and Company, 1834</ref>

According to the [[Torah]], [[burnt offerings]] formed a part of the required sacrifice on all great occasions, as at the [[Passover]] ({{bibleverse|Numbers|28:19|KJV}}), at the [[Feast of Weeks]] ({{bibleverse|Numbers|28:27|KJV}}), at the [[Feast of Tabernacles]] ({{bibleverse|Numbers|29:13|KJV}}, {{bibleverse|Numbers|29:17|KJV|17}}, {{bibleverse|Numbers|29:20|KJV|20}}, 23, 26, 29, 32, 36), at the [[Feast of Trumpets]] ({{bibleverse|Numbers|29:2|KJV}}), and on the great [[Yom Kippur|Day of Atonement]] ({{bibleverse|Numbers|29:8|KJV}}), as well as being commanded as the sole sacrifice for a [[trespass offering]] ({{bibleverse|Leviticus|5:16|KJV}}, 18).<ref name=Pulpit />

===Verse 16-17===
:Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
:Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:16-17|KJV}}

===Verse 18===
:''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]].''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:18|KJV}} KJV</ref>
The phrase "reason together" has a tone of "legal argument";{{sfn|Coogan|2007|pp=978-980 Hebrew Bible}} similar wording appears in [[Isaiah 43:26]].

==God's lament and resolve (1:21–31)==
The theme of this part is the vanished glory as in a funeral dirge, lamenting the moral loss or justice, but not concerning the wealth.{{sfn|Kidner|1994|pp=634–635}}

===Verse 25===
:[The Lord said:] ''"And I will turn my hand upon thee,'' 
::''and purely purge away thy dross,'' 
::''and take away all thy tin:''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:25|KJV}} [[King James Version|KJV]]</ref>
*"And purely purge away": "And will smelt away... as with [[lye]]" ([[English Standard Version|ESV]]) or "and thoroughly 'refine with lye'".<ref>Note on Isaiah 1:25 in [[New King James Version|NKJV]]</ref>

===Verse 26===
:[The Lord said:] ''"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."''<ref>{{bibleref2|Isaiah|1:26|ESV}} ESV</ref>
The [[King James Version]] and [[American Standard Version]] translates {{langx|he|שָׁפט}} (''shaphat'') as "judges" but the [[New International Version]] interprets this as "leaders"

===Verses 29-31===
The [[Jerusalem Bible]] separates out verses 29-31 as an oracle "against tree worship", suggesting that the prophet "possibly has [[Samaria]] in mind".<ref name="jb29">[[Jerusalem Bible]], footnote at Isaiah 1:29</ref>

====Verse 29====
:''For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:29|KJV}} KJV</ref> 
*"Oaks", or [[Pistacia palaestina|"terebinths" (''Pistacia palaestina'')]],<ref name="jb29"/> may refer to the "oaks" in {{bibleverse|Isaiah|57:5|KJV}}.{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=439}}
*"Which ye have desired" or "which give you such pleasure"<ref name="jb29"/>

====Verse 30====
:''For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:30|KJV}} KJV</ref> 
*"Garden": may refer to the "gardens" in {{bibleverse|Isaiah|65:3|KJV}}.{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=439}}

====Verse 31====
:''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.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Isaiah|1:31|KJV}} KJV</ref> 
*"Quench": Illusion of a fire ("spark") which cannot be 'quenched', from the Hebrew root: k-b-h ({{lang|he|כבה}}, ''kabah'', "to be quenched or extinguished, to go out"<ref>{{Strong-number|Strong's Concordance 3518. כָּבָה kabah|H|3518}}</ref>), 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').{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=436}} Moreover, it is also used in three other places: (1) of the servant in [[Isaiah 42:3|42:3]], that 'a dimly burning wick ("smoking flax") he will not quench'; (2) that 'the fire devouring Edom "will not be quenched"' ([[Isaiah 34:10|34:10]]), and (3) those who oppose the LORD'S path are 'quenched like a wick' ([[Isaiah 43:17|43:17]]).{{sfn|Coggins|2007|p=436}}

==See also==
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* [[Ahaz]]
* [[Haazinu]]
* [[Hezekiah]]
* [[In the Bleak Midwinter]]
* [[Isaiah]], son of Amoz
* [[Jerusalem]]
* [[Jotham (son of Gideon)|Jotham]]
* [[Kingdom of Judah]]
* [[Nativity scene]]
* [[Sodom and Gomorrah]]
* [[Uzziah]]
* [[Zion]]}}
*Related [[Bible]] parts: [[Genesis 19]], [[Deuteronomy 32]], [[2 Kings 18]]-21, [[Psalm 22]], [[Romans 3]], [[Romans 9]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|last= Coggins | first= R | chapter = 22. Isaiah | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton |editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman |editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 433–486 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}}
*{{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| author-link= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 |editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom |editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins |edition= Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
*{{cite book|last=Kidner| first= Derek| author-link= Derek Kidner| chapter= Isaiah| editor-last=Carson |editor-first=D. A. |title=New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition|editor-link= D. A. Carson| editor-last2= France |editor-first2= R. T. | editor2-link= R. T. France |editor-first3=J. A. |editor-last3= Motyer | editor3-link = J. Alec Motyer| editor-first4= G. J. |editor-last4= Wenham | editor4-link = Gordon Wenham| edition=4, illustrated, reprint, revised| publisher= Inter-Varsity Press | date= 1994| isbn = 9780851106489 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uveHQgAACAAJ |pages= 629–670}}
* {{Cite book| editor-last = Ulrich| editor-first= Eugene|editor-link= Eugene Ulrich | title= The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants| year= 2010| url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls| publisher = Brill}}
*{{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year=  1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes |isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

==External links==
===Jewish===
*[http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1001.htm Isaiah 1 Hebrew with Parallel English]

===Christian===
*[http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=27&c=1 Isaiah 1 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918203353/http://latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=27&c=1 |date=2020-09-18 }}

{{Book of Isaiah}}

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[[Category:Book of Isaiah chapters|01]]