The big picture
Isaiah 1 opens in verse 1 with “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 16 with “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease…”, and closes in verse 31 with “And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, city, full, Hear, Israel. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 31Isaiah 1:1-8
1–8: The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and…
Isaiah 1:1–8 opens with “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of…” and reaches “And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jerusalem crowded with worship while injustice toward the vulnerable exposes empty religion, with particular weight carried by children, desolate, head.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz…” Naming Judah and Ahaz keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Isaiah 1:1-8
King James Version1The 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.
2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD , they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
5Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
7Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
Isaiah 1:9-16
9–16: Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we…
Isaiah 1:9–16 opens with “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom…” and reaches “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jerusalem crowded with worship while injustice toward the vulnerable exposes empty religion, with particular weight carried by LORD, blood, evil.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been…” Naming Except and Gomorrah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD : I am full of the burnt offerings of…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Isaiah 1:9-16
King James Version9Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10Hear the word of the LORD , ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD : I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
16Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Isaiah 1:17-24
17–24: Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the…
Isaiah 1:17–24 opens with “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the…” and reaches “Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jerusalem crowded with worship while injustice toward the vulnerable exposes empty religion, with particular weight carried by LORD, become, fatherless.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Naming Learn keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 1:17-24
King James Version17Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18Come 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.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
21How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
Isaiah 1:25-31
25–31: I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take…
Isaiah 1:25–31 opens with “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:” and reaches “And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jerusalem crowded with worship while injustice toward the vulnerable exposes empty religion, with particular weight carried by city, righteousness, ashamed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:” The line’s distinctive content terms include dross, hand, purely. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be…” The line’s distinctive content terms include city, beginning, counsellors. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 1:25-31
King James Version25And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
28And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
31And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 1:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 1:12 forms a natural hinge: “When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?”
The final note
Isaiah 1:31 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, city, full, Hear, Israel, judgment help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.