Judah’s Rebellion (2 Chronicles 28:5–15)
1 CPDV The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. BSB BSB: This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 CPDV Listen, O heavens, and pay attention, O earth, for the Lord has spoken. I have nurtured and raised children, but they have spurned me. BSB BSB: Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
3 CPDV An ox knows his owner, and a donkey knows the manger of his lord, but Israel has not known me, and my people have not understood. BSB BSB: The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”
4 CPDV Woe to a sinful nation, a people burdened by iniquity, a wicked offspring, accursed children. They have abandoned the Lord. They have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel. They been taken away backwards. BSB BSB: Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who act corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.
5 CPDV For what reason shall I continue to strike you, as you increase transgressions? The entire head is feeble, and the entire heart is grieving. BSB BSB: Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.
6 CPDV From the sole of the foot, even to the top of the head, there is no soundness within. Wounds and bruises and swelling sores: these are not bandaged, nor treated with medicine, nor soothed with oil. BSB BSB: From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.
7 CPDV Your land is desolate. Your cities have been set ablaze. Foreigners devour your countryside in your sight, and it will become desolate, as if devastated by enemies. BSB BSB: Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.
8 CPDV And the daughter of Zion will be left behind, like an arbor in a vineyard, and like a shelter in a cucumber field, and like a city being laid to waste. BSB BSB: And the Daughter of Zion is abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shack in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.
9 CPDV If the Lord of hosts had not bequeathed us offspring, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have been comparable to Gomorrah. BSB BSB: Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
Meaningless Offerings 10 CPDV Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah. BSB BSB: Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 CPDV The multitude of your sacrifices, what is that to me, says the Lord? I am full. I do not desire holocausts of rams, nor the fat of fatlings, nor the blood of calves and of lambs and of he-goats. BSB BSB: “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 CPDV When you approach before my sight, who is it that requires these things from your hands, so that you would walk in my courts? BSB BSB: When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts?
13 CPDV You should no longer offer sacrifice in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths and the other feast days, I will not receive. Your gatherings are iniquitous. BSB BSB: 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 CPDV My soul hates your days of proclamation and your solemnities. They have become bothersome to me. I labor to endure them. BSB BSB: I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 CPDV And so, when you extend your hands, I will avert my eyes from you. And when you multiply your prayers, I will not heed you. For your hands are full of blood. BSB BSB: 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 CPDV Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely. BSB BSB: Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
17 CPDV Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow. BSB BSB: Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
18 CPDV And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool. BSB BSB: “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 CPDV If you are willing, and you listen to me, then you will eat the good things of the land. BSB BSB: If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
20 CPDV But if you are not willing, and you provoke me to anger, then the sword will devour you. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. BSB BSB: But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
The Corruption of Zion 21 CPDV How has the faithful city, full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice lived in her, but now murderers. BSB BSB: See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
22 CPDV Your silver has turned into dross. Your wine has been mixed with water. BSB BSB: Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.
23 CPDV Your leaders are unfaithful, the associates of thieves. They all love gifts; they pursue rewards. They do not judge for orphans, and the widow’s case is not brought before them. BSB BSB: Your 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.
24 CPDV Because of this, the Lord God of hosts, the Strength of Israel, says: Ah! I will be consoled over my enemies, and I will be vindicated from my adversaries. BSB BSB: Therefore 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.
25 CPDV And I will turn my hand to you. And I will temper your dross unto purity, and I will take away all your tin. BSB BSB: I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.
26 CPDV And I will restore your judges, so that they will be as before, and your counselors as in times long past. After this, you shall be called the City of the Just, the Faithful City. BSB BSB: I 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.”
27 CPDV Zion will be redeemed in judgment, and they will lead her back to justice. BSB BSB: Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.
28 CPDV And he shall crush the accursed and sinners together. And those who have abandoned the Lord will be consumed. BSB BSB: But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
29 CPDV For they shall be confounded because of the idols, to which they have sacrificed. And you shall be ashamed over the gardens that you chose, BSB BSB: Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.
30 CPDV when you were like an oak with falling leaves, and like a garden without water. BSB BSB: For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.
31 CPDV And your strength will be like the embers from stubble, and your work will be like a spark, and both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish it. BSB BSB: The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.