Alas for this sinful nation, which are expert in blasphemies; a seed of ungracious people, corrupt in their ways. They have forsaken the LORD; they have provoked the holy one of Israel unto anger, and are gone backward.

When ye appear before me, who requireth this of you to tread within my porches?

Yea, one shall take a friend of his own kindred by the bosom, and say, "Thou hast clothing, thou shalt be our head, for thou mayest keep us from this fall and peril."

Then shall seven wives take hold of one man, and say, "We will lay all our meat and clothing together in common, only that we may be called thy wives, and that this shameful reproof may be taken from us."

This he hedged, this he walled round about, and planted it with goodly grapes. In the midst of it builded he a tower, and made a wine press therein. And afterward when he looked that it should bring him grapes, it brought forth thorns.

But the LORD of Hosts, that holy God: shall be exalted and untouched, when he shall declare his equity and righteousness after this manner.

Which used to speak on this manner: "Let him make haste now, and go forth with his work, that we may see it! Let that counsel of the holy one of Israel come, and draw nigh, that we may know it!"

Therefore is the wrath of the LORD kindled also against his people, and he shaketh his hand at them: yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open streets, like mire. And in all this, the wrath of God shall not cease, but he shall stretch his hand wider.

They cried also each one to other on this manner: "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts! The whole world is full of his glory!"

and touched my mouth, and said, "Lo, this hath touched thy mouth, and thine unrighteousness is taken away, and thy sin is forgiven."

After this I heard the voice of the LORD, taking advisement on this manner, "Whom shall I send, and who will be our messenger?" Then I said, "Here am I, send me."

And so he said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; ye shall plainly see, and not perceive.

Harden the heart of this people, stop their ears, and shut their eyes, that they see not with their eyes, hear not with their ears, and understand not with their heart, and convert and be healed."

After that went I unto the Prophetess, that now had conceived and born a son. Then said the LORD to me, "Give him this name: Mahershalahashbaz.

For the LORD chastised me, and took me by the hand, and warned me, saying unto me that I should not walk in the ways of this people. He said moreover,

And therefore if they say unto you, "Ask counsel at the soothsayers, witches, charmers and conjurers," then make them this answer: "Is there a people anywhere, that asketh not counsel at his God? Should they run unto the dead for the living?"

If any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony whether they speak not after this meaning.

If he do not this, he stumbleth and suffereth hunger. And if he suffer hunger, he is out of patience, and blasphemeth his king and his God. Then looketh he upward, and downward to the earth,

He shall make no end to increase the kingdom and peace, and shall sit upon the seat of David and in his kingdom, to set up the same: to establish it with equity and righteousness, from thenceforth for evermore. This shall the jealousy of the LORD of hosts bring to pass.

And the people also of Ephraim, and they that dwell in Samaria, can say with pride and high stomachs, on this manner:

that the Syrians shall lay hold upon them before, and the Philistines behind, and so devour Israel with open mouth. After all this, the wrath of the Lord shall not cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

Therefore shall the LORD have no pleasure in their young men, neither favour their fatherless and widows. For they are all together hypocrites and wicked, and all their mouths speak folly. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

For this cause shall the wrath of the LORD of Hosts fall upon the land, and the people shall be consumed, as it were with fire: no man shall spare his brother,

Manasseh shall eat Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall eat Judah. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

That ye come not among the prisoners, or lie among the dead? After all this shall not the wrath of the LORD cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

Howbeit, his meaning is not so, neither thinketh his heart of this fashion. But he imagineth only, how he may overthrow and destroy much people,

For he standeth thus in his own conceit: "This do I, through the power of my own hand, and through my wisdom: For I am wise, I am he that removes the lands of the people, I rob their princes: and like one of the worthies I drive them from their high seats.

This is the heavy burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amos did see.

Then shalt thou use this mockage upon the king of Babylon, and say: How happeneth that the oppressor leaveth off? Is the gold tribute come to an end?

They that seek thee, shall narrowly look upon thee, and think in themselves, saying, "Is this the man, that brought all lands in fear, and made the kingdoms afraid?

Is this he that made the world in a manner waste, and laid the cities to the ground, which let not his prisoners go home?"

This device hath God taken through the whole world, and thus is his hand stretched out over all people.

The same year that king Ahaz died, God threatened by Isaiah on this manner:

This is the heavy burden upon Moab: Ar of Moab was destroyed and overthrown in the night season: Kir also, in Moab, perished in the night and vanished away.

So then, this is the saying that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.

This is the heavy burden upon Damascus: Behold, Damascus shall be no more a city, but a heap of broken stones.

At even, behold, there is trouble: yet in the morning it is gone with them. This is the portion of them that oppress us, and the heritage of them that rob us.

This is the heavy burden upon Egypt: Behold, the LORD will ride upon a swift cloud, and come into Egypt. And the idols of Egypt shall tremble at his coming, and the heart of Egypt shall quake within her.

At the same time shall the LORD of Hosts have an altar in the midst of the land of Egypt, with this title thereby: "Unto the LORD."

This shall be a token or testimony unto the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt, when they shall cry unto him, because of those that oppress them. And he shall send them a Captain and a Saviour to deliver them.

This is the heavy burden of the waste sea: A grievous vision was showed unto me, even as the stormy weather that passeth through at the noonday, to come from the wilderness, from that horrible land.

With this, the reins of my back were full of pain: Pangs came upon me, as upon a woman in her travail. It made me stoop when I heard it, and it vexed me when I saw it.

This, O my fellow threshers and fanners, have I heard of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, to show it unto you.

For this is the day of the LORD of Hosts, wherein he will plague, tread down, and weed out the valley of visions, and break down the walls, with such a crack, that it shall give a sound in the mountains.

Nevertheless, when the LORD of Hosts heard of it, he said: "Yea, if this wickedness of yours shall be remitted, ye must die for it." This hath the LORD God of Hosts spoken.

After this will I call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,

The burden of Tyre. Mourn, ye ships of Tarshish, for there cometh such destruction that ye shall not have a house to enter into. Out of the land of Chittim they have knowledge of this plague.

In that day shall it be said, "Lo, this is our God: we have waited for him, and he shall save us. This is the LORD in whom we have hoped: Let us rejoice, and delight in his salvation.

For the hand of the LORD ceaseth upon this hill. But Moab shall be threshed down under him, like as the straw is trodden under feet in a dunghill.

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city; Salvation shall God appoint instead of walls and bulwarks.

It will come to this point, that Jacob shall be rooted again, and Israel shall be green, and bear flowers, and they shall fill the whole world with their fruit.

And therefore the LORD also shall speak with lisping lips and with a strange language unto this people, to whom he spake afore of this manner:

"This shall bring rest, if one refresh the weary, yea this shall bring rest." But they had no will to hear.

This and such like things come of the LORD of Hosts which is marvelous in counsel, and great in righteousness.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD, "Forsomuch as this people, when they be in trouble, do honor me with their mouth, and with their lips, whereas their heart nevertheless is far from me; and the fear which they owe unto me, that turn they to men's laws and doctrines;

therefore will I also show unto this people a marvelous, terrible, and great thing - Namely this: I will destroy the wisdom of their wise, and the understanding of their learned men shall perish."

Now therefore, go thy way; and write them this before them in a table, and note it in a book: that it may finally remain and be kept still forever.

therefore shall ye have this mischief again for your destruction and fall, like as a high wall, that falleth because of some rift or blast, whose breaking cometh suddenly.

For the LORD God, even the holy one of Israel, hath promised this: "In repentance and in rest shall ye be safe; in quietness and hope shall your strength lie."

and thine ears hearken to his word that cryeth after thee and sayeth, "This is the way. Walk ye in it. Turn not aside; neither to the righthand nor to the left."

For the fire of pain is ordained from the beginning: yea, even for kings it is prepared. This hath the LORD set in the deep, and made it wide: the burning whereof is fire and much wood. The breath of the LORD, which is a river of brimstone, doth kindle it.

He shall go for fear to his strongholds, and his princes shall flee from his badge. This hath the LORD spoken, whose light burneth in Zion, and his fire in Jerusalem.

There shall be foot paths and common streets: this shall be called the holy way. No unclean person shall go through it, for the LORD himself shall go with them that way, and the ignorant shall not err.

And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell Hezekiah that the great king of Assyria sayeth thus unto him, 'What presumption is this, that thou trustest unto?

Thou thinkest, peradventure, that thou hast counsel and power enough to maintain this war: or else whereto trustest thou, that thou castest thyself off from me?

But if thou wouldest say unto me: 'We trust in the LORD our God': is not he that God whose High places and altars Hezekiah took down, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem to worship only before this altar?

Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come down hither, to destroy this land without the LORD's will? The LORD said unto me: Go down into the land, that thou mayest destroy it.'"

Then answered Rabshakeh, "Think ye, that the king sent me to speak this only unto you? Hath he not sent me to them also, that lie upon the wall? That they be not compelled to eat their own dung, and drink their own stale with you?"

Moreover, let not Hezekiah comfort you in the LORD, when he sayeth, 'The LORD with out doubt shall defend us, and shall not give over this city into the hands of the king of the Assyrians.' Believe him not!

Unto this Hezekiah's messengers held their tongues, and answered not one word: for the king had charged them that they should give him none answer.

and they said unto him, "Thus sayeth Hezekiah, 'This is the day of trouble, of plague, and of wrath: like as when a child cometh to the birth, but the woman hath no power to bring it forth.

and Isaiah gave them this answer, "Say thus unto your lord, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the king of the Assyrians' servants have blasphemed me.

For there came a rumor, that Tirhakah king of Ethiopia was come forth to war against him. And when the king of Assyria heard that, he sent other messengers to king Hezekiah with this commandment:

And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD on this manner,

this is the answer, that the LORD hath given concerning him: Despised art thou, and mocked, O daughter of Zion, he hath shaken his head at thee, O daughter of Jerusalem.

I will give thee also this token, O Hezekiah: this year shalt thou eat that is kept in store, and the next year such as groweth of himself, and in the third year ye shall sow and reap, yea ye shall plant vineyards, and enjoy the fruits thereof.

For the escaped shall go out of Jerusalem, and the remnant from the mount Zion. And this shall the jealousy of the LORD of Hosts bring to pass.'

The same way that he came, shall he return, and not come at this city, sayeth the LORD.

Not long afore this, was Hezekiah sick unto death: And the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came unto him, and said, "Thus commandeth the LORD, 'Set thine house in order: for thou must die, and shall not escape.

"Go and speak unto Hezekiah: The LORD God of David thy father sendeth thee this word, 'I have heard thy prayer, and considered thy tears: behold, I will put fifteen years more unto thy life,

And take thee this token of the LORD, that he will do it, as he hath spoken:

I spake within myself, 'I shall never visit the LORD God in this life: I shall never see man among the dwellers of the world.

but the living, yea the living acknowledge thee, like as I do this day. The father telleth his children of thy faithfulness.

Then said Hezekiah, "O what a great thing is this, that I shall go up in to the house of the LORD."

'Behold, the time will come, that everything which is in thine house, and all that thy progenitors have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon, and nothing left behind. Thus sayeth the LORD.

Know ye not this? Heard ye never of it? Hath it not been preached unto you since the beginning? Have ye not been informed of this since the foundation of the earth was laid?

The Smith comforted the molder, and the Ironsmith the hammer man, saying, 'It shall be good, that we fasten this cast work,' and then they fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

Be not afraid, for I will be with thee. Look not behind thee, for I will be thy God, to strengthen thee, help thee, and to keep thee with this righthand of mine.

All this do I, that they altogether may see a mark, perceive with their hearts and consider, that the hand of the LORD maketh these things, and that the holy one of Israel bringeth them to pass.

Who declared this from the beginning, and we will know him; or from the old times, and we will confess and say that he is righteous? But there is none that showeth or declareth anything; there is none also that heareth your words.

Behold now therefore, this is my servant whom I will keep to myself: mine elect; In whom my soul shall be pacified. I will give him my spirit, that he may show forth judgment and equity among the Gentiles.

Even I am the LORD, and this is my name: and my glory will I give to none other, neither mine honour to graven images.

But who is he among you, that pondereth this in his mind, that considereth it, and taketh it for a warning in time to come?

I gave warning, I made whole, I taught you when there was no strange god among you. And this record must ye bear me yourselves, sayeth the LORD: that I am God.

This people have I made for myself, and they shall show forth my praise.

which wood serveth for men to burn. Of this he taketh and warmeth himself withal: he maketh a fire of it to bake bread. And afterward maketh a god thereof, to honour it: and an Idol to kneel before it.

Consider this, O Jacob and Israel, for thou art my servant. I have made thee, that thou mightest serve me. O Israel, forget me not.

Let men draw nigh, let them come hither, and ask counsel one at another, and show forth: "What is he, that told this before?" Or, "Who spake of it, ever since the beginning?" Have not I, the LORD, done it: without whom there is none other God? The true God and Saviour, and there is else none but I.

Consider this well, and be ashamed. Go into your own selves, O ye renegades.

Hear this, O thou house of Jacob; ye that are called by the name of Israel, and are come out of one stock with Judah; which swear by the name of the LORD, and bear witness by the God of Israel - but not with truth and right.