Isaiah’s Commission
(Matthew 13:10–17; Mark 4:10–12; Acts 28:16–31)

1  בִּשְׁנַת־ (In the year) מוֹת֙ (of the death) הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (of King) עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ (Uzziah), וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה (and I saw) אֶת־ (-) אֲדֹנָ֛י (the Lord) יֹשֵׁ֥ב (sitting) עַל־ (on) כִּסֵּ֖א (a throne) רָ֣ם (being high) וְנִשָּׂ֑א (and lifted up), וְשׁוּלָ֖יו (and his train) מְלֵאִ֥ים (was filling) אֶת־ (-) הַהֵיכָֽל׃ (the temple). 2  שְׂרָפִ֨ים (Seraphim) עֹמְדִ֤ים׀ (stood) מִמַּ֙עַל֙ (above) ל֔וֹ (Him), שֵׁ֧שׁ (with six) כְּנָפַ֛יִם (wings), שֵׁ֥שׁ (six) כְּנָפַ֖יִם (wings) לְאֶחָ֑ד (were for each one): בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם׀ (With two) יְכַסֶּ֣ה (he covered) פָנָ֗יו (his face), וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם (and with two) יְכַסֶּ֥ה (he covered) רַגְלָ֖יו (his feet), וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם (and with two) יְעוֹפֵֽף׃ (he flew). 3  וְקָרָ֨א (And cried) זֶ֤ה (this one) אֶל־ (to) זֶה֙ (this one) וְאָמַ֔ר (and said):

קָד֧וֹשׁ׀ (Holy), קָד֛וֹשׁ (holy), קָד֖וֹשׁ (holy) יְהוָ֣ה (is YHWH of) צְבָא֑וֹת (Hosts),

מְלֹ֥א (the fullness) כָל־ (of all) הָאָ֖רֶץ (the earth) כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃ (is His glory).

4  וַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ (And were shaken) אַמּ֣וֹת (the posts) הַסִּפִּ֔ים (of the doors) מִקּ֖וֹל (from the voice) הַקּוֹרֵ֑א (of the one calling), וְהַבַּ֖יִת (and the house) יִמָּלֵ֥א (was filled) עָשָֽׁן׃ (with smoke).

5  וָאֹמַ֞ר (And I said),

אֽוֹי־ (Woe) לִ֣י (to me),

כִֽי־ (for) נִדְמֵ֗יתִי (I am finished),

כִּ֣י (for) אִ֤ישׁ (a man) טְמֵֽא־ (of unclean) שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ (lips) אָנֹ֔כִי (I am)

וּבְתוֹךְ֙ (and in the midst) עַם־ (of a people) טְמֵ֣א (of unclean) שְׂפָתַ֔יִם (lips) אָנֹכִ֖י (I) יוֹשֵׁ֑ב (am dwelling).

כִּ֗י (For) אֶת־ (-) הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (the King) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts)

רָא֥וּ (have seen) עֵינָֽי׃ (my eyes).

6  וַיָּ֣עָף (And flew) אֵלַ֗י (to me) אֶחָד֙ (one) מִן־ (from) הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים (the seraphim), וּבְיָד֖וֹ (and in his hand) רִצְפָּ֑ה (was a hot coal) בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם (with tongs) לָקַ֖ח (he had taken) מֵעַ֥ל (from) הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (the altar); 7  וַיַּגַּ֣ע (and he touched it) עַל־ (upon) פִּ֔י (my mouth) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (and said),

הִנֵּ֛ה (Behold), נָגַ֥ע (has touched) זֶ֖ה (this) עַל־ (upon) שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ (your lips);

וְסָ֣ר (and is turned aside) עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ (your iniquity),

וְחַטָּאתְךָ֖ (and your sin) תְּכֻפָּֽר׃ (is wiped away).

8  וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע (And I heard) אֶת־ (-) ק֤וֹל (the voice) אֲדֹנָי֙ (of the Lord), אֹמֵ֔ר (saying) אֶת־ (-),

מִ֥י (Whom) אֶשְׁלַ֖ח (will I send),

וּמִ֣י (and who) יֵֽלֶךְ־ (will go) לָ֑נוּ (for Us)

וָאֹמַ֖ר (and I said)

הִנְנִ֥י (Here am I). שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃ (Send me)!

9  וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (And He said),

לֵ֥ךְ (Go) וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ (and say) לָעָ֣ם (tp the people) הַזֶּ֑ה (this),

שִׁמְע֤וּ (Hear), שָׁמ֙וֹעַ֙ (be hearing) וְאַל־ (and never) תָּבִ֔ינוּ (understanding);

וּרְא֥וּ (and see) רָא֖וֹ (seeing), וְאַל־ (and never) תֵּדָֽעוּ׃ (knowing).

10  הַשְׁמֵן֙ (Fatten) לֵב־ (the heart) הָעָ֣ם (of the people) הַזֶּ֔ה (this)

וְאָזְנָ֥יו (and its ears) הַכְבֵּ֖ד (make heavy) וְעֵינָ֣יו (and its eyes) הָשַׁ֑ע (shut),

פֶּן־ (lest) יִרְאֶ֨ה (it see) בְעֵינָ֜יו (with its eyes),

וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו (and with its ears) יִשְׁמָ֗ע (hear),

וּלְבָב֥וֹ (with its heart) יָבִ֛ין (and understand),

וָשָׁ֖ב (and turn back) וְרָ֥פָא (and there be healing) לֽוֹ׃ (for it).

11  וָאֹמַ֕ר (And I said),

עַד־ (Until) מָתַ֖י (when), אֲדֹנָ֑י (O Lord)?

וַיֹּ֡אמֶר (And He answered),

עַ֣ד (Until) אֲשֶׁר֩ (when) אִם־ (-) שָׁא֨וּ (lie in ruins) עָרִ֜ים (the cities)

מֵאֵ֣ין (without) יוֹשֵׁ֗ב (one dwelling),

וּבָתִּים֙ (and the houses) מֵאֵ֣ין (without) אָדָ֔ם (man),

וְהָאֲדָמָ֖ה (and the land) תִּשָּׁאֶ֥ה (lies in ruins)— שְׁמָמָֽה׃ (as a desolation),

12  וְרִחַ֥ק (and has removed far away) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) הָאָדָ֑ם (man),

וְרַבָּ֥ה (and are many) הָעֲזוּבָ֖ה (the forsaken places) בְּקֶ֥רֶב (in the midst) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (of the land).

13  וְע֥וֹד (And still) בָּהּ֙ (are in it) עֲשִׂ֣רִיָּ֔ה (a tenth),

וְשָׁ֖בָה (and will it return) וְהָיְתָ֣ה (and be) לְבָעֵ֑ר (for burning).

כָּאֵלָ֣ה (Like the terebinth) וְכָאַלּ֗וֹן (and oak) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (that) בְּשַׁלֶּ֙כֶת֙ (in falling), מַצֶּ֣בֶת (is a stump) בָּ֔ם (in them),

זֶ֥רַע (The seed) קֹ֖דֶשׁ (of holiness) מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ׃פ (is its stump).