Yahweh Sends Isaiah

1In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts;

The [†]whole earth is full of His glory.”

4And the [†]foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called out, while the house of God was filling with smoke. 5Then I said,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!

For I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of hosts.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7And he touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.”

Isaiah’s Commission from Yahweh

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;

Keep on seeing, but do not know.’

10Render the hearts of this people [†]insensitive,

Their ears [†]dull,

And their eyes [†]dim,

Lest they see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their hearts,

And return and be healed.”

11Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He said,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,

Houses are without people,

And the land is devastated to desolation,

12And Yahweh has removed men far away,

And the [†]forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

13Yet there will be a tenth portion in it,

And it will again be subject to burning,

Like a terebinth or like an oak

Whose stump remains when it is felled.

The holy seed is its stump.”