Isaiah 1:7-15

Your country is devastated and your cities burned to the ground; foreigners plunder your crops before your eyes— with nothing but devastation and destruction in their wake! And the daughter of Zion is left as helpless as a deserted shack in a vineyard or a flimsy shelter in a field of cucumbers— in every way like a city besieged! If the Lord of Angel Armies had not left us survivors, our fate would have been the same as Sodom and Gomorrah! Hear the word of YAHWEH: “You leaders of Sodom, heed the correction of our God! People of Gomorrah, you’d better listen to his rebuke.” And YAHWEH keeps saying: “Why such countless sacrifices—what use are they to me? I’ve had my fill of your burnt offerings of rams and your fattened animals. I find no delight in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats! When you come before my face, who asked you to come trampling on my courtyards? Stop bringing your meaningless offerings. Your burning incense stinks! Your sin-stained celebrations, your new moon festivals, Sabbaths, your various pious meetings—I can’t stand them! With all my soul I hate your new moon festivals and your feasts; they are nothing but a burden that I’m sick and tired of carrying. When you stretch out your hands to pray, I will hide my eyes from you. Repeat your prayers all you want, but I will not listen, for your hands are stained with innocent blood.