Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah 1:11
11“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.
Isaiah 1:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
- New International Version (NIV)“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
Context of Isaiah 1:11
9Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah. 10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! “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. 12When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts? 13Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
Read all of Isaiah 1Isaiah 1:11 word by word
לָמָּה־לִּ֤י רֹב־זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שָׂבַ֛עְתִּי עֹל֥וֹת אֵילִ֖ים וְחֵ֣לֶב מְרִיאִ֑ים וְדַ֨ם פָּרִ֧ים וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים וְעַתּוּדִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָפָֽצְתִּי׃Read the interlinear
- Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- your multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- of sacrificesזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- saysאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I am fullשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
- from the burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- of ramsאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
- and the fatחֵ֫לֶבcheleb chêleb · fatH2459
- of well-fed cattleמְרִיאmerîy' · fatlingH4806
- I take no delightלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- I take no delightחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
- in the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- of bullsפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
- and lambsכֶּ֫בֶשׂkebeώ · lambH3532
- and goatsעַתּוּד‛attûd ‛attûd · goatH6260
Cross-references for Isaiah 1:11
- Isaiah 66:3Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
- 1 Samuel 15:22But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
- Psalms 50:8I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.
- Psalms 51:16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
- Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
- Jeremiah 6:20What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”
- Jeremiah 7:21This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!
- Amos 5:21“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
- Micah 6:7Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- Matthew 9:13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 1:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11To what purpose, etc. "What have I to do" - The prophet Amos has expressed the same sentiments with great elegance: - I hate, I despise your feasts; And I will not delight in the odour of your solemnities: Though ye offer unto me burnt-offerings And your meat-offerings, I will not accept: Neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fatlings. Take away from me the noise of your songs; And the melody of your viols I will not hear. But let judgment…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11To what purpose - לי למה lâmâh lı̂y What is it to me; or what profit or pleasure can I have in them?‘ God here replies to an objection which might be urged by the Jews to the representation which had been made of their guilt. The objection would be, that they were strict in the duties of their religion, and that they even abounded in offering victims of sacrifice. God replies in this and the following verses, that all this would be of no use, and would…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 Judea was desolate, and their cities burned. This awakened them to bring sacrifices and offerings, as if they would bribe God to remove the punishment, and give them leave to go on in their sin. Many who will readily part with their sacrifices, will not be persuaded to part with their sins. They relied on the mere form as a service deserving a reward. The most costly devotions of wicked people, without thorough reformation of heart and life…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-15The people had sinned so much that God no longer found joy in their sacrifices. The Lord wanted Judah to stop the religious practices he had commanded them to do rather than to continue them in a manner that was sinful and false (Isaiah 1:13). Ceremony cannot replace true godliness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. God does not here absolutely disparage sacrifice, which is as old and universal as sin (Ge 3:21; 4:4), and sin is almost as old as the world; but sacrifice, unaccompanied with obedience of heart and life (1Sa 15:22; Psa 50:9-13; 51:16-19; Ho 6:6). Positive precepts are only means; moral obedience is the end. A foreshadowing of the gospel, when the One real sacrifice was to supersede all the shadowy ones, and "bring in everlasting righteousness" (Psa…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 1:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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