Isaiah 1:11

1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” ¹ 

says the Lord.

“I am stuffed with ²  burnt sacrifices

of rams and the fat from steers.

The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats

I do not want. ³ 

Isaiah 55:2

55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? ⁴ 

Why spend ⁵  your hard-earned money ⁶  on something that will not satisfy?

Listen carefully ⁷  to me and eat what is nourishing! ⁸ 

Enjoy fine food! ⁹ 

Isaiah 58:3

58:3 They lament, ¹⁰  ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?

Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’

Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, ¹¹ 

you oppress your workers. ¹² 

[1:11]  ¹ tn Heb “Why to me the multitude of your sacrifices?” The sarcastic rhetorical question suggests that their many sacrifices are of no importance to the Lord. This phrase answers the possible objection that an Israelite could raise in response to God’s indictment: “But we are offering the sacrifices you commanded!”

[1:11]  ² tn The verb שָׂבַע (sava’, “be satisfied, full”) is often used of eating and/or drinking one’s fill. See BDB 959 s.v. שָׂבַע. Here sacrifices are viewed, in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion, as food for the deity. God here declares that he has eaten and drunk, as it were, his fill.

[1:11]  ³ sn In the chiastic structure of the verse, the verbs at the beginning and end highlight God’s displeasure, while the heaping up of references to animals, fat, and blood in the middle lines hints at why God wants no more of their sacrifices. They have, as it were, piled the food on his table and he needs no more.

[55:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “for what is not food.”

[55:2]  ⁵ tn The interrogative particle and the verb “spend” are understood here by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[55:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “your labor,” which stands by metonymy for that which one earns.

[55:2]  ⁷ tn The infinitive absolute follows the imperative and lends emphasis to the exhortation.

[55:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “good” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[55:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “Let your appetite delight in fine food.”

[58:3]  ⁷ tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[58:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”

[58:3]  ⁹ tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.