Isaiah 1 1

Isaiah 1:1 kjv

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 1:1 nkjv

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 1:1 niv

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 1:1 esv

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 1:1 nlt

These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

Isaiah 1 verses

Isaiah 1 1 Meaning

Isaiah 1:1 serves as the foundational superscription for the entire book, identifying the prophet, the divine nature of his message, his specific audience, and the broad historical period of his ministry. It states that the revelation received by Isaiah, son of Amoz, was a "vision"—a direct, divine communication. This prophetic burden concerned the Southern Kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, indicating their primary focus as recipients of God's word through Isaiah. The mention of four specific kings of Judah—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah—establishes the chronological span of Isaiah's prophetic work, covering a period of significant political upheaval, moral decay, and eventual spiritual revival.

Isaiah 1 1 Context

Isaiah 1:1 immediately establishes the authorial authority and historical setting of the prophetic book. It positions the message of Isaiah within the tumultuous 8th century BC in the Ancient Near East. During this period, the Assyrian Empire was expanding its dominance, posing a significant threat to smaller nations, including the Northern Kingdom of Israel (which eventually fell to Assyria in 722 BC) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

Judah, centered around Jerusalem and the Temple, faced immense pressure: external threats from powerful empires, and internal challenges stemming from social injustice, widespread idolatry, hypocrisy in worship, and a growing lack of trust in God. The kings mentioned—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah—represent different facets of Judah's spiritual and political trajectory: Uzziah's long, generally prosperous but later marred reign; Jotham's righteous yet limited impact; Ahaz's overt apostasy and reliance on Assyria over God, which invited specific prophecies from Isaiah; and Hezekiah's significant religious reforms and faith amidst dire external threats. This temporal framework highlights that Isaiah’s message was not delivered at one point but spanned many decades, addressing varying specific circumstances within the broader decline and the intermittent glimpses of revival in Judah. The superscription grounds the divine words firmly within human history, making them relevant to God's people grappling with their covenant relationship in a world of political and moral compromise.

Isaiah 1 1 Word analysis

• The vision (חֲזוֹן - chazon): This Hebrew term refers not merely to something seen optically but a divinely given revelation, a prophetic burden, or an inspired message. It signifies a profound experience where God directly communicates His will, often involving insights beyond ordinary human perception. It underlines the divine origin and authority of the ensuing prophecy.
• of Isaiah (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ - Yeshayahu): The prophet's name means "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves." This is highly significant given that salvation and deliverance are central themes throughout the book of Isaiah, culminating in the vision of a Messiah who embodies God's saving power. His name itself preaches the core message of his prophecy.
• the son of Amoz: Identifies the prophet's lineage, distinguishing him from other individuals and prophets named Isaiah. This Amoz is not the prophet Amos, though the names share similar roots.
• which he saw: Reiterates the nature of the chazon (vision). It refers to the prophet's act of receiving this divine communication, emphasizing a direct revelation from God to Isaiah.
• concerning Judah and Jerusalem: Clearly defines the primary geographical and political scope of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry. Judah was the Southern Kingdom of God's people, and Jerusalem was its capital and the seat of the Temple. The prophecy is directed at God’s covenant people, specifically focusing on their spiritual and moral condition, and the political choices impacting their relationship with Yahweh.
• in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah: This specifies the approximate timeline of Isaiah’s prophetic activity, spanning four reigns of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This lengthy period (from roughly 790s-680s BC for Uzziah's overlapping reign to Hezekiah's death) shows that Isaiah’s ministry was extensive and touched on different critical historical moments for Judah, setting the stage for various prophecies addressing specific royal policies and national crises. Each king represented a distinct spiritual climate and political reality for Judah, from general prosperity (Uzziah, Jotham) to deep apostasy and political maneuvering (Ahaz) to periods of reform and deliverance (Hezekiah).

Word-group analysis

• "The vision of Isaiah": Establishes the divine source and the human recipient of the message. It frames the entire book as God's revelation delivered through a chosen prophet.
• "concerning Judah and Jerusalem": Defines the direct audience and subject of the prophecies. It specifies that Isaiah’s warnings, calls to repentance, and promises of restoration are primarily for God's covenant people in the south.
• "in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah": This detailed chronological framing is vital. It demonstrates the historical rootedness of the prophecies and the prophet's sustained ministry across different political and spiritual landscapes, adding credibility and historical precision to the divine message.

Isaiah 1 1 Bonus section

The mention of Amoz, Isaiah's father, as possibly being the brother of King Amaziah and therefore part of the royal family, adds an interesting layer to Isaiah's access and influence with the kings of Judah, though this is tradition rather than explicitly stated in Scripture. Such a connection could explain the prophet's deep understanding of political affairs and his direct counsel to various kings. The extensive temporal span of Isaiah's ministry across four reigns, possibly covering over 60 years, highlights his remarkable endurance and consistent faithfulness in delivering God's challenging and often unwelcome messages. The first verse also subtly points to the unfolding of divine prophecy within human history, preparing the reader for a comprehensive narrative of God's engagement with His covenant people through both judgment and promised redemption.

Isaiah 1 1 Commentary

Isaiah 1:1 functions as the authoritative header to one of the Bible's most significant prophetic books. It concisely establishes the divine origin and authoritative nature of the ensuing messages, attributing them directly to a "vision" given by God to His prophet, Isaiah. By identifying Isaiah as the "son of Amoz," it distinguishes him uniquely while affirming his historical identity. The explicit mention of "Judah and Jerusalem" immediately focuses the prophetic scope on God's chosen people and their capital, implying that the messages will primarily address their covenant relationship with God amidst various internal and external pressures. Furthermore, by enumerating the four kings under whom Isaiah served—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah—the verse contextualizes the prophecies within a lengthy and dynamic historical period. This period included both Judah's prosperity and its severe moral decline, periods of international political instability, and moments of God's direct intervention. This grounding in history ensures that Isaiah's words are understood not as abstract theological discourse, but as God's living word to His people facing real-world challenges, designed to call them to repentance, reliance on Him, and to reveal His overarching plan of salvation. It lays the groundwork for themes of sin, judgment, repentance, redemption, and the ultimate arrival of God's promised deliverer.