Hear the word of the LORD,This phrase emphasizes the authority and divine origin of the message. In the biblical context, "the word of the LORD" is a common expression used by prophets to introduce a message directly from God. It underscores the importance of listening and obeying God's commands. The phrase is reminiscent of the call to attention found in
Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel," which is a foundational call to heed God's law.
you rulers of Sodom;
Isaiah uses "rulers of Sodom" metaphorically to address the leaders of Judah, highlighting their moral corruption and wickedness. Sodom is historically known for its sinfulness and subsequent destruction (Genesis 19). By comparing Judah's leaders to those of Sodom, Isaiah underscores the severity of their transgressions and the impending judgment if they do not repent. This comparison serves as a stark warning and a call to repentance.
listen to the instruction of our God,
The term "instruction" here refers to God's law and commandments, which are meant to guide the people in righteousness. The Hebrew word for instruction, "Torah," implies teaching and guidance. This call to listen is not just about hearing but also about understanding and applying God's teachings in their lives. It echoes the wisdom literature, such asProverbs 4:1, which emphasizes the importance of heeding parental and divine instruction.
you people of Gomorrah!
Similar to the reference to Sodom, calling the people "you people of Gomorrah" serves as a metaphor for their sinful behavior. Gomorrah, like Sodom, was destroyed due to its wickedness (Genesis 19). This phrase is a powerful indictment of the people's moral state, suggesting that they are as deserving of judgment as the infamous cities. It serves as a call to self-examination and repentance, urging the people to turn back to God and His ways.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied to the Kingdom of Judah during a time of moral and spiritual decline.
2.
Sodom and GomorrahAncient cities known for their wickedness and eventual destruction by God as recounted in Genesis. Here, they are used metaphorically to describe the moral state of Judah and Jerusalem.
3.
Judah and JerusalemThe southern kingdom of Israel and its capital city, which were the primary audience of Isaiah's prophecies. They are being compared to Sodom and Gomorrah due to their sinful behavior.
4.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is calling His people to listen and repent through the prophet Isaiah.
5.
Rulers and PeopleThe leaders and inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, who are being admonished for their sins and called to heed God's word.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of SinJust as Sodom and Gomorrah were judged for their wickedness, so too are we called to recognize the gravity of sin in our lives and communities.
The Call to RepentanceGod, through Isaiah, calls His people to listen and change their ways. This is a timeless call for us to turn from sin and seek God's forgiveness.
The Role of LeadersThe rulers of Judah are specifically addressed, highlighting the responsibility of leaders to guide their people in righteousness.
Listening to God's WordThe emphasis on hearing and listening underscores the importance of being attentive to God's instructions in Scripture.
Metaphorical LanguageUnderstanding the use of metaphor in Scripture can deepen our comprehension of God's message and its application to our lives.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 1:10?
2.How does Isaiah 1:10 compare Israel's leaders to Sodom and Gomorrah's rulers?
3.What actions can we take to avoid the sins mentioned in Isaiah 1:10?
4.How does Isaiah 1:10 reflect God's view on empty religious rituals?
5.How can Isaiah 1:10 guide us in evaluating our spiritual leaders today?
6.What New Testament teachings align with the warnings in Isaiah 1:10?
7.How does Isaiah 1:10 compare the leaders of Judah to Sodom and Gomorrah?
8.What historical context led to the harsh message in Isaiah 1:10?
9.Why does Isaiah 1:10 use Sodom and Gomorrah as a metaphor for Judah's leaders?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 1?
11.If Isaiah truly walked “naked and barefoot” for three years (Isaiah 20:2–3), why doesn’t any external source mention such a shocking act, and how could it have gone unnoticed by contemporaries?
12.Do they honor me with lips, not hearts?
13.In Isaiah 1:9–10, why compare Judah’s corruption to Sodom and Gomorrah if those cities were already destroyed centuries earlier and have uncertain archaeological evidence?
14.How can Ezekiel 16:3 claim Jerusalem’s ancestry is Amorite and Hittite when historical records emphasize Israel’s descent from Abraham?What Does Isaiah 1:10 Mean
Hear the word of the LORD- The verse opens with an urgent summons: “Hear the word of the LORD” (Isaiah 1:10). This is God’s gracious initiative, inviting His people to listen before judgment falls, echoingDeuteronomy 4:1 andRevelation 2:7.
- “Hear” is more than passive listening; it implies obedience (James 1:22). The same appeal resounds inMicah 6:1–2 where the mountains are called to hear the LORD’s case.
- Even in rebuke, God’s word is a lifeline.Psalm 119:105 reminds us it is “a lamp for my feet,” intended to guide sinners back to the path of righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
You rulers of Sodom- God addresses Judah’s leaders as though they were governing Sodom (Genesis 13:13; 19:24). This shocking metaphor exposes how far they have drifted.
- Leadership sets moral tone (Proverbs 29:2). Corrupt rulers invite national decay (Hosea 4:9). The title “rulers of Sodom” warns them that privileged position does not shield from divine scrutiny (Luke 12:48).
- By using Sodom’s name, God links present sins to a notorious past example of arrogant injustice (Ezekiel 16:49–50), underscoring that judgment is consistent with His unchanging character (Malachi 3:6).
Listen to the instruction of our God- A second command stresses attentiveness: “listen to the instruction of our God.” Repetition intensifies urgency (Psalm 62:11).
- “Instruction” points to the entirety of God’s revealed will (Joshua 1:8). The call is relational—“our God” reminds the people of covenant intimacy (Exodus 19:5–6).
- To “listen” involves submitting thoughts, schedules, and worship practices (1 Samuel 15:22;John 10:27). Otherwise, religious activity becomes empty ritual, as Isaiah will expose in verses 11–15.
You people of Gomorrah- The indictment widens from leaders to citizens, showing communal accountability (Jeremiah 5:1;Romans 3:23).
- Gomorrah’s reputation for pervasive wickedness (Deuteronomy 29:23) highlights Judah’s moral collapse. God’s comparison is a mercy—He warns before He acts (Amos 3:7).
- Because past destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was swift and total (2 Peter 2:6), the allusion signals the severity of impending discipline if repentance is refused (Luke 17:28–30).
summaryIsaiah 1:10 is a divine wake-up call. God commands Judah’s leaders and people to heed His word and instruction, likening them to Sodom and Gomorrah to expose the depth of their sin. The passage insists that hearing must lead to obedient response, for privileged covenant status will not spare unrepentant hearts. Even in stern rebuke, the invitation to listen reveals God’s desire to redeem, not to destroy.
(10)
Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom.--The Hebrew text, by leaving a space between the two verses, indicates the beginning of a new section. It is noticeable that the prophet does not address the king. It may be that he trusted him, but not his ministers. We have to remember that the rulers (better,
judges;same word as
kadi) thus addressed were probably those who were outwardly active in Hezekiah's work of reformation, or had taken part in the older routine worship under Uzziah. For princes and people alike that reformation was but superficial. The priestly writer of the Book of Chronicles might dwell only on the apparent good in either reign (
2Chronicles 27:2; 2 Chronicles 29-31); but the eye of Isaiah saw below the surface. In "the word of the Lord," and "the law of our God," we have two different aspects of the revelation of the Divine will, the first being the prophetic message of the prophet, the second pointing primarily, perhaps, to the law given by Moses, but including also, as in
Psalm 19:7;
Psalm 119:1;
Isaiah 42:4;
Isaiah 42:24;
Isaiah 51:7, all forms of direct ethical teaching, especially, perhaps, such as were actually based upon the law or
Torahas a text. . . .
Verses 10-15. - THE PEOPLE'S PLEA NO EXCUSE, BUT AN AGGRAVATION OF THEIR GUILT. The prophet supposes the people, by the mouth of their rulers, to meet the charge of rebellion with an appeal to the fact that they maintain all the outward ordinances of religion, as required by the Lawn and are therefore blameless. This draws from him a burst of indignant eloquence, which the Holy Spirit directs him to put, mainly, into the mouth of God (vers. 11-15), denouncing such a pretence of religion as an aggravation of their sin, and characterizing their whole worship as an "abomination."
Verse 10. -
Hear the word of the Lord;
i.e. "Do not
speak to no purpose, but hear." The rulers are supposed to have begun their plea, but the prophet stops them.
Ye rulers of Sodom. Having said in the preceding verse how nearly Jerusalem had suffered the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, the writer grows more bold, and proceeds to give Jerusalem the obnoxious names. Her "rulers, "literally,
judges (
katsin in Hebrew corresponding to
kadi in Arabic), are "rulers of Sodom;" her people are the "people of Gomorrah." There is as much wickedness, though it may be not the same wickedness, in "the daughter of Zion" at the existing time, as in the cities of the plain when God destroyed them.
The law of our God. Not the Levitical Law, though the word used has generally that sense, but the "instruction" or "direction" that was about to be uttered (comp.
Psalm 78:1; and see below,
Isaiah 2:3 and Isaiah 51:4). See Mr. Cheyne's note on the passage.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Hearשִׁמְע֥וּ(šim·‘ū)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligentlythe wordדְבַר־(ḏə·ḇar-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697:A word, a matter, thing, a causeof the LORD,יְהוָ֖ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069:YHWHyou rulersקְצִינֵ֣י(qə·ṣî·nê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7101:A magistrate, other leaderof Sodom;סְדֹ֑ם(sə·ḏōm)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5467:Sodom -- a Canaanite city near the Dead Sealistenהַאֲזִ֛ינוּ(ha·’ă·zî·nū)Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 238:To broaden out the ear, to listento the instructionתּוֹרַ֥ת(tō·w·raṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8451:Direction, instruction, lawof our God,אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ(’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeyou peopleעַ֥ם(‘am)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockof Gomorrah!עֲמֹרָֽה׃(‘ă·mō·rāh)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6017:Gomorrah -- a city in the Jordan Valley
Links
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of Yahweh you rulers (Isa Isi Is) 
