Isaiah 1 · Verse 11

Isaiah 1:11

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.
Isaiah 1:11, King James Version

Isaiah 1:11 in other translations

BSB“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.
WEB“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says the LORD. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.
ASVWhat unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough 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.
YLT‘Why to Me the abundance of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah, I have been satiated with burnt-offerings of rams, And fat of fatlings; And blood of bullocks, and lambs, And he-goats I have not desired.
DARBYTo what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure.
BBEWhat use to me is the number of the offerings which you give me? says the Lord; your burned offerings of sheep, and the best parts of fat cattle, are a weariness to me; I take no pleasure in the blood of oxen, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
WebsterTo what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to 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.

What does Isaiah 1:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. 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 40:6, 7; Da 9:24-27; He 10:1-14). full--to satiety; weary of burnt offerings--burnt whole, except the blood, which was sprinkled about the altar. fat--not to be eaten by man, but burnt on the altar (Le 3:4, 5, 11, 17).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 To 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 roll down like waters; And righteousness like a mighty stream. Amo 5:21-24. So has Persius; see Sat. 2 v. 71-75: - "Quin damus id Superis, de magna quod dare lanae," etc. The two or three last pages of Plato's Euthyphro contain the same idea. Sacrifices and prayers are not profitable to the offerer, nor acceptable to the gods, unless accompanied with an upright life. The fat of fed beasts, etc. - The fat and the blood are particularly mentioned, because these were in all sacrifices set apart to God. The fat was always burnt upon the altar, and the blood was partly sprinkled, differently on different occasions, and partly poured out at the bottom of the altar. See Leviticus 4.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 1:10-15

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…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 1:10-15 →

Isaiah 1:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לָמָּה\־la.mah-<to> why?H4100
לִּ֤יlito me
רֹב\־rov-[the] multitude ofH7230
זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ziv.chei.Khemsacrifices yourH2077
יֹאמַ֣רyo.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
שָׂבַ֛עְתִּיsa.Va'.tiI have been surfeitedH7646
עֹל֥וֹתo.Lotburnt offerings ofH5930
אֵילִ֖ים'ei.LimramsH352
וְחֵ֣לֶבve.Che.levand [the] fat ofH2459
מְרִיאִ֑יםme.ri.'ImfatlingsH4806
וְדַ֨םve.Damand [the] blood ofH1818
פָּרִ֧יםpa.RimbullsH6499
וּכְבָשִׂ֛יםu.khe.va.Simand lambsH3532
וְעַתּוּדִ֖יםve.'a.tu.Dimand goatsH6260
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
חָפָֽצְתִּי\׃cha.Fa.tze.tiI am pleasedH2654

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 1:11

  • 1 Samuel 15:22

    And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

  • Amos 5:21

    I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

  • Jeremiah 6:20

    To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

  • Isaiah 66:3

    He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

  • Micah 6:7

    Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

  • Proverbs 15:8

    The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

  • Malachi 1:10

    Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

  • Matthew 9:13

    But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Proverbs 21:27

    The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

  • Psalms 50:8

    I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.

  • Psalms 51:16

    For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

  • Jeremiah 7:21

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
what purpose.
66:3; 1Sa 15:22; Ps 50:8; 51:16; Pr 15:8; 21:27; Jer 6:20; 7:21
Am 5:21; Mic 6:7; Mt 9:13
he-goats. Heb. great he-goats.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 1:10

    Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

  • Isaiah 1:11

    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.

  • Isaiah 1:12

    When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Read all of Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Para qué á mí, dice Jehová, la multitud de vuestros sacrificios? Harto estoy de holocaustos de carneros, y de sebo de animales gruesos: no quiero sangre de bueyes, ni de ovejas, ni de machos cabríos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		À quoi me sert la multitude de vos sacrifices? dit l’ Éternel. Je suis rassasié d’holocaustes de béliers, et de la graisse de bêtes grasses; et je ne prends pas plaisir au sang des taureaux, et des agneaux, et des boucs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wozu soll mir die Menge eurer Schlachtopfer? spricht Jehova; ich bin satt der Brandopfer von Widdern und des Fettes der Mastkälber, und am Blute von Farren und Lämmern und jungen Böcken habe ich kein Gefallen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quo mihi multitudinem victimarum vestrarum? dicit Dominus. Plenus sum: holocausta arietum, et adipem pinguium, et sanguinem vitulorum et agnorum et hircorum, nolui.