The Call of Isaiah
Isaiah 6
In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah sees the Lord seated on a high throne surrounded by seraphim crying Holy, holy, holy, and, undone by his own uncleanness, has his lips purged by a coal from the altar. When the Lord asks whom he shall send, Isaiah volunteers and is sent to a people who will hear but not understand, until the land is left desolate with only a small remnant remaining.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonIN the year in which Ozias the king died I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the house was filled with His glory.
BrentonAnd it came to pass in the year in which king Ozias died, that I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the house was full of his glory.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ οὗ ἀπέθανεν Ὀζίας ὁ βασιλεὺς, εἶδον τὸν Κύριον καθήμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἐπῃρμένου· καὶ πλήρης ὁ οἶκος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.
KJVIn the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
JPSIn the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.
2
ThomsonAnd seraphs stood around Him, each having six wings; and with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered the feet, and two they used in flying.
BrentonAnd seraphs stood round about him: each one had six wings: and with two they covered their face, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
GreekΚαὶ σεραφὶμ εἱστήκεισαν κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ, ἓξ πτέρυγες τῷ ἑνὶ, καὶ ἓξ πτέρυγες τῷ ἑνί· καὶ ταῖς μὲν δυσὶ, κατεκάλυπτον τὸ πρόσωπον· ταῖς δὲ δυσὶ κατεκάλυπτον τοὺς πόδας· καὶ ταῖς δυσὶν ἐπέταντο.
KJVAbove it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
JPSAbove Him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3
ThomsonAnd they cried one to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory.
BrentonAnd one cried to the other, and they said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
GreekΚαὶ ἐκέκραγεν ἕτερος πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, καὶ ἔλεγον, ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος Κύριος σαβαὼθ, πλήρης πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.
KJVAnd one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
JPSAnd one called unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.
4
ThomsonAnd the lintel of the door was shaken with the sound of their cry, and the house was filled with smoke.
BrentonAnd the lintel shook at the voice they uttered, and the house was filled with smoke.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπῄρθη τὸ ὑπέρθυρον ἀπὸ τῆς φωνῆς ἧς ἐκέκραγον, καὶ ὁ οἶκος ἐνεπλήσθη καπνοῦ.
KJVAnd the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
JPSAnd the posts of the door were moved at the voice of them that called, and the house was filled with smoke.
5
ThomsonWhereupon I said, Ah! woe is me! (for I was confounded) for, being a man and having unclean lips, and dwelling among a people of unclean lips, I have [still] seen with mine eyes the king the Lord of Hosts.
BrentonAnd I said, Woe is me, for I am pricked to the heart; for being a man, and having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people having unclean lips; and I have seen with mine eyes the King, the Lord of hosts.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπον, ὢ τάλας ἐγώ, ὅτι κατανένυγμαι, ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὢν, καὶ ἀκάθαρτα χείλη ἔχων, ἐν μέσῳ λαοῦ ἀκάθαρτα χείλη ἔχοντος ἐγὼ οἰκῶ, καὶ τὸν βασιλέα Κύριον σαβαὼθ εἶδον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου.
KJVThen said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
JPSThen said I: Woe is me! for I am undone; Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For mine eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.
6
ThomsonThen one of the seraphs was sent to me and he had in his hand a live coal which he had taken from the altar with the tongs.
BrentonAnd there was sent to me one of the seraphs, and he had in his hand a coal, which he had taken off the altar with the tongs:
GreekΚαὶ ἀπεστάλη πρὸς μὲ ἓν τῶν σεραφὶμ, καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ εἶχεν ἄνθρακα, ὃν τῇ λαβίδι ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου,
KJVThen flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
JPSThen flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
7
ThomsonAnd having touched my lips he said, Behold this hath touched thy lips, and it will take away thine iniquities and purge away thy sins.
Brentonand he touched my mouth, and said, Behold, this has touched thy lips, and will take away thine iniquities, and will purge off thy sins.
Greekκαὶ ἥψατο τοῦ στόματός μου, καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἥψατο τοῦτο τῶν χειλέων σου, καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὰς ἀνομίας σου, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου περικαθαριεῖ.
KJVAnd he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
JPSand he touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched thy lips; And thine iniquity is taken away, And thy sin expiated.
8
ThomsonThen I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go to this people? And I said, Behold, here am I: send me.
BrentonAnd I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And I said, Behold, I am here, send me. And he said, Go, and say to this people,
GreekΚαὶ ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου λέγοντος, τίνα ἀποστείλω, καὶ τίς πορεύσεται πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον; καὶ εἶπα, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι· ἀπόστειλόν με.
KJVAlso I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
JPSAnd I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, And who will go for us? Then I said: ‘Here am I; send me.’
9
ThomsonAnd He said: Go and say to this people: Hearing you shall hear, though you may not understand: and seeing you shall see, though you may not perceive:
BrentonYe shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε, πορεύθητι, καὶ εἰπὸν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ, ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε.
KJVAnd he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
JPSAnd He said: ‘Go, and tell this people: Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10
Thomsonfor the heart of this people is stupefied; and their ears are dull of hearing; and they have shut their eyes, that for awhile they may not see with their eyes; and hear with their ears; and understand with their hearts; and return that I may heal them.
BrentonFor the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
GreekἘπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκάμμυσαν· μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.
KJVMake the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
JPSMake the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they, seeing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, and understanding with their heart, return, and be healed.’
11
ThomsonWhereupon I said, For how long? O Lord! And He said, Until cities be wasted so as not to be habitable; and houses, so that there be no men; and the land be left utterly desolate:
BrentonAnd I said, How long, O Lord? And he said, Until the cities be deserted by reason of their not being inhabited, and the houses by reason of there being no men, and the land shall be left desolate.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπα, ἕως πότε Κύριε; καὶ εἶπεν, ἕως ἂν ἐρημωθῶσι πόλεις παρὰ τὸ μὴ κατοικεῖσθαι, καὶ οἶκοι παρὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀνθρώπους, καὶ ἡ γῆ καταλειφθήσεται ἔρημος.
KJVThen said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
JPSThen said I: ‘Lord, how long?’ And He answered: ‘Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, And the land become utterly waste,
12
ThomsonAnd after this God will remove the men far away.
BrentonAnd after this God shall remove the men far off, and they that are left upon the land shall be multiplied.
GreekΚαὶ μετὰ ταῦτα μακρυνεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ πληθυνθήσονται οἱ ἐγκαταλειφθέντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·
KJV—
JPS—
13
Thomson—
BrentonAnd yet there shall be a tenth upon it, and again it shall be for a spoil, as a turpentine tree, and as an acorn when it falls out of its husk.
Greekκαὶ ἔτι ἐπʼ αὐτῆς ἐστι τὸ ἐπιδέκατον, καὶ πάλιν ἔσται εἰς προνομὴν ὡς τερέβινθος, καὶ ὡς βάλανος ὅταν ἐκπέσῃ ἐκ τῆς θήκης αὐτῆς.
KJV—
JPSAnd if there be yet a tenth in it, it shall again be eaten up; as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stock remaineth, when they cast their leaves, so the holy seed shall be the stock thereof.’