Old Testament Lesson

Isa. 5:8-12,18-23 (NRSV)

8 Ah, you who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is room for no one but you, and you are
left to live alone in the midst of the land! 9The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: Surely many houses
shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant. 10For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but
one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield a mere ephah. 11Ah, you who rise early in the morning in pursuit of
strong drink, who linger in the evening to be inflamed by wine, 12whose feasts consist of lyre and harp,
tambourine and flute and wine, but who do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands!

18 Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood, who drag sin along as with cart ropes, 19who
say, "Let him make haste, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the plan of the Holy One of Israel
hasten to fulfillment, that we may know it!" 20Ah, you who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for
light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21Ah, you who are wise in your
own eyes, and shrewd in your own sight! 22Ah, you who are heroes in drinking wine and valiant at mixing
drink, 23who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of their rights!

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.