Isaiah 1:14

KJV

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them].

KJV (with Strong's)

Your new moons {H2320} and your appointed feasts {H4150} my soul {H5315} hateth {H8130}: they are a trouble {H2960} unto me; I am weary {H3811} to bear {H5375} them.

Complete Jewish Bible

Everything in me hates your Rosh-Hodesh and your festivals; they are a burden to me - I'm tired of putting up with them!

Berean Standard Bible

I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

American Standard Version

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me; I am weary of bearing them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 1:14 delivers a profound and startling divine indictment against Judah, revealing God's intense abhorrence for their religious observances, specifically their new moons and appointed feasts. While these rituals were originally divinely instituted as central to Israel's covenant relationship, the Lord declares that His very soul detests them because they have been utterly corrupted by the people's pervasive hypocrisy, injustice, and spiritual rebellion. Their outward piety has become an unbearable burden and a source of deep weariness to God, powerfully underscoring the timeless biblical truth that authentic worship is rooted in a righteous heart and ethical living, not in mere ritualistic compliance.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 1 initiates the prophet's message with a "divine lawsuit" against Judah and Jerusalem, setting a somber tone of judgment and a call to radical repentance that permeates the entire book. Following a sweeping indictment of the nation's spiritual apostasy, depicted as rebellious children and a diseased body (verses 2-9), the text immediately preceding Isaiah 1:14 focuses on God's explicit rejection of their abundant sacrifices and solemn assemblies. In [Isaiah 1:10-13](/isaiah/1-10-13 "Isaiah 1:10-13 - God's Rejection of Vain Offerings"), the Lord declares, "I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly." This rejection is not of the Mosaic rituals themselves, which were divinely ordained, but of the corrupt and hypocritical hearts of those performing them. Verse 14 logically extends this divine disdain to their specific calendrical feasts—the new moons and annual appointed feasts—emphasizing that the problem lies not with the observances but with the spiritual condition of the observers. This sequence highlights a recurring prophetic theme: outward religious acts are meaningless, even offensive, without inward righteousness and a genuine commitment to justice.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophetic ministry of Isaiah unfolds during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (roughly 740-681 BC). This era was characterized by significant political instability, the rising threat of the Assyrian Empire, and a pervasive moral and spiritual decline within Judah. Despite the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem and the continued observance of prescribed religious festivals—such as the monthly new moons (marking the start of each lunar month) and the annual appointed feasts (like Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles, which required pilgrimage and special sacrifices)—the people had largely abandoned genuine covenant faithfulness. Society was rife with idolatry, social injustice, bribery, and the oppression of the vulnerable, as evidenced by passages like [Isaiah 1:17](/isaiah/1-17 "Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to Do Good"). The cultural context reveals a stark disconnect: a society maintaining a façade of religiosity while their daily lives and societal structures flagrantly contradicted God's ethical and moral commands. God's declaration in [Isaiah 1:14](/isaiah/1-14 "Isaiah 1:14 - God's Abhorrence of Empty Rituals") directly confronts this hypocrisy, revealing His profound anger at their attempt to compartmentalize faith into mere ritualistic acts while neglecting the fundamental demands of the covenant for justice and righteousness.
* **Key Themes:** [Isaiah 1:14](/isaiah/1-14 "Isaiah 1:14 - God's Abhorrence of Empty Rituals") powerfully contributes to several overarching themes vital to the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Hypocrisy in Worship**, revealing God's profound displeasure with religious performance that utterly lacks sincerity, internal transformation, and ethical integrity. The feasts, originally intended for joyful communion and remembrance of God's faithfulness, had become "a trouble" to Him precisely because they were empty rituals, devoid of true devotion. Secondly, this verse highlights God's unwavering demand for **Righteousness and Justice Over Ritual**. This is a foundational prophetic message, echoed consistently throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing that true worship is demonstrated through ethical living, social justice, and compassionate care for the marginalized, rather than through mere ceremonial observance (compare with [Amos 5:21-24](/amos/5-21-24 "Amos 5:21-24 - God Despises Empty Rituals") and [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires")). Lastly, the anthropomorphic language of God's "soul hateth" and "I am weary to bear [them]" conveys the theme of **Divine Grief and Weariness**. It expresses the deep anguish, emotional fatigue, and personal offense that human sin and spiritual rebellion inflict upon the divine heart, revealing a God who is intimately and personally affected by the insincerity and unfaithfulness of His covenant people.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Hateth (Hebrew, _sânêʼ'_):** (H8130) This primitive root signifies a strong, personal aversion or abhorrence, far beyond a mild dislike. When God declares "my soul hateth" these observances, it conveys a passionate, intense rejection of the insincerity, hypocrisy, and moral corruption underlying them. It implies a deep emotional response of disgust and opposition to practices that, while outwardly religious, are inwardly perverse and offensive to His character.
* **Trouble (Hebrew, _ṭôrach'_):** (H2960) Derived from a root meaning "to burden," this word denotes a heavy burden, an oppressive weight, or a cumbrance. It emphasizes that the Israelites' empty religious acts had become an imposition, a source of vexation, difficulty, and profound irritation for God. Their worship, which was meant to be a delight and a means of communion, had instead become a grievous and unwelcome weight upon Him.
* **Weary (Hebrew, _lâʼâh'_):** (H3811) This primitive root means "to tire" or, figuratively, "to be (or make) disgusted." In this context, it powerfully conveys God's profound exhaustion, emotional fatigue, and utter disgust with the insincere worship of His people. It is a striking anthropomorphic expression of divine anguish, indicating that their formalistic rituals had pushed Him to the point of being utterly worn out by their spiritual rebellion and unfaithfulness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Your new moons and your appointed feasts":** This phrase identifies two distinct categories of Israelite religious observances, both divinely mandated under the Mosaic Law. "New moons" (Hebrew: _chôdesh_) were monthly celebrations marking the beginning of a new lunar month, typically involving special sacrifices, trumpet blasts, and communal assemblies. "Appointed feasts" (Hebrew: _môwʻêd_) refers to the major annual festivals (e.g., Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) that required pilgrimage to Jerusalem and special sacrifices, serving as foundational elements of Israel's covenant relationship and remembrance of God's redemptive acts. The possessive pronoun "Your" is profoundly significant, indicating that these divinely instituted observances had been appropriated and corrupted by the people's sinful practices, losing their intended sacred purpose and becoming mere human traditions.
* **"my soul hateth":** This is a powerful anthropomorphism, attributing human emotion and an internal state to God. "My soul" (Hebrew: _nephesh_) refers to God's very being, His inner self, expressing the depth, totality, and personal nature of His aversion. The verb "hateth" (Hebrew: _sânêʼ_) signifies an intense, personal abhorrence. God's hatred is not directed at the rituals themselves, which He commanded, but at the spiritual condition, moral corruption, and hypocritical performance of those observing them. Their worship had become an abomination because it was divorced from genuine righteousness, justice, and a transformed heart.
* **"they are a trouble unto me":** The term "trouble" (Hebrew: _ṭôrach_) denotes a heavy burden, an oppressive weight, or a source of vexation. This clause conveys that the very acts intended to bring the people closer to God and to honor Him had, through their corruption, become a source of profound irritation and difficulty for Him. Their hypocrisy transformed what should have been a delight and a joyful offering into a grievous imposition, demonstrating how deeply human sin and insincerity can affect the divine heart.
* **"I am weary to bear [them]":** This phrase further intensifies the divine sentiment, moving beyond mere trouble to profound exhaustion. "Weary" (Hebrew: _lâʼâh_) indicates deep fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and disgust, while "to bear" (Hebrew: _nâsâʼ_) implies carrying a heavy, burdensome load. God, the omnipotent and inexhaustible Creator, expresses being burdened to the point of fatigue by the insincere, formalistic worship of His people. It is a poignant and startling portrayal of divine anguish over spiritual rebellion, highlighting the profound grief and weariness that human unfaithfulness and empty religiosity cause the Lord.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 1:14 employs several potent literary devices to convey God's intense displeasure and the depth of His revulsion. **Personification** is strikingly evident in the attribution of human emotions and physical states to God, such as "my soul hateth" and "I am weary to bear [them]." This device makes God's feelings profoundly relatable and emphasizes the deep personal impact of Judah's hypocrisy on the divine being, portraying Him not as a distant, impassive deity but as one intimately affected by His people's actions. The language also utilizes **Hyperbole** to underscore the severity of God's rejection; while God does not literally "tire" in the human sense, the extreme expression of weariness vividly communicates the overwhelming depth of His revulsion and the unbearable nature of their insincere worship. Furthermore, there is a strong element of **Irony** present: the very religious practices designed to honor God, express devotion, and foster communion with Him have, through human perversion, become a source of "trouble" and "weariness" to the One they are meant to please. What should be a blessing and a delight has tragically become a burden, highlighting the tragic perversion of true worship by a rebellious people.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 1:14 stands as a powerful theological statement, asserting with divine authority that God prioritizes the condition of the heart and the consistent practice of righteousness over mere external religious observance. This verse fundamentally challenges any notion that ritualistic adherence alone can appease God, secure His favor, or substitute for genuine obedience and moral integrity. Instead, it aligns with a consistent prophetic message throughout the Old Testament that true worship is holistic, encompassing both inward devotion and outward ethical living, particularly concerning justice and compassion for the vulnerable. God desires a people whose lives authentically reflect His character of justice, mercy, and faithfulness, not just those who perform prescribed ceremonies. The anthropomorphic expression of divine weariness and hatred reveals God's deep personal investment in His covenant people and His profound anguish when their actions and inner state contradict their professed faith. It serves as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency, religious formalism, and the perilous danger of reducing faith to a set of empty, burdensome routines.

* [Amos 5:21-24](/amos/5-21-24 "Amos 5:21-24 - God Rejects Empty Feasts and Assemblies")
* [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires of Humanity")
* [Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - God Desires Steadfast Love, Not Sacrifice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 1:14 serves as a timeless and convicting mirror for believers today, prompting us to critically examine the sincerity, authenticity, and ethical implications of our own spiritual practices. In an age where religious activity can sometimes become routine, performance-driven, or even a means of self-justification, this verse unequivocally reminds us that God is not impressed by outward displays of piety if our hearts are far from Him, if we neglect justice in our communities, or if our lives are marked by unconfessed sin and hypocrisy. True worship, which is genuinely pleasing to God, flows not from obligation but from a transformed heart that sincerely seeks to align with His will, actively pursuing righteousness, loving mercy, and walking humbly before Him in all aspects of life. It challenges us to ensure that our prayers, church attendance, financial giving, and acts of service are not merely empty obligations but vibrant, Spirit-led expressions of a living, dynamic relationship with the Lord, characterized by integrity, love for God and neighbor, and a deep commitment to His kingdom values.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my spiritual life might I be engaging in "new moons and appointed feasts"—religious routines—without genuine heart engagement or ethical consistency?**
* **How does my daily life, particularly my interactions with others, my use of resources, and my pursuit of justice, genuinely reflect or contradict the sincerity of my professed worship?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a heart of true worship that God finds delightful and life-giving, rather than burdensome or offensive?**

### FAQ
**Did God truly hate the feasts and new moons He Himself instituted?**

Answer: No, God did not hate the feasts and new moons themselves, as these were part of the Mosaic Law and were divinely ordained for His people to remember His faithfulness, celebrate His redemptive acts, and worship Him. What God "hated" was the profound hypocrisy, insincerity, and moral corruption with which the people observed these rituals. As [Isaiah 1:11-13](/isaiah/1-11-13 "Isaiah 1:11-13 - God's Rejection of Vain Offerings") makes abundantly clear, their hands were "full of blood," and their hearts were far from Him, even as they diligently brought sacrifices and attended solemn assemblies. The rituals had become an empty, formalistic show, devoid of genuine repentance, a pursuit of justice, or a sincere love for God and neighbor. God's rejection was of their corrupt hearts and unrighteous actions, not of His own good and holy laws. He desires obedience that flows from a transformed heart, not merely outward compliance.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 1:14, with its powerful indictment of insincere worship and burdensome rituals, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant system, with its emphasis on rituals, sacrifices, and feasts, was always meant to point beyond itself to a deeper spiritual reality—a reality fully unveiled in Christ. Jesus consistently challenged the religious hypocrisy of His day, echoing Isaiah's critique of those who honored God with their lips but whose hearts were far from Him ([Matthew 15:8-9](/matthew/15-8-9 "Matthew 15:8-9 - Honoring God with Lips Only")). He taught that true worship is not bound by specific places or external forms but is "in spirit and truth" ([John 4:23-24](/john/4-23-24 "John 4:23-24 - True Worshipers Worship in Spirit and Truth")), emphasizing the internal disposition over outward performance. Through His perfect life, atoning death on the cross, and victorious resurrection, Christ became the ultimate and final sacrifice, rendering the Old Covenant rituals no longer necessary for atonement or access to God ([Hebrews 10:1-10](/hebrews/10-1-10 "Hebrews 10:1-10 - Christ's Sacrifice Fulfills the Law")). He inaugurated a new covenant where the law is written on hearts, and believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives of genuine righteousness, justice, and self-sacrificial love, which is the true, living worship God desires ([Romans 12:1-2](/romans/12-1-2 "Romans 12:1-2 - Living Sacrifices, Transformed Minds")). Thus, what burdened God in Isaiah's time—empty ritualism—is overcome in Christ, who enables a sincere, heart-centered relationship with God, transforming burdensome religious acts into joyful, Spirit-led obedience and communion.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Amos 5:21

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

Isaiah 43:24

Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Isaiah 7:13

And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; [Is it] a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

Amos 2:13

Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed [that is] full of sheaves.

Isaiah 61:8

For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isaiah 29:1

¶ Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city [where] David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.

Malachi 2:17

Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied [him]? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil [is] good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where [is] the God of judgment?