Isaiah 57:1-13

Idolatry is Adultery

1 The righteous [one] perishes, and there is no one who takes [it] to heart. And men of faithfulness [are] gathered, while there is no one who understands, for the righteous is gathered from the presence of wickedness.

2 he enters [into] peace; they will rest on their beds, walking straight ahead of him.

3 "But you, come near here, you children of a soothsayer, offspring [of] an adulterer and she [who] commits fornication.

4 At whom do you make fun? At whom do you {open} [your] mouth [and] {stick out} [your] tongue? [Are] you not children of transgression, offspring of deception,

5 who burn with lust among the oaks, under every leafy tree, who slaughter children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6 Your portion [is] among [the] smooth [stones] of [the] valley; they, they [are] your lot; indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a food offering. Shall I relent concerning these [things]?

7 You have set your bed upon a high and lofty mountain; indeed, you went up there to slaughter sacrifice.

8 And you have set your symbol behind the door and the doorpost; for you depart from me, and you go up; you make your bed wide, and you {make a deal with} them, you have loved their bed; you have seen [their] {genitals}.

9 And you climbed down to the king with oil, and you made your perfumes numerous, and you sent your envoys {far away}, and you {sent down deep} to Sheol.

10 You grow weary by the greatness of your way, [but] you did not say, 'Despairing!' You found the {renewal} of your {strength}, therefore you do not grow weak.

11 And of whom were you afraid and feared, that you deceived and did not remember me? Did you not place [it] on your heart? [Have] I not been silent, even from long ago, and [so] you do not fear me?

12 I myself will declare your righteousness and your works, but they will not benefit you.

13 When {you cry}, let your collection deliver you, and [the] wind will carry all of them away; a breath will take [them] away. But he who takes refuge in me shall take possession [of] [the] land, and he shall inherit my {holy mountain}."

Isaiah 57:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 57

This chapter contains complaints of the stupidity and idolatry of the people, described in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and some promises of grace to the people of God. The stupidity of the former is observed, Isa 57:1 they not taking notice of the death of good men, nor of impending calamities they were taken from, whose happiness is described, Isa 57:2, then these idolatrous people are summoned before the Lord, Isa 57:3 and are charged with deriding the saints with idolatry and murder, Isa 57:4-6 and their idolatry is represented under the notion of adultery, attended with very aggravating circumstances, Isa 57:7-9 and yet these people still entertained presumptuous hopes of happiness, and boasted of, and trusted in, their righteousness and good works, which would be exposed, and be of no advantage to them, Isa 57:10-12, next follow promises of grace to the saints, that such that trusted in Christ should inherit the holy mountain, Isa 57:13 that the stumblingblock of his people should be removed, Isa 57:14, that he should dwell with the humble and contrite, Isa 57:15, and not be always wroth and contend with them, for a reason given, Isa 57:16 and that though he had smote them, and hid his face from them because of their sins, yet would heal them, lead them, and comfort them, and speak peace unto them, Isa 57:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with the character of the wicked, and an assurance that there is no peace for them, Isa 57:20,21.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "sets"
• [b]. Or "And"
• [c]. Literally "widen"
• [d]. Literally "make long"
• [e]. The reading tradition (Qere) has "uncover," which makes no sense in context, but with different vowels it would be "depart"
• [f]. Literally "cut off for yourself from"
• [g]. Literally "hand"
• [h]. Literally "to from far"
• [i]. Literally "humiliated"
• [j]. Literally "life"
• [k]. Literally "hand;" compare the "hand" in verse 8
• [l]. Or "and"
• [m]. Literally "your crying"
• [n]. Or "And"
• [o]. Literally "mountain of holiness "