Isaiah 57:9

9 and adornedest thee with [the] king's ointment, and thou multipliedest thy pigments; thou sentest far thy messengers, and thou art made low till to hells (thou sentest out thy messengers, or thy procurers, far and wide, even down to hell).

Isaiah 57:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 57:9

And thou wentest to the king with ointment
To the kings of the earth, the singular for the plural, with whom the whore of Rome has committed fornication or idolatry, in allusion to harlots, who, in order to render themselves the more agreeable to their lovers, anointed themselves with ointment: this may respect the grace of the Spirit of God, which the church of Rome pretends to give by administration of the sacraments, which it is said confer grace "ex opere operato"; and the extreme unction given as a meetness for heaven, in the last moments of life: and didst increase thy perfumes;
after the manner of harlots, who, to ingratiate themselves with men, use much perfumes: this may signify the many ways the whore of Rome takes to make herself regarded by the kings and nations of the earth; pretending to antiquity, infallibility, power of working miracles, works of supererogation, primacy and superiority over all other churches; using great pomp and splendour in places of worship, and in all religious services: and didst send thy messengers far off;
not only into neighbouring kingdoms and states, into all the nations of Europe; but even into the most distant parts of the world, into both the Indies, in order to make proselytes, spread the religion of the see of Rome, and increase its power. The pope's "nuncios" and "legates a latere", may be here pointed at, as well as the Jesuits his emissaries, sent into all parts to promote his interest. Jarchi's note is,

``to exact tribute of the kings of the nations;''
which has been the business of the pope's legates: and didst debase thyself even unto hell;
or lay thyself low; prostitute thyself as harlots do to every lover; or didst feign thyself very lowly and humble, as the pope does when he calls himself "servus servorum"; or rather, "thou didst depress", or "bring low, even unto hell" F20; that is, multitudes of men and women, who are brought down to hell by the false doctrine and worship of the church of Rome; and the followers of the man of sin say, that if he brings down thousands into hell, none ought to say, what dost thou? Cocceius thinks it may have respect to his pretended power over hell, to send as many there as do not please him; arrogating to himself the keys of heaven and hell; or over purgatory, a figment of his brain, where he pretends the souls of men are for a time, and from whence, for a sum of money, he delivers them. The Targum is,
``thou hast depressed the strength of the people; or, as some copies, the strong of the people unto hell.''

FOOTNOTES:

F20 (lwav de ylypvtz) "et demisti usque ad infernum", Cocceius.

Isaiah 57:9 In-Context

7 Thou puttedest thy bed on an high hill and enhanced (Thou puttest thy bed on a high and exalted hill), and thither thou ascendedest to offer sacrifices;
8 and thou settedest thy memorial behind the door, and behind the post. For besides me, thou uncoveredest thee (to another), and tookest (in the) adulterer; thou alargedest thy bed, and madest a bond of peace with them (thou hast a large, or a big, bed, and madest a covenant, or an agreement, with them); thou lovedest the bed of them with (an) open hand,
9 and adornedest thee with [the] king's ointment, and thou multipliedest thy pigments; thou sentest far thy messengers, and thou art made low till to hells (thou sentest out thy messengers, or thy procurers, far and wide, even down to hell).
10 Thou travailedest in the multitude of thy (own) way(s), and saidest not, I shall rest (I shall cease, or I shall stop now); thou hast found the way of thine hand, therefore thou prayedest not (to me).
11 For what thing dreadedest thou busy, for thou liedest, and thoughtest not on me? And thou thoughtest not in thine heart, that I am still, and as not seeing; and thou hast forgotten me. (And whom do thou busily fearest, so that thou hast lied to me, and hast not even thought about me? Yea, thou thoughtest not about me in thy heart, because I was silent, and as if not seeing, and so thou hast forgotten me.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.