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“But draw near, you sons of a (A)soothsayer,
(B)Seed of an adulterer and [a]a (C)prostitute.
Against whom do you jest?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of (D)transgression,
Seed of lying,
Who inflame yourselves among the [b](E)oaks,
(F)Under every green tree,
Who (G)slaughter the children in the [c]ravines,
Under the clefts of the cliffs?
Among the [d](H)smooth stones of the [e]ravine
Is your portion, [f]they are your lot;
Even to them you have (I)poured out a drink offering;
You have made a grain offering.
Shall I [g](J)relent concerning these things?
Upon a mountain (K)lofty and lifted up
You have (L)made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
Behind the door and the doorpost
You have set up your memorial;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have (M)uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide,
And you have cut a covenant for yourself with them;
You have loved their [h]bed;
You have looked on their [i]manhood.
You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have (N)sent your envoys a great distance
And made them go down to Sheol.
10 You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘(O)It is hopeless.’
You found [j]renewed strength;
Therefore you did not [k]faint.

11 “Of (P)whom were you anxious and fearful
When you lied and did (Q)not remember Me,
Nor even (R)put Me upon your heart?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?
12 I will (S)declare your righteousness and your (T)deeds,
But they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out, (U)let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will lift all of them up,
And a breath will take them away.
But he who (V)takes refuge in Me will (W)inherit the land
And will (X)possess My holy mountain.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:3 As in ancient versions; Heb she prostitutes herself
  2. Isaiah 57:5 Or terebinths
  3. Isaiah 57:5 Or wadis
  4. Isaiah 57:6 Symbols of fertility gods
  5. Isaiah 57:6 Or wadi
  6. Isaiah 57:6 Lit they, they
  7. Isaiah 57:6 Or regret, be comforted; cf. 40:1
  8. Isaiah 57:8 Or lying down
  9. Isaiah 57:8 Lit hand
  10. Isaiah 57:10 Lit the life of your hand
  11. Isaiah 57:10 Or become sick

Pagan Religion Denounced

But come here,
you sons of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute![a]
Who is it you are mocking?
Who is it you are opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn’t it you, you rebellious children,(A)
you race of liars,
who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree,(B)
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?(C)
Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?
You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;(D)
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.
You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from Me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,(E)
and you have made a bargain[b] for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.[c][d]
You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your couriers far away(F)
and sent them down even to Sheol.
10 You became weary on your many journeys,
but you did not say, “I give up!”(G)
You found a renewal of your strength;[e]
therefore you did not grow weak.
11 Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn’t remember Me
or take it to heart?
Have I not kept silent for such a long time[f](H)
and you do not fear Me?
12 I will expose your righteousness,
and your works—they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in Me
will inherit the land(I)
and possess My holy mountain.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:3 Lit and she acted as a prostitute
  2. Isaiah 57:8 Lit you cut
  3. Isaiah 57:8 Lit hand
  4. Isaiah 57:8 In Hb, the word hand is probably a euphemism for “genitals.”
  5. Isaiah 57:10 Lit found life of your hand
  6. Isaiah 57:11 LXX reads And I, when I see you, I pass by