But you, draw near,
    sons of the sorceress,
    (A)offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.
Whom are you mocking?
    Against whom (B)do you open your mouth wide
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of (C)transgression,
    (D)the offspring of deceit,
you who burn with lust among (E)the oaks,[a]
    under every green tree,
(F)who slaughter your children in the valleys,
    under the clefts of the rocks?
Among the smooth stones of (G)the valley is your portion;
    they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering,
    you have brought a grain offering.
    Shall I relent for these things?
(H)On a high and lofty mountain
    you have set your bed,
    and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
Behind the door and the doorpost
    you have set up your memorial;
for, deserting me, (I)you have uncovered your bed,
    you have gone up to it,
    (J)you have made it wide;
and you have made a covenant for yourself with them,
    you have loved their bed,
    you have looked on nakedness.[b]
You journeyed to the king with oil
    and multiplied your perfumes;
(K)you sent your envoys far off,
    and sent down even to Sheol.
10 You were wearied with the length of your way,
    (L)but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;
you found new life for your strength,
    and so you were not faint.[c]

11 (M)Whom did you dread and fear,
    (N)so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
    did not lay it to heart?
(O)Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
    and you do not fear me?
12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
    but they will not profit you.
13 (P)When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
    The wind will carry them all off,
    a breath will take them away.
(Q)But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
    and shall inherit (R)my holy mountain.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:5 Or among the terebinths
  2. Isaiah 57:8 Or on a monument (see 56:5); Hebrew on a hand
  3. Isaiah 57:10 Hebrew and so you were not sick

“But as for you, come here,
    you children of a sorceress,
        you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes![a]
Whom are you mocking?
    And[b] against whom do you make a wide mouth
        and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
    the offspring of lies,
you who burn with lust among the oaks,
    under every spreading tree,
who slaughter your children in the ravines,
    under the clefts of the rocks?

“Among the smooth stones[c] of the ravines is your portion—
    there they are as[d] your lot.
To them you have poured out drink offerings;
    you have brought grain offerings.
        Should I be lenient over such things?

“You have made your bed
    on a high and lofty mountain,
        and you went up to offer sacrifice there.
Behind the doors and the doorposts
    you have set up your pagan sign.”
For in deserting me you have uncovered your bed—
    you have climbed up into it
        and have opened it wide.
And you[e] have made a pact for yourself with them;
    you have loved their bed,
        you have looked on their private parts.[f]
You went to Molech[g] with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes;
you sent your ambassadors far away,
    you sent them down even to Sheol[h] itself!
10 You grew tired with your many wanderings,[i]
    but you wouldn’t say: ‘It is hopeless.’
You found new strength for your desire,
    and so you did not falter.

11 “Whom did you so dread—
    and while you feared me[j]
that you lied,
    and you did not remember me,
        and[k] did not lay to heart these things?[l]
Haven’t I remained silent for a long time,
    and still you don’t fear me?”

12 “I will denounce your righteousness[m] and your works,
    for your collections of idols[n] will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out, let your collection deliver you!
    The wind will carry them all off,
        and[o] a mere breath will sweep them all away.”

God’s Reward for the Faithful

“But whoever[p] takes refuge in me will possess the land,
    and will inherit my holy mountain.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:3 So LXX (cf. Syriac); 1QIsaa MT read she has practiced prostitution
  2. Isaiah 57:4 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab MT lack And
  3. Isaiah 57:6 I.e. among the idols
  4. Isaiah 57:6 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsai MT reads they—yes, they!—are; LXX reads there this is
  5. Isaiah 57:8 1QIsaa reads sing.; MT reads pl.
  6. Isaiah 57:8 Lit. their hand; i.e. a euphemism for the male sex organ
  7. Isaiah 57:9 I.e. to the Canaanite deity; or to the king
  8. Isaiah 57:9 I.e. the afterlife
  9. Isaiah 57:10 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads your wandering
  10. Isaiah 57:11 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsad MT LXX read and fear
  11. Isaiah 57:11 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad LXX; MT lacks and
  12. Isaiah 57:11 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsad MT lack thing; LXX reads lay me to heart
  13. Isaiah 57:12 1QIsaa MT; 4QIsad reads justice
  14. Isaiah 57:12 1QIsaa lacks of idols; 4QIsad MT LXX read for they
  15. Isaiah 57:13 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT lacks and
  16. Isaiah 57:13 Lit. But the one; so 4QIsad MT; 1QIsaa reads But one (i.e. without article)