“But come here, you sons of a (A)sorceress,
(B)Offspring of an adulterer and [a]a (C)prostitute!
Of whom do you make fun?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of (D)rebellion,
Offspring of deceit,
Who inflame yourselves among the (E)oaks,
(F)Under every luxuriant tree,
Who (G)slaughter the children in the [b]ravines,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
Among the [c](H)smooth stones of the [d]ravine
Is your portion, [e]they are your lot;
Even to them you have (I)poured out a drink offering,
You have made a grain offering.
Should I [f](J)relent of these things?
On a (K)high and lofty mountain
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 sign;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have (M)uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide.
And you have made an agreement for yourself with them,
You have loved their bed,
You have looked at their [g]manhood.
You have journeyed to the king with oil
And increased your perfumes;
You have (N)sent your messengers a great distance
And made them go down to [h]Sheol.
10 You were tired out by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘(O)It is hopeless!’
You found [i]renewed strength,
Therefore you did not [j]faint.

11 “Of (P)whom were you worried and fearful
When you lied, and did (Q)not remember Me
[k]Nor (R)give Me a thought?
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,
And they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out, (U)let your collection of idols save you.
But the wind will carry them all up,
And a breath will take them away.
But the one who (V)takes refuge in Me will (W)inherit the land
And (X)possess My holy mountain.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:3 As in ancient versions; MT she prostitutes herself
  2. Isaiah 57:5 Or wadis
  3. Isaiah 57:6 I.e., symbols of fertility gods
  4. Isaiah 57:6 Or wadi
  5. Isaiah 57:6 Lit they, they
  6. Isaiah 57:6 Or repent
  7. Isaiah 57:8 Lit hand
  8. Isaiah 57:9 I.e., the netherworld
  9. Isaiah 57:10 Lit the life of your hand
  10. Isaiah 57:10 Or become sick
  11. Isaiah 57:11 Lit You did not set it upon your heart

But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, ye that inflame yourselves [a]among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered [b]an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things? Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where [c]thou sawest it. And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol. 10 Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find [d]a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not [e]faint.

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not? 12 I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee. 13 When thou criest, let [f]them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:5 Or, with idols
  2. Isaiah 57:6 Or, a meal-offering
  3. Isaiah 57:8 Or, thou providedst room for it
  4. Isaiah 57:10 Hebrew the life of thy hand.
  5. Isaiah 57:10 Hebrew sick.
  6. Isaiah 57:13 Or, thy rabble of idols