Isaiah 57
57
Israel's Futile Idolatry
1The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous are taken away from calamity,
2and they enter into peace;
those who walk uprightly
will rest on their couches.
3But as for you, come here,
you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of an adulterer and a whore.#57.3 Heb an adulterer and she plays the whore
4Whom are you mocking?
Against whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
the offspring of deceit—
5you that burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree;
you that slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of 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 be appeased for these things?
7Upon a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your symbol;
for, in deserting me,#57.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have gazed on their nakedness.#57.8 Or their phallus; Heb the hand
9You journeyed to Molech#57.9 Or the king with oil,
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away,
and sent down even to Sheol.
10You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, “It is useless.”
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.
11Whom did you dread and fear
so that you lied,
and did not remember me
or give me a thought?
Have I not kept silent and closed my eyes,#57.11 Gk Vg: Heb silent even for a long time
and so you do not fear me?
12I will concede your righteousness and your works,
but they will not help you.
13When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and inherit my holy mountain.
A Promise of Help and Healing
14It shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people's way.”
15For thus says the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16For I will not continually accuse,
nor will I always be angry;
for then the spirits would grow faint before me,
even the souls that I have made.
17Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry;
I struck them, I hid and was angry;
but they kept turning back to their own ways.
18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will lead them and repay them with comfort,
creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.#57.18 Meaning of Heb uncertain
19Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord;
and I will heal them.
20But the wicked are like the tossing sea
that cannot keep still;
its waters toss up mire and mud.
21There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
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Isaiah 57: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 57
57
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
1The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
#Ps. 12:1Merciful men are taken away,
#1 Kin. 14:13While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil.
2He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in #2 Chr. 16:14their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness.
3“But come here,
#Is. 1:4; Matt. 16:4You sons of the sorceress,
You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!
4Whom do you ridicule?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
And stick out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
Offspring of falsehood,
5Inflaming yourselves with gods #2 Kin. 16:4under every green tree,
#2 Kin. 23:10; Ps. 106:37, 38; Jer. 7:31; Ezek. 16:20Slaying the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth #Jer. 3:9; Hab. 2:19stones of the stream
Is your portion;
They, they, are your lot!
Even to them you have poured a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I receive comfort in #Jer. 5:9, 29; 9:9these?
7“On#Jer. 3:6; Ezek. 16:16 a lofty and high mountain
You have set #Ezek. 23:41your bed;
Even there you went up
To offer sacrifice.
8Also behind the doors and their posts
You have set up your remembrance;
For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me,
And have gone up to them;
You have enlarged your bed
And made a covenant with them;
#Ezek. 16:26You have loved their bed,
Where you saw their nudity.
9#Hos. 7:11You went to the king with ointment,
And increased your perfumes;
You sent your #Ezek. 23:16, 40messengers far off,
And even descended to Sheol.
10You are wearied in the length of your way;
#Jer. 2:25; 18:12Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.
11“And #Prov. 29:25; Is. 51:12, 13of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because #Ps. 50:21; Eccl. 8:11; Is. 42:14I have held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me?
12I will declare your righteousness
And your works,
For they will not profit you.
13When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain.”
Healing for the Backslider
14And one shall say,
#Is. 40:3; 62:10; Jer. 18:15“Heap it up! Heap it up!
Prepare the way,
Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, #Job 6:10; Luke 1:49whose name is Holy:
#Ps. 68:35; Zech. 2:13“I dwell in the high and holy place,
#Ps. 34:18; 51:17; Is. 66:2With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
#Ps. 147:3; Is. 61:1–3To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16#Ps. 85:5; 103:9; (Mic. 7:18)For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would fail before Me,
And the souls #Num. 16:22; Job 34:14; Heb. 12:9which I have made.
17For the iniquity of #Is. 2:7; 56:11; Jer. 6:13his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
#Is. 8:17; 45:15; 59:2I hid and was angry,
#Is. 9:13And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18I have seen his ways, and #Jer. 3:22will heal him;
I will also lead him,
And restore comforts to him
And to #Is. 61:2his mourners.
19“I create #Is. 6:7; 51:16; 59:21; Heb. 13:15the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace #Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:17to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”
20#Job 15:20; Prov. 4:16; Jude 13But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21“There#Is. 48:22 is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.