Isaiah 57
57
Chapter 57
1When somebody who worships God dies,
nobody else may think much about it.
An honest person may suddenly die.
Nobody really understands what is happening.
God takes away his servants,
so that evil things will not hurt them any more.
2When somebody who has lived in a good way dies,
he goes to a place where there is peace.
In death, people like that rest on their beds.
3The Lord says,
‘But you magicians, come here!
You use magic to learn about future times.
You are the family of an adulteress and a prostitute.
4Who do you think you are laughing at?
Who are you insulting?
Who are you pointing at with your tongue?
You are people who have turned against God.
You love to tell lies.
5You worship your idols among the big trees,
and you have sex at the same time. #57:5 They worshipped false gods that they thought would give them many children. So they had sex in a wrong way when they met together.
You kill your children as sacrifices to your false gods.
You do that beside streams
and in caves among the rocks.
6You take big stones from the streams,
and they become your idols.
They are the gods that you love to worship.
You pour drink offerings over them.
You offer grain to them.
Because of what you do,
should I not punish you?
7You go up to the tops of high hills,
and you lie down there to have sex.
You go there to offer sacrifices to your gods.
8You put your images behind the doors of your rooms.
Then you turn your backs to me,
and you get into bed with your false gods.
You have made an agreement with them.
You pay money to have sex with your lovers.
You love to see their bare bodies.
9You take olive oil as a gift to your king,
and also many perfumes. #57:9 ‘your king’ may be Molech, the false god that they worshipped.
You send your people far away
to get news of other gods.
You even talk to the spirits of dead people.
10You become very tired,
because you travel so far.
But you would never say,
“This is useless!”
Instead, you find new strength,
and you do not stop.
11What idol are you so afraid of,
that you choose to deceive me?
You seem to have forgotten about me.
You do not think about me at all.
Have I been silent for too long?
Is that why you no longer respect me?
12Now I will speak against the things that you do.
You think that they are good and right,
but those things will not help you.
13Shout for help, if you like.
See if your group of idols can help you!
The wind will blow them all away.
Even a breath will carry them away.
But if people trust me to help them,
this land will belong to them.
They will worship me on my holy mountain.’ #57:13 ‘my holy mountain’ means Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where Solomon built God's temple.
The Lord promises to help his people
14The Lord says,
‘Build a road! Make it ready for my people to travel on!
Remove everything that would cause them to fall.’
15The Mighty God is far higher than all others. He rules from above and he lives for ever. His name is holy. He says,
‘I live in a high and holy place.
But I am also with anyone who is humble
and who is sorry when he does wrong things.
I will comfort people who are like that,
and I will give them hope.
16I will not always speak against my people.
I will not be angry with them for ever.
I do not want them to lose hope completely.
I myself gave life to them.
17I was angry with them because they were greedy,
which was a sin.
So I punished them.
I was angry and I turned away from them.
But they still refused to obey me.
They continued to do what they wanted to do.
18I have seen what they are doing.
But I will make them well again.
I will be a guide for them,
and I will comfort them again.
Then people who are sad and they are weeping
19will sing songs to praise me!
I will give them a reason to do that.
I will bring peace to all my people,
those who are far away,
and those who are near.
Yes, I will make them completely well again.’
That is what the Lord says.
20‘But wicked people are like a rough sea
with dangerous waves.
It cannot stay still.
Its waves throw up mud and dirt.
21There will never be peace for wicked people.’
That is what my God says.
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Isaiah 57
57
1 The godly#tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.” perish,
but no one cares.#tn Or perhaps, “understands.” Heb “and there is no man who sets [it] upon [his] heart.”
Honest people disappear,#tn Heb “Men of loyalty are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.”
when no one#tn The Hebrew term בְּאֵין (bÿ’en) often has the nuance “when there is no.” See Prov 8:24; 11;14; 14:4; 15:22; 26:20; 29:18. minds#tn Or “realizes”; Heb “understands” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
that the godly#tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man.” disappear#tn Heb “are taken away.” The Niphal of אָסַף (’asaf) here means “to die.” because of#tn The term מִפְּנֵי (mippÿne, “from the face of”) often has a causal nuance. It also appears with the Niphal of אָסַף (’asaph, “gather”) in 2 Chr 12:5: אֲשֶׁר־נֶאֶסְפוּ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַם מִפְּנֵי שִׁישָׁק (’asher-ne’esphu ’el-yÿrushalam mippÿney shishaq, “who had gathered at Jerusalem because of [i.e., due to fear of] Shishak”). evil.#tn The translation assumes that this verse, in proverbial fashion, laments society’s apathy over the persecution of the godly. The second half of the verse observes that such apathy results in more widespread oppression. Since the next verse pictures the godly being taken to a place of rest, some interpret the second half of v. 1 in a more positive vein. According to proponents of this view, God removes the godly so that they might be spared suffering and calamity, a fact which the general populace fails to realize.
2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace;
they rest on their beds.#tn Heb “he enters peace, they rest on their beds, the one who walks straight ahead of himself.” The tomb is here viewed in a fairly positive way as a place where the dead are at peace and sleep undisturbed.
3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,
you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!#tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.
4 At whom are you laughing?
At whom are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue?
You are the children of rebels,
the offspring of liars,#tn Heb “Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of a lie?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course you are!”
5 you who practice ritual sex#tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites. under the oaks and every green tree,
who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.#sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;
they, they are the object of your devotion.#tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will seek vengeance.#tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.
7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed;
you go up there to offer sacrifices.
8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols.#tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.
Indeed,#tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV). you depart from me#tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “from me you uncover.” The translation assumes an emendation of the Piel form גִּלִּית (gillit, “you uncover”), which has no object expressed here, to the Qal גָּלִית (galit, “you depart”). and go up
and invite them into bed with you.#tn Heb “you make wide your bed” (NASB similar).
You purchase favors from them,#tc Heb “and you [second masculine singular, unless the form be taken as third feminine singular] cut for yourself [feminine singular] from them.” Most English translations retain the MT reading in spite of at least three problems. This section makes significant use of feminine verbs and noun suffixes because of the sexual imagery. The verb in question is likely a 2nd person masculine singular verb. Nevertheless, this kind of fluctuation in gender appears elsewhere (GKC 127-28 §47.k and 462 §144.p; cf. Jer 3:5; Ezek 22:4; 23:32; cf. J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:473, n. 13). Secondly, when this verbal root signifies establishing a covenant, it is normally accompanied by the noun for “covenant” (בְּרִית, bÿrit). Finally, this juxtaposition of the verb “to cut” and “covenant” normally is followed by the preposition “with,” while here it is “from.” The translation above assumes an emendation of וַתִּכְרָת (vatikhrah, “and you cut”) to וְכָרִית (vÿkharit, “and you purchase”) from the root כָּרָה (kharah); see HALOT 497 s.v. II כרה.
you love their bed,
and gaze longingly#tn The Hebrew text has simply חָזָה (khazah, “gaze”). The adverb “longingly” is interpretive (see the context, where sexual lust is depicted). on their genitals.#tn Heb “[at] a hand you gaze.” The term יָד (yad, “hand”) probably has the sense of “power, manhood” here, where it is used, as in Ugaritic, as a euphemism for the genitals. See HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד.
9 You take olive oil as tribute#tn Heb “you journey with oil.” to your king,#tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.
along with many perfumes.#tn Heb “and you multiply your perfumes.”
You send your messengers to a distant place;
you go all the way to Sheol.#sn Israel’s devotion to her idols is inordinate, irrational, and self-destructive.
10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired,#tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”
but you do not say, ‘I give up.’#tn Heb “it is hopeless” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NRSV “It is useless.”
You get renewed energy,#tn Heb “the life of your hand you find.” The term חַיָּה (khayyah, “life”) is here used in the sense of “renewal” (see BDB 312 s.v.) while יָד (yad) is used of “strength.”
so you don’t collapse.#tn Heb “you do not grow weak.”
11 Whom are you worried about?
Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully
and not remember me
or think about me?#tn Heb “you do not place [it] on your heart.”
Because I have been silent for so long,#tn Heb “Is it not [because] I have been silent, and from long ago?”
you are not afraid of me.#sn God’s patience with sinful Israel has caused them to think that they can sin with impunity and suffer no consequences.
12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds,#tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”
but they will not help you.
13 When you cry out for help, let your idols#tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view. help you!
The wind blows them all away,#tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”
a breeze carries them away.#tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”
But the one who looks to me for help#tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.” will inherit the land
and will have access to#tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession. my holy mountain.”
14 He says,#tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.
“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules#tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship. forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated,#tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged.#tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”
16 For I will not be hostile#tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV). forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me,#tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
the life-giving breath I created.
17 I was angry because of their sinful greed;
I attacked them and angrily rejected them,#tn Heb “and I struck him, hiding, and I was angry.” פָּנַיִם (panayim, “face”) is the implied object of “hiding.”
yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.#tn Heb “and he walked [as an] apostate in the way of his heart.”
18 I have seen their behavior,#tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”
but I will heal them and give them rest,
and I will once again console those who mourn.#tn Heb “and I will restore consolation to him, to his mourners.”
19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.#tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).
Complete prosperity#tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree. is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”
says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
20 But the wicked are like a surging sea
that is unable to be quiet;
its waves toss up mud and sand.
21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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