Isaiah 57
57
Isaiah 57
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
1 #
Ps 12.1; Isa 42.25; 47.7, 11 The righteous perish,
and no one considers why;
the devout are taken away,
while no one understands
that it is due to evil that the righteous are taken away.
2 #
Isa 26.7
Those who walk uprightly enter into peace
and rest on their couches.
3 #
Isa 1.21; Mt 16.4 But as for you, come here,
you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute.#57.3 Heb an adulterer and she prostitutes herself
4 #
Isa 48.8
Whom 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—
5 #
Lev 18.21; 2 Kings 16.3, 4; Jer 7.31 you who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree;
you who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6 #
Jer 3.9; 5.9, 29; 7.18 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;
it is they who are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering;
you have brought a grain offering.
Should these acts cause me to relent?
7 #
Ezek 16.16; 23.14 Upon a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8 #
Ezek 16.26, 28; 23.7, 18 Behind 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 phallus; Heb hand
9 #
Ezek 23.16, 40 You journeyed to Molech#57.9 Or the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away
and sent them down to Sheol.
10 #
Isa 47.13; Jer 2.25 You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, “It is no use!”
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.
11 #
v 1
; Ps 50.21; Isa 51.12; Jer 2.32Whom 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 announce your verdict,
and the objects you made will not help you.
13 #
Isa 25.4; 60.21; 65.9; Jer 22.20 When 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
14 #
Isa 62.10; Jer 18.15 It shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way;
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
15 #
Ps 14.2, 3; 34.18; 51.17; Isa 40.28; 52.13; 61.1; 66.1 For 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.
16 #
Gen 6.3; Job 34.14; Ps 85.5; 103.9; Isa 42.5; Mic 7.18 For 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.
17 #
Isa 1.4; Jer 6.13 Because 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,
19 #
Isa 52.12; 53.5; 61.1–3; Acts 2.39; Eph 2.17; Heb 13.15 creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.#57.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord,
and I will heal them.
20 #
Job 18.5–14
But the wicked are like the tossing sea
that cannot keep still;
its waters toss up mire and mud.
21 #
Isa 48.22
There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
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Isaiah 57: NRSVUE
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Isaiah 57
57
Evil Leaders Rebuked
1The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart;
Faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands
That the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disaster and evil.
2He enters into peace [through death];
They rest in their beds (graves),
Each one who walked uprightly [following God’s will, living with integrity].
3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress [raised in deception and superstition],
Offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute.
4Of whom do you make fun?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
And stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of rebellion (sin),
Offspring of deceit,
5Who inflame yourselves [with lust in pagan rites] among the oaks (terebinth trees),
Under every green and leafy tree,
Who slaughter the children [in sacrifice] in the ravines
Under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of the ravine
Is your portion, they (the idols) are your lot;
Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I be quiet concerning these things [leaving them unpunished—bearing them with patience]?
7Upon a high and lofty mountain
You have [openly and shamelessly] made your [idolatrous and adulterous] bed;
Even there you went up to offer sacrifice [to idols, in spiritual unfaithfulness to Me].
8Behind the door and the doorpost
You have set up your [pagan] symbol;
Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,
And have gone up and made your bed wide.
And you have made a [new] agreement for yourself with the adulterers,
You have loved their bed,
You have looked [with passion] on their #Lit hand.manhood.
9You have gone to #Another reading is Molech, i.e. to an idol of the pagan god.the king [of a pagan land] with oil
And increased your #Lit ointments.perfumes;
You have sent your messengers a great distance
And made them go down to Sheol (the realm of the dead).
10You were wearied by the length of your road,
Yet you did not say, ‘It is no use.’
You found #Lit the life of your hand.renewed strength,
Therefore you did not grow weak.
11“About whom were you worried and fearful
That you lied and did not #Or mention.remember Me,
Nor #Lit put on your heart.give Me a thought?
Was I not silent even for a long time
And [as a result] you do not fear Me?
12I will declare your [hypocritical] righteousness and your deeds,
But they will not benefit you.
13When you cry out [for help], let your [ridiculous] collection of idols save you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A [mere] breath will take them.
But he who takes refuge in Me will possess the land [Judea]
And will inherit My holy mountain.”
14And it will be said,
“Build up, build up, clear the way.
Remove the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.”
15For the high and exalted One
He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this,
“I dwell on the high and holy place,
But also with the #Lit crushed.contrite and humble in spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the humble
And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].
16For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For [if I did stay angry] the spirit [of man] would grow weak before Me,
And the breath of those whom I have created.
17Because of the wickedness of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on turning away and backsliding, in the way of his [own willful] heart.
18I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him [also] and will restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him,
19As I create the #Lit fruit.praise of his lips,
Peace, peace, to him who is far away [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near!”
Says the Lord;
“And I will heal him [making his lips blossom anew with thankful praise].”
20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up mire and mud.
21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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