Isaiah 57
57
1 THE RIGHTEOUS man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; and merciful and devout men are taken away, with no one considering that the uncompromisingly upright and godly person is taken away from the calamity and evil to come [even through wickedness].
2 He [in death] enters into peace; they rest in their beds, each one who walks straight and in his uprightness.
3 But come close, you sons of a sorceress [nursed in witchcraft and superstition], you offspring of an adulterer and a harlot.
4 Against whom do you make sport and take your delight? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and put out your tongue? Are you not yourselves the children of transgression, the offspring of deceit–
5 You who burn with lust [inflaming yourselves with idols] among the oaks, under every green tree, you who slay the children [in sacrifice] in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they [the idols] are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have offered a cereal offering. Should I be quiet in spite of all these things [and leave them unpunished–bearing them with patience]?
7 Upon a lofty and high mountain you have openly and shamelessly set your [idolatrous and adulterous] bed; even there you went up to offer sacrifice [in spiritual unfaithfulness to your divine Husband].
8 Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your [idol] symbol [as a substitute for the Scripture text God ordered]. Deserting Me, you have uncovered and ascended and enlarged your bed; and you have made a [fresh] bargain for yourself with [the adulterers], and you loved their bed, where you saw [a beckoning hand or a passion-inflaming image]. [Deut. 6:5, 6, 9; 11:18, 20.]
9 And you went to the king [of foreign lands with gifts] or to Molech [the god] with oil and increased your perfumes and ointments; you sent your messengers far off and debased yourself even to Sheol (Hades) [symbol of an abysmal depth of degradation].
10 You were wearied with the length of your way [in trying to find rest and satisfaction in alliances apart from the true God], yet you did not say, There is no result or profit. You found quickened strength; therefore you were not faint or heartsick [or penitent].
11 Of whom have you been so afraid and in dread that you lied and were treacherous and did not [seriously] remember Me, did not even give Me a thought? Have I not been silent, even for a long time, and so you do not fear Me?
12 I will expose your [pretended] righteousness and your doings, but they will not help you.
13 When you cry out, let your [rabble] collection of idols deliver you! But the wind shall take them all, a breath shall carry them away. But he who takes refuge in Me shall possess the land [Judea] and shall inherit My holy mountain [Zion, also the heavenly inheritance and the spiritual Zion]. [Ps. 37:9, 11; 69:35, 36; Isa. 49:8; Matt. 5:5; Heb. 12:22.]
14 And the word of One shall go forth, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way! Take up the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.
15 For thus says the high and lofty One–He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin]. [Matt. 5:3.]
16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I be angry always, for [if I did stay angry] the spirit [of man] would faint and be consumed before Me, and [My purpose in] creating the souls of men would be frustrated.
17 Because of the iniquity of his [Judah's] covetousness and unjust gain I was angry and smote him. I hid my face and was angry, and he went on turning away and backsliding in the way of his [own willful] heart.
18 I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him also and will recompense him and restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him. [Isa. 61:1, 2; 66:10.]
19 Peace, peace, to him who is far off [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near! says the Lord; I create the fruit of his lips, and I will heal him [make his lips blossom anew with speech in thankful praise]. [Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:13-17, 18; Heb. 13:15.]
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Isaiah 57
57
Idolatry is Adultery
1The righteous one perishes, and there is no one who takes#Or “sets” it to heart.
And men of faithfulness are gathered, while there is no one who understands,
for the righteous is gathered from the presence of wickedness.
2he enters into peace;
they will rest on their beds,
walking straight ahead of him.
3“But#Or “And” you, come near here, you children of a soothsayer,
offspring of an adulterer and she who commits fornication.
4At whom do you make fun?
At whom do you open#Literally “widen” your mouth and stick out#Literally “make long” your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
offspring of deception,
5who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every leafy tree,
who slaughter children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley;
they, they are your lot;
indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering,
you have brought a food offering.
Shall I relent concerning these things?
7You have set your bed upon a high and lofty mountain;
indeed, you went up there to slaughter sacrifice.
8And you have set your symbol behind the door and the doorpost;
for you depart#The reading tradition (Qere) has “uncover,” which makes no sense in context, but with different vowels it would be “depart” from me, and you go up;
you make your bed wide, and you make a deal with#Literally “cut off for yourself from” them,
you have loved their bed; you have seen their genitals.#Literally “hand”
9And you climbed down to the king with oil,
and you made your perfumes numerous,
and you sent your envoys far away,#Literally “to from far”
and you sent down deep#Literally “humiliated” to Sheol.
10You grow weary by the greatness of your way,
but you did not say, ‘Despairing!’
You found the renewal#Literally “life” of your strength,#Literally “hand;” compare the “hand” in verse 8
therefore you do not grow weak.
11And of whom were you afraid and feared, that you deceived
and did not remember me?
Did you not place it on your heart?
Have I not been silent, even from long ago,
and so you do not fear me?
12I myself will declare your righteousness and your works,
but#Or “and” they will not benefit you.
13When you cry,#Literally “your crying” let your collection deliver you,
and the wind will carry all of them away;
a breath will take them away.
But#Or “And” he who takes refuge in me shall take possession of the land,
and he shall inherit my holy mountain.”#Literally “mountain of holiness “
Peace for the Contrite
14And one shall say, “Build up, build up! Clear the way!
Remove the obstacles#Hebrew “obstacle” from the way of my people!”
15For thus says the high and lofty one who resides forever, and whose name is holy:
“I reside in a high and holy place,
and with the contrite#Literally “crushed” and humble of spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.#Literally “crushed”
16For I will not attack forever,
and I will not be angry forever,
for the spirit will grow faint before me,
and the breaths that I myself I have made.
17I was angry because of his sin of gain, and I struck him;
I hid and I was angry, but#Or “and” he walked apostate, in the ways#Hebrew “way” of his heart.
18I have seen his ways,
but#Or “and” I will heal him;
and I will lead him
and give him and his mourners comfort as a recompense,
19creating fruit of lips.
Peace, peace to the far and near,” says Yahweh, “and I will heal him.
20But#Or “And” the wicked are like the churning sea, that is not able to keep quiet,
and its waters toss up mire and mud.
21There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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