But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
3, 4. Indignant summons to the apostate community.
But draw near hither ] Better, But as for you, draw near hither &c. to hear your doom (cf. Isa 41:1, Isa 45:20, Isa 48:16).
ye sons of a sorceress ] The most galling insult to an Oriental is to revile his mother (see 1Sa 20:30). By the use of the phrase here the persons addressed are described as nursed in witchcraft and superstition.
seed of an adulterer and a whore ] Cf. Eze 16:3; Eze 16:45 (“thy father an Amorite, thy mother a Hittite”). It is not improbable that the words contain a specific allusion to the mixed origin of the Samaritans (2Ki 17:24 ff.); the “adulterer” may be the remains of the old Israelitish population (who had been untrue to the marriage bond with Jehovah), and the “harlot” the heathen element which had been imported by successive kings of Assyria.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
3 13. Invective against an idolatrous party. With regard to the reference of this obscure and difficult passage the following points have to be noticed: (1) The scenery of Isa 57:5-6 is unmistakeably Palestinian (wadis, clefts of the rock, terebinths). (2) Several of the rites specified bear the complexion of Canaanitish heathenism, and could not have been performed in Babylonia. (3) The opening words (“But ye”) seem to imply that the people addressed are distinct from those whose leaders are denounced in Isa 56:10-12. (4) Those spoken of are animated by contempt and hatred of the cause and people of Jehovah ( Isa 57:4), while at the same time they advance pretensions to “righteousness” or correctness of religious standing (Isa 57:12). (5) They have persisted in their abominations down to the time of the prophecy ( Isa 57:10-13).
On the supposition that the prophecy was written after the return from Babylon, there is much plausibility in the view that the party here addressed is the Samaritan community. This theory is at all events simpler than that advocated by the majority of critics, who have felt the force of the objections against exilic authorship, and have accordingly supposed that the passage (or its original) was written at some time previous to the Captivity and borrowed by the great prophet of the Exile as a warning against idolatrous tendencies which still manifested themselves in Babylon. (See further Introduction, pp. lvii, lix). The connexion between this section and the preceding would be explained by the fact that the Jewish aristocracy cultivated friendly relations with the Samaritans; there was a serious danger that the struggling Jewish community should by these alliances be dragged down to the level of their semi-pagan neighbours.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But draw near hither – That is, come near to hear the solemn sentence which God pronounces in regard to your character and doom. This is addressed to the impenitent and unbelieving part of the nation, and is designed to set before them the greatness of their sin, and the certainty that they would be punished.
Ye sons of the sorceress – You who are addicted to sorcery and enchantments; who consult the oracles of the pagan rather than the only true God. On the meaning of the word used here, see the notes at Isa 2:6. The Hebrews, like other inhabitants of the East, were much addicted to this, and particularly in the time of Manasseh 2Ki 21:6 : And he made his sons pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits, and wizards. So much were they devoted to this in his time, that they might be called, by way of eminence, the sons of the sorceress; as if a sorceress had been their mother, and they had grown up to walk in her steps, and to imitate her example.
The seed of the adulterer – Implying that the obligations of the marriage contract were disregarded, and that licentiousness prevailed in the nation. Amidst the other abominations which existed under the wicked and corrupt reign of Manasseh 2 Kings 21, there is every probability that these sins also abounded. Licentiousness had been the invariable attendant on idol-worship; and dissoluteness of manners is the usual accompaniment of all other crimes. It is observable also that the Saviour often charges the same sin on the nation in his own time (Mat 12:39; Mat 16:4; Joh 8:1 ff.) In the language here, however, there is a reference to the fact that the nation had apostatized from God, and they were guilty of spiritual adultery – that is, of unfaithfulness to God. They fixed their affections on other objects than God, and loved the images of idol-worship more than they did their Creator.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Draw near hither, to Gods tribunal, to answer for yourselves, and to hear what I have to say against you, and to receive your sentence.
Sons of the sorceress; not by propagation, but by imitation; such being frequently called a man or womans sons that learn their art, and follow their example: you sorcerers, either properly or metaphorically so called; for the Jews were guilty of it both ways.
The seed of the adulterer and the whore; not the genuine children of Abraham, as you pretend and boast, but begotten in fornication upon a common whore; which is not to be understood properly, but figuratively, because their dispositions and carriages were far more suitable to a bastardly brood than to Abrahams seed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. But . . . yeIn contrast to”the righteous” and their end, he announces to theunbelieving Jews their doom.
sons of the sorceressthatis, ye that are addicted to sorcery: this was connected with theworship of false gods (2Ki 21:6).No insult is greater to an Oriental than any slur cast on his mother(1Sa 20:30; Job 30:8).
seed of theadultererSpiritual adultery is meant: idolatry andapostasy (Mt 16:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But draw near hither,…. The death of the righteous, and their happiness after it, being observed: the wicked, who thought themselves safe from danger, and the happier that they were rid of the righteous, those witnesses and prophets which had tormented them, and therefore rejoiced on that account, are here summoned to the divine tribunal, to hear their character, and receive their doom, as follows:
ye sons of the sorceress; the children of Jezebel, the witch, and the prophetess that taught the servants of the Lord to commit fornication, and bewitched with her witchcrafts the sons of the apostate church of Rome; by whose sorceries all nations have been deceived, and of which she repents not, Re 2:20:
the seed of the adulterer and of the whore; of the great whore of Babylon, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication; and whose subjects and children are the seed of this whore, and the sons of this idolatrous church: or, “that committeth whoredom” g; which aggravates the character, that they were not only the children of adulterous persons, but committed whoredom themselves.
g “qua scortata est”, Piscator; “quod scortaris”, Junius Tremellius “qui scortaris”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The reproachful language of the prophet is now directed against the mass of the nation, who have occasioned the “evil” from which the righteous is swept away, i.e., the generation that is hostile to the servants of Jehovah, and by whom those sins of idolatry are still so shamelessly carried on, which first led to the captivity. “And ye, draw nearer hither, children of the sorceress, seed of the adulterer, and of her that committed whoredom! Over whom do ye make yourselves merry? Over whom do ye open the mouth wide, and put the tongue out long? Are ye not the brook of apostasy, seed of lying?” They are to draw nearer hither ( hennah as in Gen 15:16), to the place where God is speaking through His prophet, to have themselves painted, and to hear their sentence. Just as elsewhere the moral character of a man is frequently indicated by the mention of his father (2Ki 6:32), or his mother (1Sa 20:30), or both parents (Job 30:8), so here the generation of the captivity, so far as it continued to practise the idolatry by which its ancestors had brought upon themselves the Chaldean catastrophe, is called first (or more correctly ), sons of the sorceress (possibly the maker of clouds or storm, Isa 2:6, Jer. auguratricis ), one who made heathen and superstitious customs her means of livelihood, viz., the community as it existed before the captivity, which really deserved no better name, on account of the crying contradiction between its calling and its conduct; and secondly, with regard to both the male and female members of the community, , semen adulteri et fornicariae (Jer.), though Stier, Hahn, and others adopt the rendering semen adulterum et quod ( qui) scortaris . A better rendering than this would be, “Seed of an adulterer, and one who committest adultery thyself,” viz., (what would be indicated with this explanation by the fut. consec.) in consequence of this descent from an adulterer. But as (seed, posterity), wherever it is more minutely defined, is connected with a genitive, and not with an adjective, the presumption is that denotes the father and mother. is an attributive clause regarded as a genitive (Ges. 123, 3, Anm. 1), and more closely connected with htiw than if it was written = , Isa 1:21): Seed of an adulterer, and consequently (Ewald, 351, b), or similarly, of one who gave herself up to whoredom. Idolatry, prostitution, and magic are most closely allied. The prophet now asks, “Over whom do ye find your pleasure? For whom are your common contemptuous actions intended?” is only used here, and denotes the feeling which finds pleasure in the sufferings of another. The objects of this malicious contemptuous pleasure (Psa 22:8., Psa 35:21) are the servants of Jehovah; and the question, as in Isa 37:23, is one of amazement at their impudence, since the men over whom they make merry are really deserving of esteem, whereas they themselves are the refuse of Israel: Are ye not a brook of apostasy, seed of lying? As apostasy and lying, when regarded as parents, can only produce something resembling themselves; the character of those from whom they are descended is here imputed to the men themselves, even more clearly than before. The genitives of origin are also genitives of attribute. Instead of (e.g., Isa 2:6) we have here before m akkeph , with the shortening of a into i.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| A Charge against the People. | B. C. 706. |
3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, 5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. 8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered 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 thou sawest it. 9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. 10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. 11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? 12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
We have here a high charge, but a just one no doubt, drawn up against that wicked generation out of which God’s righteous ones were removed, because the world was not worthy of them. Observe,
I. The general character here given of them, or the name and title by which they stand indicted, v. 3. They are told to draw near and hear the charge, are set to the bar, and arraigned there as sons of the sorceress, or of a witch, the seed of an adulterer and a whore, that is, they were such themselves, they were strongly inclined to be such, and their ancestors were such before them. Sin is sorcery and adultery, for it is departing from God and dealing with the devil. They were children of disobedience. “Come,” says the prophet, “draw near hither, and I will read you your doom; to the righteous death will bring peace and rest, but not to you; you are children of transgression and a seed of falsehood (v. 4), that have it by kind, and have it woven into your very nature, to backslide from God and to deal treacherously with him,” ch. xlviii. 8.
II. The particular crimes laid to their charge.
1. Scoffing at God and his word. They were a generation of scorners (v. 4): “Against whom do you sport yourselves? You think it is only against the poor prophets whom you trample upon as contemptible men, but really it is against God himself, who sends them, and whose message they deliver.” Mocking the messengers of the Lord was Jerusalem’s measure-filling sin, for what was done to them God took as done to himself. When they were reproved for their sins, and threatened with the judgments of God, they ridiculed the word of God with the rudest and most indecent gestures and expressions of disdain. They sported themselves, and made themselves merry, with that which should have made them serious, and under which they should have humbled themselves. They made wry mouths at the prophets, and drew out the tongue, contrary to all the laws of good breeding; nor did they treat God’s prophets with the common civility with which they would have treated a gentleman’s servant that had been sent to them on an errand. Note, Those who mock at God, and bid defiance to his judgments, had best consider who it is towards whom they conduct themselves so insolently.
2. Idolatry. This was that sin which the people of the Jews were most notoriously guilty of before the captivity; but that affliction cured them of it. In Isaiah’s time it abounded, witness the abominable idolatries of Ahaz (which some think are particularly referred to here) and of Manasseh. (1.) They were dotingly fond of their idols, were inflamed with them, as those that burn in unlawful unnatural lusts, Rom. i. 27. They were mad upon their idols, Jer. l. 38. They inflamed themselves with them by their violent passions in the worship of them, as those of Baal’s prophets that leaped upon the altar, and cut themselves,1Ki 18:26; 1Ki 18:28. Note, Vile corruptions, the more they are gratified the more they are inflamed. They worshipped their idols under every green tree, in the open air, and in the shade; yet that did not cool the heat of their impetuous lusts, but rather the charming beauty of the green trees made them the more fond of their idols which they worshipped there. Thus that in nature which is pleasing, instead of drawing them to the God of nature, drew them from him. The flame of their zeal in the worship of false gods may shame us for our coldness and indifference in the worship of the true God. They strove to inflame themselves, but we distract and deaden ourselves. (2.) They were barbarous and unnaturally cruel in the worship of their idols. They slew their children, and offered them in sacrifice to their idols, not only in the valley of the son of Hinnom, the headquarters of that monstrous idolatry, but in other valleys, in imitation of that, and under the cliffs of the rock, in dark and solitary places, the fittest for such works of darkness. (3.) They were abundant and insatiable in their idolatries. They never thought they could have idols enough, nor could spend enough upon them and do enough in their service. The Syrians had once a notion of the God of Israel that he was a God of the hills, but not a God of the valleys (1 Kings xx. 28); but these idolaters, to make sure work, had both. [1.] They had gods of the valleys, which they worshipped in the low places by the water side (v. 6): Among the smooth stones of the valley, or brook, is thy portion. If they saw a smooth carved stone, though set up but for a way-mark or a mere-stone, they were ready to worship it, as the papists do crosses. Or in stony valleys they set up their gods, which they called their portion, and took for their lot, as God’s people take him for their lot and portion. But these gods of stone would really be no better a portion for them, no better a lot, than the smooth stones of the stream near which they were set up, for sometimes they worshipped their rivers. “They, they, are the lot which thou trustest to and art pleased with, but thou shalt be put off with it for thy lot, and miserable will thy case be.” See the folly of sinners, who take the smooth stones of the stream for their portion, when they might have the precious stones of God’s Jerusalem, and the high priest’s ephod, to portion themselves with. Having taken these idols for their lot and portion, they stick at no charge in doing honour to them: “To them hast thou poured a drink-offering, and offered a meat-offering, as if they had given thee thy meat and drink.” They loved their idols better than their children, for their own tables must be robbed to replenish the altars of their idols. Have we taken the true God for our portion? Is he, even he, our lot? Let us then serve him with our meat and drink, not, as they did, by depriving ourselves of the use of them, but by eating and drinking to his glory. Here, in a parenthesis, comes in an expression of God’s just resentment of this wickedness of theirs: Should I receive comfort in these–in such a people as this? Can those expect that God will take any pleasure in them, or accept their devotions at his altar, who thus serve Baal with the gifts of his providence? God takes comfort in his people, while they are faithful to him; but what comfort can he take in them when those that should be his witnesses against the idolatries of the world do themselves fall in with them? Should I have compassion on these? (so some), or should I repent me concerning these? so others. “How can they expect that I should spare them, and either adjourn or abate their punishment, when they are so very provoking? Shall I not visit for these things?” Jer 5:7; Jer 5:9. [2.] They had gods of the hills too (v. 7): “Upon a lofty and high mountain (as if thou wouldst vie with the high and lofty One himself, v. 15) hast thou set thy bed, thy idol, thy idol’s temple and altar, the bed of thy uncleanness, where thou committest spiritual whoredom, with all the wantonness of an idolatrous fancy, and in direct violation of the covenant of thy God. Thither wentest thou up readily enough, though it was up-hill, to offer sacrifice.” Some think this bespeaks the impudence they arrived at in their idolatries; at first they had some sense of shame, when they worshipped their idols in the valleys, in obscure places; but they soon conquered that, and came to do it upon the lofty high mountains. They were not ashamed, neither could they blush. [3.] As if these were not enough, they had household-gods too, their lares and penates. Behind the doors and the posts (v. 8), where the law of God should be written for a memorandum to them of their duty, they set up the remembrance of their idols, not so much to keep up their own remembrance of them (they were so fond of them that they could not forget them), but to show to others how mindful they were of them, and to put their children in mind of them, and possess them betimes with a veneration for these dunghill deities. [4.] As they were insatiable in their idolatries, so they were inseparable from them. They were hardened in their wickedness; they worshipped their idols openly and in public view, as being neither ashamed of the sin nor afraid of the punishment; they went as publicly, and in as great crowds, to the idol-temples, as ever they had gone to God’s house. This was like an impudent harlot, discovering themselves to another than God, making profession of another than the true religion. They took a pride in making proselytes to their idolatries, and not only went up themselves to their high places, but enlarged their bed, that is, their idol-temples, and (as the margin reads the following words) thou hewedst it for thyself larger than theirs, than theirs from whom thou copiedst it, and tookest the platform of it, as Ahaz of his altar from that which he saw at Damascus, 2 Kings xvi. 10. And being thus involved over head and ears, as it were, in their idolatries, there is no parting them from them. Ephraim is now joined to idols both in love and league. First, In league: “Thou hast made a covenant with them, with the idols, with the idol-worshippers, to live and die together.” This was a complete renunciation of their covenant with God and an avowed resolution to persist in their apostasy from him. Secondly, In love: “Thou lovedst their bed, that is, the temple of an idol, wherever thou sawest it.” Justly therefore were they given up to their own hearts’ lusts.
3. Another sin charged upon them is their trusting in and seeking to foreign aids and succours, and contracting a communion with the Gentile powers (v. 9): Thou wentest to the king, which some understand of the idol they worshipped, particularly Moloch, which signifies a king. “Thou didst every thing to ingratiate thyself with those idols, didst offer incense and sweet ointments at their altars.” Or it may be meant of the king of Assyria, whom Ahaz made his court to, or of the king of Babylon, whose ambassadors Hezekiah caressed, or of other kings of the nations whose idolatrous usages they admired and were desirous to learn and imitate, and for that end went and sent to cultivate an acquaintance and correspondence with them, that they might be like them and strengthen themselves by an alliance with them. See here, (1.) What an expense they were at in forming and procuring this grand alliance. They went with ointments and perfumes, either bestowed upon themselves, to beautify their own faces and so make themselves considerable and worthy the friendship of the greatest king, or to be presented to those whose favour they were ambitious of, because a man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. “When the first present of rich perfumes was thought too little, thou didst increase them;” and thus many seek the ruler’s favour, forgetting that, after all, every man’s judgment proceeds from the Lord. So fond were they of those heathen princes that they not only went themselves, in all their airs, to those that were near them, but sent messengers to those that were afar off, ch. xviii. 2. (2.) How much they hereby disparaged themselves and laid the honour of their crown and nation in the dust: Thou didst debase thyself even unto hell. They did so by their idolatries. It is a dishonour to the children of men, who are endued with the powers of reason, to worship that as their god which is the creature of their own fancy and the work of their own hands, to bow down to the stock of a tree. It is much more a dishonour to the children of God, who are blessed with the privilege of divine revelation, to forsake such a God as they know theirs to be for a thing of nought, their own mercies for lying vanities. They likewise debased themselves by truckling to their heathen neighbours, and depending upon them, when they had a God to go to who is all-sufficient and in covenant with them. How did those shame themselves to the highest degree, and sink themselves to the lowest, that forsook the fountain of life for broken cisterns and the rock of ages for broken reeds! Note, Sinners disparage and debase themselves; the service of sin is an ignominious slavery; and those who thus debase themselves to hell will justly have their portion there.
III. The aggravations of their sin. 1. They had been tired with disappointments in their wicked courses, and yet they would not be convinced of the folly of them (v. 10): “Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; thou hast undertaken a mighty task, to find out true satisfaction and happiness in that which is vanity and a lie.” Those that set up idols, instead of God, for the object of their worship, and princes, instead of God, for the object of their hope and confidence, and think thus to better themselves and make themselves easy, go a great way about, and will never come to their journey’s end: Thou art wearied in the multitude, or multiplicity, of thy ways (so some read it): those that forsake the only right way wander endlessly in a thousand by-paths, and lose themselves in the many inventions which they have sought out. They weary themselves with fresh chases and fierce ones, but never gain their point, like the Sodomites, that wearied themselves to find the door (Gen. xix. 11) and could not find it at last. The pleasures of sin will soon surfeit, but never satisfy; a man may quickly tire himself in the pursuit of them, but can never repose himself in the enjoyment of them. They found this by experience. The idols they had often worshipped never did them any kindness; the kings they courted distressed them, and helped them not; and yet they were so wretchedly besotted that they could not say, “There is no hope; it is in vain any longer to expect that satisfaction in creature-confidences, and in the worship of idols, which we have so often looked for, and never met with.” Note, Despair of happiness in the creature, and of satisfaction in the service of sin, is the first step towards a well-grounded hope of happiness in God and a well-fixed resolution to keep to his service; and those are inexcusable who have had sensible convictions of the vanity of the creature, and yet will not be brought to say, “There is no hope to be happy short of the Creator.” 2. Though they were convinced that the way they were in was a sinful way, yet, because they had found some present sensual pleasure and worldly profit by it, they could not persuade themselves to be sorry for it: “Thou hast found the life of thy hand” (or the living of it); thou boastest how fortune smiles upon thee, and therefore thou art not grieved, any more than Ephraim when he said (Hos. xii. 8), “I have become rich; I have found out substance.” Note, Prosperity in sin is a great bar to conversion from sin. Those that live at ease in their sinful projects, are tempted to think God favours them, and therefore they have nothing to repent of. Some read it ironically, or by way of question: “Thou hast found the life of thy hand, hast found true satisfaction and happiness, no doubt thou hast; hast thou not? And therefore thou art so far from being grieved that thou blessest thyself in thy own evil way; but review thy gains once more, and come to a balance of profit and loss, and then say, What fruit hast thou of those things whereof thou art ashamed and for which God shall bring thee into judgment?” Rom. vi. 21. 3. They had dealt very unworthily with God by their sin; for, (1.) It should seem they pretended that the reason why they left God was because he was too terrible a majesty for them to deal with; they must have gods that they could be more free and familiar with. “But,” says God, “of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, that thou hast dealt falsely and treacherously with me, and dissembled in thy covenants with me and prayers to me? What did I ever do to frighten thee from me? What occasion have I given thee to think hardly of me, that thou hast gone to seek a kinder master?” (2.) However, it is certain that they had no true reverence of God nor any serious regard to him. So that question is commonly understood, “Of whom hast thou been afraid, or feared? Of none; for thou hast not feared me whom thou shouldst fear; for thou hast lied to me.” Those that dissemble with God make it to appear they stand in no awe of him. “Thou hast not remembered me, neither what I have said nor what I have done, neither the promises nor the threatenings, nor the performances of either; thou hast not laid them to thy heart, as thou wouldst have done if thou hadst feared me.” Note, Those who lay not the word of God and his providences to their hearts do thereby show that they have not the fear of God before their eyes. And multitudes are ruined by fearlessness, forgetfulness, and mere carelessness; they do not aright nor to good purpose fear any thing, remember any thing, nor lay any thing to heart. Nay, (3.) They were hardened in their sin by the patience and forbearance of God. “Have not I held my peace of old, and for a long time? These things thou hast done and I kept silence. And therefore, as it follows here, thou fearest me not;” as if because God had spared long he would never punish, Eccl. viii. 11. Because he kept silence the sinner thought him altogether such a one as himself, and stood in no awe of him.
IV. Here is God’s resolution to call them to an account, though he had long borne with them (v. 12): “I will declare (like that, Ps. l. 21, But I will reprove thee), I will declare thy righteousness, which thou makest thy boast of, and let the world see, and thyself too, to thy confusion, that it is all a sham, all a cheat, it is not what it pretends to be. When thy righteousness comes to be examined it will be found that it was unrighteousness, and that there was no sincerity in all thy pretensions. I will declare thy works, what they have been and what the gain thou pretendest to have gotten by them, and it will appear that at long-run they shall not profit thee, nor turn to any account.” Note, Sinful works, as they are works of darkness, and there is no reason nor righteousness in them, so they are unfruitful works and there is nothing got by them; and, however they look now, it will be made to appear so another day. Sin profits not, nay, it ruins and destroys.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Vs. 3-10: THE SHAMELESS HARLOTRY OF ISRAEL
1. A sharp rebuke is addressed to those apostates who, in pride, vaunt themselves against the righteous, (vs. 3-4).
a. The language of verse 3 is far from complimentary; yet, it clearly describes the idolatry of God’s own covenant people -especially under kings Ahaz and Manasseh, (comp. Mal 3:5; Mat 16:4).
b. Why should such a people sneer, jeer and stick out their tongues at the righteous? (vs. 4a; 2Ch 36:16-17).
c. Are they not a disloyal brood – children of SIN and DISGRACE? (vs. 46).
2. Verses 5 and 6 are addressed to the devotees of the cult of nature – who follow their own lusts.
a. With burning lust they sought out their idols under every green tree, (vs. 5a; 2Ki 17:9-12).
b. In the valley of Tophet, outside Jerusalem, they burned their children in the brazen arms of Moloch – while beating drums to drown out their agonizing cries! (vs. 5b; 2Ch 28:3; 2Ch 33:6; comp. 2Ki 17:31).
c. They chose idols from smooth stones and poured out their libations before them, (vs. 6a).
d. Can the true and living God, their Creator and Preserver, be expected to bear this with patience?
3. The gross wickedness of their adulterous worship of nature is portrayed in verses 7-8; here it becomes more evident, however, that the prophet uses literal language to graphically set forth a SPIRITUAL DEPARTURE.
a. The complaint is not only against illicit sexual experience, but also of the nation’s infidelity to her divine HUSBAND!
b. It is entirely possible that there is a reference here to the Asherah worship in which carvings of human sexual organs played a prominent roll, and which also led to the exposure of the secret organs of the worshippers themselves.
c. The charge is that, deserting her Lord, Israel has spread wide her adulterous bed and, while gazing upon the symbols of her harlotry, bargained with those whose embraces she loved! (vs. 8; contrast Deu 6:5-6; Deu 6:9; Deu 11:18-20).
4. To what limitless extremes they were willing to go (away from God) in these cultic exertions! (vs. 9-10).
a. Anointing themselves for Molech, they have sent him presents of oil and perfume (vs. 9a) – indicating their actual offering of sacrifice to a heathen deity!
b. Sending her ambassadors afar, she has debased herself to the very depths of Sheol – which evidently suggest necromancy.
c. Exhausting as were her labors to collect all sorts of foreign icons, with which she desecrated the very temple of Jehovah, she never stopped to consider the vanity of her actions!
d. Quickened by the strength of Him whose name she has so wretchedly dishonored, Israel has not fainted with discouragement, but has pursued her harlotry with vigor!
e. Before passing too harsh judgment on a privileged people who could so thoughtlessly dishonor their Lord, it might be best to recognize and judge the various forms of infidelity piously indulged by too many professing Christians – even churchmen, in our day. How zealously do many pursue unworthy goals, by unworthy methods, in order to gain the recognition, prestige and applause of this world – thus, effectively “denying the Lord that bought them”!
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. And draw near, ye sons of the sorceress. After having spoken of the happy and peaceful death of good men, he breaks out with very great vehemence against the wicked, who did not cease to lead a base and shameful life, and were not moved by the death of believers. As he had said that good men enjoy peace, so he threatens that the wicked shall have ceaseless war. He taught that to the holy servants of God death shall even be like a hiding-place, to shelter them from the whirlwind, and storm, and other tempests, that he might threaten the worst of evils against the obstinate despisers of God. Here we ought to observe the contrast, between good men who walk before God, and the wicked, who cease not rebelliously to resist God. The former shall enjoy peace when they die; the latter shall have no peace during life, and shall feel dreadful torments in death.
He orders them to come forth to the judgmentseat of God, which they hope that they will be able to escape by their disguises; and therefore he affirms that they gain nothing by their refusal, for they shall be dragged against their will. The more hardened they were, the sharper were the excitements that must be applied to them; and therefore the harshness of the Prophet could not be excessive, either in arousing their stupidity, or in casting down their pride. And indeed it is well known how insolent was the vanity of the Jews on account of their genealogy; for which reason the prophets frequently beat down their haughtiness and pride, and affirmed that they were not the children of Abraham, because they were bastards and traitors.
On this account Isaiah calls them “the seed of the adulterous and the whore.” In like manner Ezekiel reproaches them, “Thy father is an Amorite; thy mother a Hittite.” (Eze 16:3) Similar forms of expression are found ill many parts of Scripture. Thus he beats down their intolerable hardihood, and drags them forward unwillingly and reluctantly, that they might not think that they could escape the judgmentseat of God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Ye sons of the sorceress.The words may be purely figurative, as meaning those who practise sorcery, but it is also possible that they may have reference to the female soothsayers, such as are described in Eze. 13:17-23.
The adulterer.Here again the epithet may have had both a figurative and a literal application. (Comp. Mat. 12:39; Mat. 16:4; Jas. 4:4.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3, 4. Draw near ye sons of the sorceress The Hebrew here is very emphatic: You, you. Sorcery is heathenism, (Furst.)
The seed of the adulterer In the Old Testament, adultery is a word uniformly used for idolatry so held, because the covenant between Jehovah and Israel was a marriage covenant. See chap. 54. God is the husband, Israel is the espoused to God. The address is here to the Jews in the plainest terms, equivalent to “let us look at your conduct in its true light. Scorners ye are.”
Against whom do ye sport Literally, do ye make up faces? Who is the butt of your mockings? See if jeer and contempt be not due to yourselves alone.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Present Behaviour of the Godless; The People Become Like the Leaders That They Support ( Isa 57:3-14 ).
There now follows a description of the backsliding of the people into idolatry and the occult. This fits in well with the reign of Manasseh (2Ki 21:1-9), although it also applied under earlier kings such as Ahaz (2Ki 16:1-4). Isaiah had not been satisfied with the reign of the godly Hezekiah, how much more devastating for him therefore must have been the beginnings of the reign of Manasseh.
Yahweh’s Castigation of His Unfaithful People ( Isa 57:3-13 ).
Isa 57:3-6
‘But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress,
The seed of the adulterer and the whore,
Against whom do you sport yourselves,
Against whom do you make a wide mouth and draw out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
A seed of falsehood?
You who inflame yourselves among the oaks,
Under every green tree.
Who slay the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks,
Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion,
They, they are your lot,
Even to them have you poured out a drink offering,
You have offered an oblation.
Shall I be appeased for these things?’
Isaiah now indicts the people for their behaviour and calls on them to draw near and consider their ways. The sons of the sorceress are those who indulge in the occult, in contacting the dead, in consulting mediums, in fortune-tellimg and the black arts. The seed of the adulterer and the whore are those who engage in nature religion, in uninhibited sex. They are true children of the ‘virgin’ goddesses whose behaviour is totally licentious. All are given over to what is evil.
But behind these expressions is the parallel idea of unfaithfulness to Yahweh. They are guilty of spiritual adultery, unfaithfulness to the covenant. Whatever makes us go contrary to the will of God is spiritual adultery. Note the twice repeated ‘seed’, the seed of the adulterer and the seed of falsehood. This is in direct contrast with the seed of Abraham (Isa 41:8) and the seed of the Servant (Isa 53:10). The false seed are in contrast with the true seed.
However, they should recognise that they are cocking a snook (making rude signs) at God. The sporting of themselves, the wide mouth and the drawing out of the tongue are all ways of flaunting their behaviour insultingly before the Righteous One. They are revealing what they are, transgressors and children of deceit, dealers in treachery.
‘You who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree. Who slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks.’ The contradictory nature of what they are doing comes out here in these scenes of adultery and murder. The sexual misbehaviour under the flourishing green trees in the sacred groves is possibly an attempt to arouse life, to stimulate Baal and Asherah into action, to obtain fruitfulness in the fields and fruitfulness in childbearing, but it is also the result of licentious thinking. Their child sacrifices are the very opposite of this, they are the harbingers of death (see Jer 32:25), they result paradoxically in the slaughter of what they seek elsewhere to obtain. No doubt they saw it as the sacrifice of the few for the good of the whole. Ironically ‘the clefts of the rocks’ to which they seek are the very places where they too will flee when the wrath of God is revealed (Isa 2:21).
These kinds of worship occurred regularly when Israel/Judah were in a backslidden state, right from when the entry into Canaan took place through to the exile, which seemingly did away with them (there is no evidence for them afterwards). They appealed to the carnal nature of man rather than to the spiritual.
‘Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion, they, they are your lot. Even to them have you poured out a drink offering, you have offered an oblation.’ There is a play on words here. The smooth stones (chalaq) compare with the portion (cheleq). The chalaq is their cheleq. The meaning of the word translated ‘smooth stones’ is uncertain, but they are clearly in some way connected with the gods to whom these men make their offerings. Possibly smooth stones with suggestive shapes were used as idols, their shape being seen as indicative of a visit from the gods (especially meteorites). But the irony is that they have exchanged their portion from Yahweh for these smooth stones. This is their ‘lot’. It is all that they will have from the land originally given to them by Yahweh, by lot (Jos 14:1-2 compare Psa 16:5). They have exchanged what God has allotted to them for these smooth stones. Notice the contemptuous duplication of ‘they’. They have turned from the true worship of Yahweh to the worship of these smooth stones. Well they can have them. And that is all they can have, these miserable stones. (Did John the Baptiser have these words in mind when he declared sarcastically to the Pharisees, ‘God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham’?).
And what is more it is to them that they pour out their drink offerings and offer their oblations. What should have been offered to Yahweh in loving gratitude, was being given to smooth stones. What more pathetic picture can there be than that.
‘Shall I be appeased for these things?’ They must recognise that they are going so far that they are in danger that Yahweh will no longer be appeased in any way. This warning, continually ignored, would in the end result in the exile, and the emptying of the land that would follow as the people who remained found refuge elsewhere.
Isa 57:7-8
‘On a high and lofty mountain have you set your bed,
There also did you go up to offer sacrifice,
And behind the door and the post have you set up your memorial,
For you have discovered yourself (made yourself known) to another than me, and have gone up.
You have enlarged your bed and made yourself a covenant with them,
You loved their bed where you saw it.’
Not satisfied with their behaviour in the valleys and in the clefts of the rocks, they have made themselves beds in the high mountains, and offered sacrifices there to false gods, pushing the reminders of the covenant with Yahweh behind their doors where they would not be seen. The high places were often situated in the tallest mountains, which were especially seen as the abode of the gods. The high and lofty mountain here is in direct contrast to the holy mountain on which the worshippers of Yahweh are found (Isa 56:7), and the high and lofty One Who inhabits eternity (Isa 57:15), Who dwells above all. So they spurned the holy mountain of Yahweh, choosing rather the mountain of the gods. And there too did they engage in their unrestrained adultery. And there too they bound themselves to these gods and goddesses rather than to Yahweh. The most significant thing about their religion is their beds. These lascivious activities can be contrasted with those who make themselves joyful in His house of prayer (Isa 56:7).
The setting up of the memorial (reminder) behind the door and post may indicate an idolatrous symbol set up to remind them of their gods and goddesses when the door was closed, but it is more probable that it suggests that they have taken their ‘memorials to Yahweh’ (Deu 6:9), which declared their part in His covenant, and have hidden them behind the door, rather than having them on the outside of the door, which latter would signify proclaiming their faith in Him. They no longer want to be seen as those dull Yahwists. This would tie up with the fact that they are stated to have ‘gone up’ and ‘made themselves known’ to other than Yahweh. Instead of spiritual response to Him they prefer physical response to false gods. So this contrasts the hiddenness of any ‘faith’ in Yahweh they had left, with their blatant idolatry on the mountain tops where all could see their faith in the gods. While they have not quite given up on Yahweh, they have relegated Him to a hidden corner.
‘Enlarging the bed’ possibly means engaging in intercourse with even more persons than previously, that is with cult prostitutes, sexual association with whom in their eyes bound them by covenant to the gods and goddesses involved. ‘Loving their beds’ indicates the enthusiasm with which they threw themselves into such activities.
Isa 57:9
‘And you went down to the king with oil (ointment),
And increased your perfumes,
And sent your ambassadors far off,
And debased yourselves even to Sheol.
We must interpret the first line in line with the third. Thus the king is a foreign king, possibly the king of Babylon or similar, to whom oil was sent as a gift through ambassadors who went ‘far off’ (Hos 12:1). And when they came before him they ‘went down’, that is, humbled themselves. What a contrast we have here. Having ‘gone up’ to their sexually perverted gods, into physical ecstasy, they ‘went down’ to a foreign king in deep humiliation. They were slaves both to sex and to power. It was a matter of trusting in anything but Yahweh.
Olive oil was produced in abundance in Palestine and was a regular export (compare Hos 12:1; 1Ki 5:11; Eze 27:17). The perfumes probably refer to their beautifying themselves so as to be pleasing to the king. So their idolatrous behaviour went hand in hand with resort to foreign alliances, to a trust in foreign kings which would only fail them.
Debasing themselves even to Sheol is probably Isaiah’s description of the depths to which they were willing to humiliate themselves before that great and mighty king, a humiliation which would finally result in death and the grave for many. Compare also Isa 28:15 where making a treaty with Egypt was seen as the equivalent of making a treaty with Sheol. However some see it as indicating attempts to consult the dead.
The shallowness and folly of this up and down experience is apparent. It is all effort. Up into the high mountains where they obtained their temporary reward, and then the long journey ‘down’ to far off kings ending in a deep humbling before them. And this in contrast with those who could go up into Yahweh’s High and Holy place (Isa 57:15), and Whose covenant with them was testified to on their very doors.
Thus Judah is back on the old track, engaging in foreign alliances instead of trusting in Yahweh, and abasing themselves to foreign kings instead of before Yahweh. Or it may be that the whole reference is simply a reference to their abasement before their Overlord, the king of Assyria. That too was their lot because they had forsaken Yahweh.
Isa 57:10
‘You were wearied with the length of your ways,
Yet you did not say, “There is no hope.”
You discovered a livening of your strength (literally ‘the life of your hand’),
Therefore you were not sick.’
The journeys to foreign nations seeking alliances were long and weary (compare Isa 30:6), and took much time, but they did not give up on them. They were in direct contrast with the way of Yahweh (Isa 11:16; Isa 19:23; Isa 35:8). Yet somehow they found strength and therefore resisted sickness and depression. ‘The life of your hand’ is in contrast with the life that comes from Yahweh, and might indicate the taking of oral drugs to strengthen their resolve. Or it may mean dredging up their own resources and a relying on adrenalin. And as they travelled they encouraged themselves with hope. Thus they walked in the wrong way, they encouraged themselves with false hopes, and they used self-help instead of leaning on Yahweh. And it would all be to no avail.
Isa 57:11
“And of whom have you been afraid,
And in fear, that you lie?
And you have not remembered me,
Nor laid it to your heart.”
Yahweh then questions them as to whom they are in awe of, or who has put the fear in their hearts that makes them lie and behave deceitfully (instead of fearing Him as they should). This may indicate being deceitful to the people, and to themselves, deceiving them and themselves with false promises of hope where there was no hope. Or the lies may have been to the king to whom they went, as they promised what they would not give. Or it may signify their deceitfulness towards Yahweh, still outwardly seeing themselves as the people of the covenant but looking to anyone but Him. The result was that they did not remember Yahweh, nor lay to their hearts the uselessness of looking elsewhere. They should have been afraid of Yahweh Who was totally reliable, but because they feared others it resulted in lies and deceit all round. The important emphasis is on the fact that they are living on an unstable foundation of deceit in all directions.
Isa 57:11-12
“Have I not held my peace even for a long time,
And you do not fear me?’
I will declare your righteousness, and as for your works,
They will not profit you.”
He recognises that the reason why they do not fear Him is because He has given them a long period of peace, for it is when God’s judgments are in the earth that the people learn righteousness (Isa 26:9). It is part of the contradiction of human nature that when things are going well God is forgotten. Well, now He will expose them. He will declare what type of righteousness they really have, and what kind of works they are really doing. We must translate the verb as ‘expose’ and put ‘righteousness’ in inverted commas as indicating wrong behaviour, for His aim is to show them for what they are. And let them also recognise the fact that all their ‘works’ will not profit them. This may refer to the work of seeking foreign alliances, or the work of appeasing the king of Assyria, or to the hard work of making their hand-made gods, the works of their hands (Isa 1:31; Isa 2:20; Isa 31:7; Isa 44:10-17), or simply works performed to salve the conscience. These works all demonstrate what type of ‘righteousness’ they really have.
Isa 57:13
“When you cry out,
Let those whom you have gathered deliver you,
But the wind will take them,
A breath will carry them all away,
But he who puts his trust in me will possess the land,
And will inherit my holy mountain.”
So let them recognise that when the time of need comes and they ‘cry out’ for help, He will not help them. Let them then look to those that they ‘have gathered’, either their treaty-friends or their gods. But such will prove useless. They will be carried off by the wind, blown away as though they were nothing. For there is only One Who is reliable and dependable. It is those who trust in Him who will possess the land and inherit God’s holy mountain.
So there is a strong contrast here between those who trust in idols and those who truly trust in Yahweh. Those who trust to the gods of smooth stones will have them as their portion, they will be their lot (Isa 57:6), but those who trust in Yahweh will have the land of God’s choice as their lot and the holy mountain as their portion. They will inherit all the promises of God, both fruitful existence and spiritual access into the presence of God. ‘Possessing the land’ did not mean just owning it. It meant enjoying it to the full and obtaining its fullest benefit. ‘Inheriting the holy mountain’ meant having full availability of the way to God and finding full spiritual satisfaction as a result. Thus trusting in Yahweh was the guarantee of wellbeing and rightness of spirit.
All this would find literal fulfilment, first in the judgments of the coming days, and then in the response of the holy seed in the land and the literal return of His faithful people from worldwide to the land, and the establishing of those faithful to Yahweh under such as Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel and Joshua, Nehemiah and Ezra, and many others who would follow. It would find even greater spiritual fulfilment in the consequences of the coming of Jesus when all that the land and the holy mountain meant would become the portion of His followers, spiritual prosperity and access into the presence of God in His ‘holy mountain’, the mountain of Yahweh’s house (Isa 2:2-3; Isa 56:7), and the latter would reach its final conclusion in the new heaven and the new earth when all the blessings of God would be theirs (Rev 21:1 to Rev 22:5).
For this inheritance compare Isa 60:19-21; Isa 61:7; Isa 65:9, where it is planted by Yahweh and is for ever, when the sun ceases to be necessary and Yahweh is the everlasting light of His people, and they experience everlasting joy. This can only be speaking of the everlasting kingdom.
We must keep in our minds all along that Isaiah’s prophecies contain many strands. They speak of trends and various events to come, unlimited as to time, and not necessarily all directly connected. It is not a matter of ‘now’ and ‘the end time’ it is a matter of ‘now’ and ‘all that will follow, whether near or far’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jehovah Rejects all Idolaters
v. 3. But draw near hither, v. 4. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? v. 5. enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, v. 6. Among the smooth stones of the stream, v. 7. Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed, v. 8. Behind the doors also and the posts, v. 9. And thou wentest to the king with ointment and didst increase thy perfumes, v. 10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, v. 11. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared that thou hast lied and hast not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart? v. 12. I will declare thy righteousness, v. 13. When thou criest,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Isa 57:3. But draw near hither, &c. The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the faithful lay hid in solitary places; while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcase; not the true, but the adulterous church. This church is summoned before the judgment-seat of God, first to be convinced, and afterwards to be condemned for her crimes; which crimes are spoken of under the ideas common to the idolatry of the ancient church, though they refer to the spiritual idolatry of the Christian church. There is a remarkable poem of William of Malmesbury, who lived in the 12th century, setting forth the corrupt state of the church in his time, which serves abundantly to shew how exactly this prophesy of Isaiah was fulfilled in those times.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2. THE MOURNFUL PRESENT MARKED BY THE IDOLATROUS DOINGS OF THE NATION
Isa 57:3-14
3But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress,
The seed of the adulterer and 1the whore.
4Against whom do ye sport yourselves?
Against whom make ye a wide mouth,
And draw out the tongue?
Are ye not children of transgression, a 2seed of falsehood,
5Enflaming yourselves [3] 4with idols
Under every green tree,
Slaying the children in the valleys
Under the cliffs of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion;
They, they are thy lot:
Even to them hast thou poured a drink offering.
Thou hast offered a meat offering,
5Should I receive comfort in these?
7Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed:
Even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance:
6For thou hast discovered thyself to another than me,
And art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed,
7And 8made thee a covenant with them;
Thou lovedst their bed 9where thou sawest it.
9And 10thou wentest to the king with ointment,
And didst increase thy perfumes,
And didst send thy messengers far off,
And didst 11debase thyself even unto hell.
10Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way;
Yet saidst thou not, There is no hope:
Thou hast found the 12life of thine hand;
Therefore thou wast not 13grieved.
11And of whom hast thou been afraid 14or feared,
That thou hast lied,
And hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart?
Have not I held my peace even of old,
And thou fearest me not?
12I will declare thy righteousness,
And thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
13When thou criest, let thy 15companies deliver thee;
But the wind shall carry them all away;
16Vanity shall take them:
But he that putteth his trust in me
Shall possess the land,
And shall inherit my holy mountain;
1417And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way,
Take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
See List for the recurrence of the words: Isa 57:4. . and . Isa 57:5. . Isa 57:9. .
Isa 57:4. The form is found only in this place before Makkeph. Except this, three times without Makkeph: Isa 2:6; Exo 2:6; Hos 1:2.
Isa 57:5. The participles and are in apposition with and explanatory of and . is part. Niph. from .The expression , which occurs only here in Isaiah, is found beside Deu 12:2; 2Ki 16:4; 2Ki 17:10; 2Ch 28:4; Jer 2:20; Jer 3:6; Jer 3:13; Eze 6:13.
Isa 57:6. The clause is very difficult; and expositors differ very much about it. The LXX. connect the words with what precedes ( . , ). [The words are wanting in Tischendorfs 4th edition of the LXX. of 1869,Tr.], but that gives an intolerable tautology. Vulg. in partibus torrentis pars tua; thus it takes for .Targ. Jonatan: in laevibus locis ripae torrentis est pars tua.Syrus: sors tua et haereditas tua cum sorte torrentium erit. Thus he takes =cum, and likewise = ; the double he takes as simply=et. Similarly, only still more freely, does the Arabic version in the London Polyglot translate: Sors illorum (scil. idolorum) erit portio vestra. One sees that these ancient versions were little exact in adhering to the original text. Jerome understands the in partibus torrents, to declare how omnes montes, vales atque torrentes plenierant cultu daemonum, and the pars tua, sors tua denotes for him that the demons were to the Israelites what the Lord should have been, according to Deu 32:9; Psa 47:5; Psa 73:26. Later expositors divide into five classes. Some take also to be equal to , which they understand variously, partly in a physical, partly in a spiritual sense. But all these views we must reject as grammatically unfounded. Others take somehow in the sense of laevitas, laeva, smoothness, smooth places, but construe in the sense of punishment. According to this the sense would be: stoning with the smooth stones (Raschi), drowning, casting down over smooth, slippery places into the deep (Vitringa: Vos detrudemini in laevia vallis, i.e., in lubrica et salebrosa loca, quae quem in profunda vallis praecipitem agunt), the stony desert (Coccejus),that is your well-merited portion. But it is manifest that and have here nothing to do with punishment, but continue to describe the sin. The third class of expositors construe in the sense of the right place, theatre. Then the meaning would be: in the smooth clefts of the rock, or in the bare places of the valleys, there is the place where thou carriest on thy iniquitous work (J. D. Michaelis, Paulus, Gesen., Comment., Rueckert, Hitzig, Umbreit). But the following emphatic and the second half of the verse show, that the mention here is not merely of the theatre of the idolatrous doings. A fourth class see in a designation of the idol images themselves. They derive the word from the Arabic chalaqa, efformavit, effinxit, so that the meaning would be: in the images of the valley is thy portion, or with the idols in the valley thou carriest on thy trade (Koppe in Lowths Isaiah, Knobel). But the root in Hebrew never has this sense. Finally, the fifth class (Lowth, Rosenm., Gesen. Thes., Ewald, Delitzsch, Seinecke, Rohling, [J. A. Alex.]) take in the spiritual sense in which Jehovah is called the portion of His people (comp. the places cited above, and Psa 119:57; Jos 22:25; Psa 16:5, etc.) But are smooth stones such as, according to a widespread custom of antiquity, were objects of divine worship. Very properly reference has been made to 1Sa 17:40. Fuerst, in the Concordance, puts our with under one rubric, in that without further notice he points it . And indeed the two words differ only by one dot, and hence a copyists error were cot impossible. Fuerst in his Lex. derives our from , which would be an abnormal vocalization instead of (Olsh., 183, a). Now if one may neither read instead of , nor yet take for an abnormal stat. const. pl. from , then we can only derive either from (Isa 30:10) or from . But the latter were likewise an unusual formation, for the connecting form of the plural must sound , according the sole suffix forms in use (comp , ,, Hos 5:7). The Daghesh in would any way be Dag. Dirimens. If then we derive our word from the adjective laevus, lubricus, smooth, then would be the smooth things of the valley. But, in view of the intentional paronomasia with , we may further assume that the Prophet means nothing else than what is described in 1Sa 17:4, smooth stones from the brook, in fact that is in the end nothing more than an abbreviation of , an abbreviation that of course would be understood only by one that had the passage of 1 Sam. in his mind. before is used as Jos 22:25 .
Isa 57:8. , as it seems to me, must be judged after the analogy of the expressions (Isa 5:13), (Lam 1:3), (Isa 24:11; comp. 1Sa 4:21 sq.; Pro 27:25, etc..). For as originally means to uncover, make bare, so that form of expression declares that by removal of the people, who as it were cover it, the land Is uncovered, made bare. It is to be noticed, moreover, that itself is by metonymy used for the people (Jdg 18:30), and that also other things, e. g., the grass, can be described as uncovering their place by their removal. It is true that only Kal is used in this sense. But had the Prophet written then, according to the constant and frequent usage, one must have taken this in the sense of: in exilium abiisti. But he would not say that. What is here spoken of, is no punitive ridding out of a place, but a very spontaneous, headstrong and willful making bare, empty. Hence the Prophet uses the Piel. Therefore I cannot approve of the other explanations that supply the shame or the clothes, or that treat as the common object of the three verbs (Delitzsch. (certainly not castrasti quosdam ex iis, Grotius) is properly without analogy; for 2Ch 7:18 the person with whom the covenant is made is designated by , in 1Sa 20:16; 1Sa 22:8 is used. But these passages show that after the may be omitted. The Prophet might then have written . But then the particular would be wanting, that Israel made demands, conditions which were to be fulfilled on the part of the other. One must, to be exact, translate: thou bargainedst, madest conditions for thee from those.The words are likewise without analogy. The explanations: thou descriest a place (to lie down),where thou seest but a beckoning hand,thou dividest a hand, i.e., thou dost destine a side of the couch for the lover (Knobel)all of them contain an unsuitable clumsy thought. One looks for something that belongs to the in the sense indicated, or that follows on it. And thus there is much to favor the view that sees in an euphemism for the masculine member. Only analogies from other languages (see Delitzsch) can be adduced, but considering the originality of our author this can be no obstacle. then, like , according to well known usage, stands for sentire, experiri (comp. Job 8:17; Job 15:17; Job 24:1; Psa 58:11). [J. A. Alexander briefly dismisses the euphemistic view by saying; the sense gratuitously put upon the phrase by Doederlein, and the praises given him for the discovery, are characteristic of neological aesthetics. His own comment is: The most probable interpretation of the last words of the verse is that which gives the same sense as in Isa 56:5 (viz., a place). Spite of the respectable commentators that approve of this euphemistic sense (Ewald, Hitzig cited by Delitzsch who agrees), it should be rejected. Delitzsch refers to Eze 16:26; Eze 23:20. But the coarse, plainness of the language there is ground enough for inferring that, did Isaiah mean to express the like here, he would use language as plain. It were just as reasonable to imagine the same significance for in Isa 56:5. There is actually no ground for doing so, in either case. Thou descriest a place (to lie down) gives a good rendering. Comp. the clause with Job 8:18, .Tr.].
Isa 57:10. is part. Niph. desperatus (Job 6:26), The neuter only here and Isa 2:25; Isa 18:12.
Isa 57:11. is sollicitum esse and has primarily intransitive meaning (Jer 17:8). In this sense it is conjoined with (1Sa 9:5; 1Sa 10:2) or with (Psa 38:19; Jer 42:16). In our text it is used transitively, as in Jer 38:19, joined with the accusative.The with the attached Vav consec., shows that the Prophet conceives of it as the consequence of . The latter accordingly denotes the inward, religious dread, of which the outward evidences are only the consequence. before is the causal that after questions.
Isa 57:14. is used impersonally as in Isa 25:9; Isa 45:24; Isa 65:8.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. In this section the Prophet describes the idolatrous, and hence adulterous doings that at the time of this prophecy were prevalent in the entire nation. He summons the nation to approach in order to hear his castigating words. He addresses them as posterity of adulterous parents (Isa 57:3). They had often scoffed at him. Hence he asks them: Who is he whom ye derided, and who are ye? Are ye not as bastards who would supplant the genuine offshoots (Isa 57:4)? And then he points out to them their untheocratic, bastard way, by enumerating facts. Ye carry on your idolatry under every green tree. Ye slay the children by the brooks and in rocky hollows (Isa 57:5). These places have become the holy and promised land to you. And, that every part of the worship of Jehovah may have its idolatrous counterpart, ye do not omit drink and meat offerings for the idols (Isa 57:6). Then by sacrifices ye have made the high mountains the scene of your adulterous worship of idols (Isa 57:7). Jehovahs mottoes, that should be in every house, are thrust into the corner. But ye do as a woman that forsakes the place at the side of her husband, and sets up a couch of lewdness in another place (Isa 57:8). And also by seeking aid from foreigners ye carry on an adulterous idolatry. For ye sent messengers with rich gifts to foreign kings, yea, ye have boasted even of alliances with hell (Isa 57:9). And ye were indefatigable in these doings; nothing availed to convince you of their vanity. Rather, as long as ye could stir, ye would never confess to sickness (Isa 57:10). How wrong such conduct was appears the more manifest, when one compares whom Israel feared and whom it did not fear. Yea, what sort of beings were those whom thou fearedst, whereas thou fearedst me no more, who so long kept silence spite of thy unfaithfulness? (Isa 57:11). But I will speak and make manifest your righteousness and your works. From that will be seen that ye have no claim to be helped (Isa 57:12). Then let your numerous idols help you. But the wind will carry them off. He, on the contrary, that trusts in me, will receive inheritance in the holy land and on the holy mountain (Isa 57:13). For these there will be a glorious return into the promised land (Isa 57:14).
2. But draw nearfalsehood.
Isa 57:3-4. strongly reminds one of that , Isa 48:6, which, according to our construction, is also to be understood as an address of the Prophet to the people living in his own time. Draw near hither is like a citation before the ruler, who proposes to hold up to the subject his guilt, and to announce the punishment (comp. Isa 34:1; Isa 48:16; Isa 41:1; Isa 41:5; , as in 2Sa 20:16, and often). The Israelites are addressed as sons of a sorceress (comp. on Isa 2:6). Witchcraft is only possible by reason of idolatrous superstition, because it would produce effects by supernatural powers that are not the powers of the true God. The children of the witch are such as have not only a witch for mother, but have also themselves a witch nature. Thus the idolatrous inclination of the people is charged as something inherited (comp. on Isa 1:4). What is here expressed in one notion is explained in the second half of the verse. For is seed of the adulterer (comp. , Isa 1:4; Isa 14:20; , Isa 6:13; , Isa 57:4), thus the ancestors of the present generation are designated as adulterers in their relation to Jehovah, i.e., as idolaters. But that the present generation is adulterous, i.e., idolatrous, is expressed by the addition () [Eng-V. and the whore]. The view that this word is only the feminine of is disproved from the fact that the simple Vav copulative () would be used. Moreover, the mode of expression would be affected, and the addition superfluous. For from the view-point of polygamy, adultery is only possible with a married woman. Therefore in is implied the representation, that the married woman had sinned with another man, i.e., with idols, and that therefore the present generation no longer has Jehovah for a father de facto, though de jure He may still pass for such. But expresses that this generation, sprung from adultery, though recognized as legitimate, has itself committed adultery. As is well known, stands very often for Israels apostacy to idols (Exo 34:15 sq.; Lev 17:7; Num 15:39; Deu 31:16; Hos 2:6 sq.; Isa 1:21, etc.).
In Isa 57:4 the Prophet charges the people with the audacious scoffing with which they persecuted the followers of Jehovah in general and himself, the worthy Prophet in particular. For the question can, of course, in itself have a quantitative sense: are there then men at all, about whom ye make yourselves merry? But why might there not have been men, about whom even such a degenerate people might with a certain justice make themselves merry? For this reason we must take the question in a qualitative sense as in Isa 37:23. There it is asked: whom hast thou derided, etc.? Answer: the holy One of Israel. Thus here, also, the sense of qualis must be in the (comp. Isa 57:11; Isa 51:12). The imperfects , etc., denote that these derisions still continue. Here also we have that personal , which makes so entirely the impression of immediate living presence. And if the contemporaries derided Jehovahs true followers and His prophets especially, who amongst them all was more exposed to the derision and deserved it less, than Isaiah. Hence there seems to me in this to be expressed the consciousness of personal worth and of outrage perpetrated by wounding it. , delectari aliquare, to delight ones self, to take pleasure from something, is found only here in a bad sense. Opening wide the mouth along with derisive laughter is mentioned also Psa 22:8; Psa 35:21. Sticking out the tongue as a gesture of derision is not mentioned elsewhere in the Scripture. Expositors cite Livy, VII. Isaiah 10 : linguam ab irrisu exserens. The point of the verse consists in the distinction between the one scoffed at and the scoffers. What the former is, is not said. But we guess it. What the latter are, the Prophet states with the words: are ye not children of sin (i.e., such whose own nature partakes of the sin of those that begot), a spurious seed? That is, I think that is the antithesis of (Jer 2:21). Then it is not a seed in which materially the species lie. appears out of the sphere of the genus sin; but is a seed which any how formally is not what it pretends to be; i.e., a false, spurious seed. Thus the same is expressed as by Isa 57:3.
3. Inflamingyourselves comfort in these.
Isa 57:5-6. In what follows the Prophet enumerates all the sorts of idolatry by which the Israelites of his times proved themselves to be children of sin and a spurious seed. here means terebinths and not gods, as appears from the (see on Isa 1:29) that stands in parallelism. As a beautiful, shady tree, the terebinth played a great part in the idolatrous tree worship of the Hebrews (comp. Eze 6:13; Hos 4:13). It enticed to idolatry. Hence it is said, that the idolatrous fervor, that was only too closely joined to fleshly voluptuousness, was kindled by the terebinths. But not only stately, shady terebinths, every green tree kindled the idolatrous desire. But worse still than the tree-worship, was the murderous Baal and Moloch worship, to which especially the poor children fell a sacrifice (comp. my remarks on Jer 17:2). Although this horrible worship exacted the burning of children, still the word is used in connection with it, beside other expressions referring to it (Jer 7:31; Jer 19:5; Eze 16:20-21. At the same time it seems to me that the Prophet (who in what follows pursues the thought that Israel in a sacrilegious way transferred all parts of Jehovahs worship to its idolatrous worship), would here, by the choice of this word , express the thought that the children were their . For the slaying of beasts destined for whole-burnt-offerings was expressed by , whereas was the specific word for the slaying of the (see on Isa 5:7-8). In the valleys, under the clifts of the rocks, thus not only in the vale of Hinnom, but elsewhere also, in forbidding rocky defiles, were those horrid sacrifices offered.
Isa 57:6. Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion. See Text. and Gram. By these smooth stones are any way to be understood the sacred anointed stones (Bayetilia). The earliest trace of this usage appears in Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14. But what was originally a simple act of consecration to serve for sacred remembrance, became gradually the substratum of an idolatrous worship, the stone worship (comp. Jer 3:9; Eze 20:32). As the name , is of Phnician origin, the view is not without foundation that this name is to be referred back to . Comp. [SmithsDic. of the B. Art. Stones]; Leyrer in Herz. R.-Encycl. XVI. p. 322; Kurtz, Hist. of theOld Covenant, I. 75, 3; Grimmel, De lapidum cultu, Marburg, 1853. The baetylia were indeed stones smooth with oil. Arnobius (Adver. Gentes I. 39) relates of the heathen period of his life: Si quando conspexeram lubricatum lapidem et ex olivi unguine sordidatum, tanquam inesset vis praesens, adulabar, affabar et beneficia poscebam nihil sentiente de trunco. Lowth cites at our text a passage from Theophrast (to Autolykos I. 15) where it is said of a superstitious man: . Comp. Clement of Alex. Strom. VII. 843. Our passage indeed does not seem to speak of oily, smooth stones. But it appears that that worship, apart from the smoothing by oil, was only given to stones that by nature or art had a smooth surface. At least we could not suppose that Jacob chose a rough stone for his pillow. And our text favors the idea that one did not choose for adoration any sort of stone remarkable for size or form, but especially smooth stones. The emphatic these, these, refers to the stones as something that Israel in a shameful way made rivals of Jehovah. , properly lapillus, is, indeed, no where else so used that Jehovah Himself is called the lot of His people. But the word is chosen here because the Prophet intended an allusion to the notion stone contained in . The thought underlying also the second half of verse 6 is, that the idolatrous Israelites gave to their lumpish idols what was due to Jehovah alone. For here, too, the aping is rebuked, by which they transferred the various parts of Jehovah worship to the idol worship. For drink offering, and meat offering were essential parts of Jehovahs worship. The latter consisted of flour in various forms, with salt, olive oil and incense in addition (Leviticus 2). The former represented the drinking suited to eating, and consisted only of wine (Exo 29:40; Num 15:5 sqq.). with the object = altari imposuit fertum occurs again Isa 66:3. How deeply the Lord feels the insult, is declared in the words: should I console myself (be quiet) concerning such? Niph. with denotes 1) to pity ones self, 2) to feel regret, sorrow, 3) to console ones self, to quiet ones self (2Sa 13:39; Jer 31:15; Eze 32:31). A modification of the last meaning given is to revenge ones self, which we had Isa 1:24. The context shows that only the meaning given under 3) suits here.
4. Upon a loftysawest it.
Isa 57:7-8. In these two verses the Prophet shows how in idolatrous worship, Israel even ( Isa 57:7) aped the peace offering, the . And he joins with it, in a particularly marked way, the adulterous conduct of which it was thereby guilty. Why the Prophet connects the latter particular just with may have this reason, that these sacrifices were always united with meals, and just these may have given occasion for abandonment to joviality and especially to fleshly debauchery, particularly when celebrated in the open air on mountain elevations. Hos 4:13 also mentions the offering of the idolatrous on mountain tops and connected with licentiousness. The expression is found so exactly only here; but comp. Isa 2:2; Isa 30:25. is a figurative expression for the act of idolatrous worship. It cannot be doubted that by the Prophet means the Shelamim sacrifice. For the was most closely joined with that. For the Shelamim offering [peace offering] the Pentateuch also uses simply the expression , i.e., killing; indeed this word in the Pentateuch has only this narrower sense, as further the meal of the as often designated by the verb . The reason of this mode of expression was, that, as in the burnt-offering, the peculiar feature was the bringing up of the entire sacrifice on to the altar, so the sacrificial meal belonged essentially to the peace offering. denotes the killing with reference to a meal that was to be held (comp. especially Lev 17:3 sqq.; Deu 12:15); it is thus distinguished from which has no such reference. (hler in Herz., R.-Encycl. X. p. 637).
The initial words of Isa 57:8 have experienced a double explanation. The ancient expositors from Jerome down understand by , remembrance, any sort of idolatrous emblem, especially the household gods, Lares. But first it is to be objected, that the expression is a strange one to denote that, and then to put behind the doors and the posts seems rather to describe contemptuous than honorable treatment. Hence modern expositors have justly understood to mean what in Deu 6:8; Deu 11:20, was prescribed to be written on the and on the , especially since in Exo 13:9 a similar memorial is expressly called . Therefore we may justly regard our text as a reference to the passages of the Pentateuch just cited. The Prophet charges the Israelites with putting those memorials containing the principles of the Theocracy behind the posts and doors, instead of on them, of course to get those hated reminders as far out of sight as possible. This done, they shamelessly left vacant (see Text. and Gram.) the place at the side of their husband, like an adulterous wife, in order to betake themselves to the couch of a lover. states how the adulterous wife made empty the place at her husbands side; , how she ascended to the elevation (Isa 57:7); , how she made the lewd bed, i.e. broad, to give room for the lover. (see Text. and Gram.), describes the coarseness of this relation. The shameless harlot demands her price. What it was is not said. Any way it was agreed to. For the text continues: thou lovedest their embrace ( frequent in this sense: Num 31:17-18; Num 31:35; Jdg 21:11-12, etc.).
5. And thou wentestwast not grieved.
Isa 57:9-10. The Prophet has hitherto described what we may call the immediate worship of idols. Now he turns to what may be called the political or indirect idolatry of the Israelites. For when they turned to heathen nations for help, instead of relying on the Lord, that also was idolatry. And it was such not merely in the subtile sense of trusting in an arm of flesh (comp. Jer 17:5-6; Isa 30:1 sq.; Isa 31:1-3; 2Ki 16:7), but also in the grosser sense, inasmuch as trusting in a heathen nation involved trusting in its gods (Isa 10:10-11; Jer 2:33; Jer 2:36; Eze 23:7; Eze 23:30; Hos 12:1). If this is the correct understanding of the fundamental thought of our passage, it is clear that we are not to understand as meaning an idol, as many expositors do. It is therefore neither Moloch (comp. Isa 8:21; Amo 5:26; Jer 49:1; Jer 49:3; Zep 1:5), nor Anamelech, the Chronos of the Sepharvaim (2Ki 17:31), as Hitzig thinks, nor the Phnician Baal ( ) as Knobel says. It seems to me also incorrect to suppose it refers directly to the king of Assyria. For there is nowhere any trace of his having been directly the king for the Israelites. And one cannot appeal to Isa 30:30 to show that he was, for there, according to the context (comp. Isa 57:31, ), only the Assyrian king can be thought of. Hence it seems to me that the Prophet would say: Israel has ever turned to him who, according to existing relations, was for the time the king, . Nearly like, but not identical, is the construction of Saadia, who understands as collective. Also the choice of the word seems to favor our constructions, for it means circuire, to go about (comp. , the wandering about, for caravans, Eze 27:25). is with oil. But it remains doubtful whether that means as one anointed with oil (in order to charm the senses, Eze 23:40) or with presents of oil and ointments. Grammatically either is allowable. Comp. for the former use, Gen 32:11. But I prefer the latter, because it cannot be said that Israel itself came to the king, but sent ambassadors to remote places. Rather, according to Isaiahs style, the latter is the explanation of the figure. The great rulers, now Assyria, now Egypt, lived far away. Did Israel perhaps send ambassadors further than that? Any way one may not press the significance of oil and ointments. The simple meaning is, that Israel sent the noblest and costliest gifts of its land as presents. The olive tree grew nowhere so well as in Palestine; comp. Leyrer, HerzogsReal-Enc. X. p. 547. One of the ingredients of the (. ., otherwise ), ointments, perfumes, were , and Palestine was regarded as the exclusive home of the balsam shrub, ibid. I. 673. Isa 39:2 shows that costly oil and noble ointment belonged to the royal treasures. =messenger, as in Isa 18:2. But Israels attempts to find helpers not only went far, but also deep. It is common to understand to mean the humble gestures and words of those seeking help. But that were a bad and senseless hyperbole. I believe the Prophet by didst send thy messengers far off refers chiefly to chaps. 2833, and by thou wentest down to hell has especially in mind Isa 28:15, where the rulers of Jerusalem are made to say: We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement. The Hiph. , therefore, has not an ethical, but a local sense (comp. Isa 25:12; Isa 26:5; Psa 113:6).
Isa 57:10. Thus Israel had wearied itself with much running ( is abstractum here: the going, running, as often, comp. 1Ki 18:27 and Isa 47:12; 1Ki 19:7); but did not learn to see the uselessness of its efforts. Rather, because the weak hand from time to time felt some life, Israel never came to feel sick, i.e. to know and feel its powerlessness in its complete reality.
6. And of whom hast thouway of my people.
Isa 57:11-14. Having thus described the idolatrous practices of the nation, the Prophet next asks for the reasons of it. These may be positive and negative: the idols may have advantages that Jehovah has not, and Jehovah may have defects that the idols are free from. I do not believe that refers to the heathen nations or their rulers, to whom Israel had looked for protection. For the whole context treats essentially of Israels religious conduct, and here especially of the reasons Israel might have for preferring idols to Jehovah. And, indeed, according to our remark on Isa 57:9, the dreadfulness of a nation depended on the power of its gods. therefore refers to the idols. It is to be taken in the same sense as in Isa 57:4. Indeed one may say that this stands in a certain antithetical relation to that . For if , Isa 57:4, relates primarily to the Prophet, still it refers indirectly also to Jehovah, because the Prophet is such a one only through Jehovah. Of whom wast thou apprehensive, and so wast afraid. See Text. and Gram. It might be thought that what could move Israel to unfaithfulness to its Lord must be very considerable, grand in power and glory, far superior to Jehovah. But is such the case? No. One might expect the Prophet to dwell here on the contemptible quality of idols, that is intimated only by . But what were the use? Has he not abundantly done so in the first Ennead? See Isa 40:18 sqq.; Isa 41:6 sq.; 21 sqq.; Isa 42:17; Isa 43:9 sqq.; Isa 44:9 sqq.; Isa 45:20; Isa 46:1 sqq.; Isa 47:12; Isa 48:3 sqq.That thou liedst. The meaning of here appears from what follows. It denotes the unfaithfulness, covenant-breaking nature of Israel. For by its deeds it proved its words to be lying words (comp. Psa 78:36 sq.). Apart from single covenants (Exo 19:8; Exo 24:3; Exo 24:7; Deu 5:27 sqq.; Jos 24:16; Jos 24:24) the confession of Jehovah was the standing law in Israel. The sense is: What is the quality of those things that thou fearest, that (, see Text. and Gram.) thou couldest be seduced by them to break faith with thy God? But, from the antithesis to , Isa 57:4, and from what the Prophet has already said of the idols, it is seen that Israel found no sufficient motive for apostacy in the nature of its idols. There is another motive, viz. the silence of Jehovah. This must have been of such a nature as to explain the absence of fear of Him who was with Israel. This appears from the apodosis; therefore thou fearest Me not.Therefore we are not to understand a not-speaking, but a not-doing. The Lord had kept His peace, and indeed from very ancient time ( before =and indeed, comp. Isa 13:10; Isa 32:7; Isa 44:28), He had looked on, spared, used forbearance. Of course this must be understood relatively, for single chastisements were not wanting. But in comparison with the language the Lord used in leading Israel into exile, all that had been before was silence. Thus the Lord speaks of such a silence with reference to Israel as He had before spoken of with reference to the Gentiles, Isa 42:14. If one supposes the Prophet to speak from the stand-point of the Exile, it is verily not evident what so terrible happened to the wicked Israelites after the Exile, as to make all that happened before seem silence in comparison.
Isa 57:12. I will declare.In contrast with His former silence, the Lord says He will speak. He will declare the righteousness of Israel and its fruits, the works. The whole verse is ironically meant. First of all there is irony in . At first sight it seems as if the Lord presented the prospect of an imposing proclamation of the great, hitherto-ignored deserts of Israel. Second, one supposes on this account that by righteousness and works are to be understood the manifestations of an actually existing righteousness of Israels. But in fact the Lord means that the unrighteousness, the malignity, of Israel shall, by a suitable judicial act, be pilloried before the whole world. Third, the expression: but they will not profit thee is an ironical meiosis. For what Israel has to show in fruits of righteousness is so much the opposite of true righteousness that no other fruit than destruction can come of it. It is seen that I do not follow the punctuation of the Masorets. I cannot therefore approve of the rendering: and as regards thy handiwork (the idols), they will not profit thee (Delitzsch, Seinecke, Rohling, Weber). For 1) the brief words, Isa 57:12 b a, would be no suitable expression for the important thought that the Lord will bring Israels sin to light by great judgments; 2) it were strange to say, Isa 57:12 b, of the idols: they will not help thee, and then to continue, Isa 57:13 : when thou criest let them help thee.Thus I believe that not till in Isa 57:13 is declared the incapacity of the heaps of idols (., . ., properly gatherings in the sense of pantheon).[Aben Ezra appears to understand the word generically, as denoting all that they could scrape together for their own security, including idols, armies and all other objects of reliance. J. A. Alex. This comprehensive meaning would suit the reference of Isa 57:9-10, which, spite of the Authors interpretation, that makes the main reference in the end to be to idols, certainly does not exclude reliance on foreign kings and their armies.Tr.]The wind, yea, a breath will carry away the whole pantheon (Hengstenbebg, Delitzsch, comp. Isa 41:16; Isa 41:29). On the other hand, those that put their trust in the Lord, even if the general calamity shall have carried them off into the Exile, will take possession of the holy hand and of the holy mountain as their inheritance. Hence return out of the Exile is the concluding thought, which is expressed in Isa 57:14 with great emphasis.
Footnotes:
[1]and who thyself playest harlot.
[2]spurious seed.
[3]Or, among the oaks.
[4]by means of the terebinths.
[5]Should I after this have pity.
[6]For the place by me thou modest empty.
[7]And modest terms for thee from them.
[8]Or, hewed it for thyself larger than theirs.
[9]Or, thou providest room.
[10]Or, thou respeetedst the king.
[11]thou didst descend to hell.
[12]Or, living.
[13]sick.
[14]so that thou fearedst.
[15]collections of gods=pantheon.
[16]breath.
[17]And one shall say.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
What a change is here! Oh! the awfulness of an unawakened, unregenerated nature! What a sad thought is it, that from generation to generation, the deadly seeds of sin thus bring forth, and blossom, and spread their baleful fruit! Look into the world, as it is in the present day, and compare what is here said, with what every serious beholder is compelled to be a witness to, among the great mass of men. Was there ever a period in the annals of mankind; when the sons of the sorceress, the despisers of God and of his Christ, came forward with a more impudent and uncovered face? And, as might well be expected, when the fountain of true religion is corrupted, the streams would break out in adultery and whoredom: was there ever a generation more marked than the present for general profligacy of life and manners? Blessed be God! the promise still continues fulfilled: and must and ever will be fulfilled; Jesus hath a seed that serve him, who are accounted to the Lord for a generation, Psa 22:30 . But while these are the salt of the earth, to preserve it from universal putrefaction; the whole world, as the Apostle said in his days, and it may be said with equal truth in ours, the whole world lieth in wickedness, 1Jn 5:19 . Reader! amidst the multitudes who flock to the standard of Satan, now erected, are you of the happy distinguished few, whom Jesus hath gathered and brought into his own fold? Read attentively that alarming scripture, Rev 12:12 . Read also that scripture, and consider how blessed it is to know that we have a personal interest in it, Col 1:12-13 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
Ver. 3. But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress. ] Here “Esaias is very bold,” as the apostle saith of him in another case, Rom 10:20 and maketh it appear that he was none of those dumb dogs he had rated at in the former chapter. The Jews gloried much in their pedigree and descent from Abraham, and that they were “born of the free woman.” He telleth them flat and plain that they were witches’ children, whores’ sons, a bastardly brood, a as our Saviour afterwards called them, a race of rebels, a seed of serpents, shamefully degenerate from their praiseworthy progenitors.
a .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sorceress. See note on Isa 2:6 (“soothsayer”).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 57:3-4
Isa 57:3-4
“But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of adulterers and the harlot. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make yea wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood?”
This is a reference to the mocking behavior of the unbelieving Jews who made up the majority of that pre-exilic generation, and back to the times of Isaiah who wrote these words. As McGuiggan wrote: “This looks exactly like the times of Manasseh. There is no reason to believe, with Willis, that this is a prophetic description of the post-exilic community. There is no evidence that the post-exilic community of the Jews were involved in the idolatry described in this chapter. Harrison is surely correct when he wrote that `Canaanite Baalism was a long dead issue for the Jews by the time that the post-exilic period rolled around.'” We say “Amen” to this.
Hailey’s paraphrase of these lines is as follows:
“The citizens of Judah are children of idolatry, the offspring of people who forsook Jehovah for the witchcraft of the heathen; and they are the posterity of spiritual adulterers who went `whoring’ after false gods. The rejection of Jehovah had resulted in apostasy and excessive wickedness.
As Cheyne suggested, the implied question which the Lord directed to the mockers is this, “Judge if ye are not yourselves fitter objects of scorn than those godly persons whom you are mocking!
Isa 57:3-5 THE RIOTOUS REBROBATES: Thus the prophet arraigns the riotous leaders whom he had just characterized as dumb dogs (cf. Isa 56:9-12). These leaders and their followers (which was the majority) are now characterized as sons of the sorceress. The Hebrew word used here for sorceress is onenah which means literally one who divines by the clouds. All divining, soothsaying, magic, astrology was prohibited by Mosaic law (cf. Exo 22:18; Deu 18:9-15). In the passage in Deu 18:9-15 Moses categorizes the pagan practices as:
1. meonen-one who bewitches with the evil eye; a cloud diviner
2. menahesh-an enchanter; snake-charmer; mesmerist; hypnotist
3. mekasheph-mutterer of incantations; ventriloquial whispers as under the influence of the spirits of the dead
4. khover-one who inflicts a spell by weaving magical knots
5. ov-lit. means bottle indicating something like one who pretends powers over genii
6. yiddeoniy-a wizard; one who interprets the ravings of a medium
7. doresh el-hammethiym-a necromancer; one who calls up the spirits of the dead
Moses placed Moloch-worship at the head of his list, probably to show the integral connection between the practice of magic and idolatry. Making their children pass through the fire (human sacrifice) was more intimately connected with soothsaying (delving into the future) and magic than any other practice of idolatry. See Isa 8:19; Isa 44:25 and Eze 21:21 for more on this. Men have, ever since Eden, been possessed with the desire to penetrate the future and to manipulate its course. History clearly demonstrates that such power is not within the realm of the natural abilities of man. Men therefore have always attempted to gain the help of beings (departed dead, demons, Satan, angels, etc.) supposedly possessing such knowledge and power. But this is strictly forbidden by God and His word. By faith in God and obedience to His word men may know all (past, present and future) that pertains to life and godliness (cf. 2Pe 1:3-4).
The majority of people in Isaiahs day no longer sought the word of God but had turned to wizards (cf. Isa 8:16 ff), This inevitably led to the other abominable practices of paganism and idolatry-adultery, fornication, and human sacrifice. They were an impudent, scornful, profane people (cf. Eze 2:1-7; Eze 3:1-11, etc.). They were making malicious sport at someone elses expense-probably the poor and the righteous; they were making impudent gestures with their faces, sticking out their tongues in derision. This showed their real character. They proved their falseness by these actions. They mocked the righteous man who died an untimely death, but they were really profaning themselves!
Isaiahs generation was as sick as our generation. The Hebrew word hannechamim means literally, violently, passionately, but is translated, inflame yourselves in verse five. They indulged in the violent, passionate, sexual orgies among the terebinth (elim) trees. The terebinth is related to the pistachio trees. In Palestine it grows sometimes as high as 40 feet and spreads its branches, with their thick, dark-green foliage, over a wide area (cf. 2Sa 18:9 ff). The same Hebrew word is sometimes translated oak and sometimes green tree. It was the tree that provided the groves in which the pagans practiced their idolatry and adultery (cf. Deu 12:2; 1Ki 14:23; Jer 2:20; Jer 3:6; Jer 3:13; Jer 17:2; Hos 4:13 ff; Eze 6:13, etc.). The worst of the idolatrous practices was child sacrifice. This was often carried out in the Valley of Hinnom, within sight of the Temple of God (cf. Jer 32:35; Ezek. 26:26-31). In the valleys suggests the many rocky valleys of Palestine walled on each side by clefts of the rocks. Archaeologists have uncovered earthen jars containing the bones of sacrificed infants from various cities and villages of ancient Palestine, confirming the statements of the prophets. Ed. J. Young points out that the description in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks is certainly not applicable to Mesopotamia . . . Another piece of the cumulative evidence that the latter portions of Isaiah were written by the prophet Isaiah who lived in Palestine before the Babylonian captivity, and not by some unknown postexilic Deutero-Isaiah.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
draw: Isa 45:20, Joe 3:9-11
sons: Gen 3:15, Hos 1:2, Mat 3:7, Mat 12:34, Mat 16:4, Mat 23:33, Luk 3:7, Joh 8:40-44, Jam 4:4, 1Jo 3:10, Rev 17:1-5
Reciprocal: Deu 23:2 – General Deu 31:16 – and go a 2Ki 2:23 – mocked Pro 30:15 – The horseleach Isa 1:4 – a seed Hos 2:4 – children of Mat 12:39 – adulterous Luk 11:29 – This is Luk 15:16 – no Joh 8:41 – We be Rev 9:21 – their sorceries Rev 22:15 – sorcerers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 57:3-4. But draw near hither, &c. The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the pure seed of the church lay hid in solitary places, while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcass; not the true, but the idolatrous church. Thus Vitringa, who understands this paragraph as describing the state of the church in the dark ages of popery. It seems, however, by many of the expressions which the prophet uses, that he is rather giving a description of the corrupt state of the Jewish Church, before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Draw near hither To Gods tribunal, to receive your sentence; ye sons of the sorceress Not by propagation, but by imitation, those being frequently called mens sons that follow their example: the seed of the adulterer, &c. Not the genuine children of Abraham, as you pretend and boast yourselves to be; your dispositions being far more suitable to a spurious brood than to Abrahams seed. Against whom do you sport yourselves? Consider who it is that you mock and scoff at when you deride Gods prophets, (see Isa 28:14; Isa 28:22,) and know that it is not so much men that you insult, as God, whose cause they plead, and in whose name they speak. Are ye not a seed of falsehood A generation of liars, whose practices contradict your professions, who deal deceitfully both with God and man?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 57:3-13. An Invective against the Pro-Samaritans.Yahweh turns now bitterly to upbraid the pro-Samaritan party in the community, among whom flourished many of the primitive Palestinian religious practices. To defame his mother was to an Eastern the most offensive of insults; but the terms used are figurative (idolatry being often in OT described as adultery). How can this false brood deride the pious! (Isa 57:5 is probably an illustrative quotation). The adulteress has chosen for her portion the smooth (perhaps slippery ones, i.e. false gods) in place of Yahweh. On the high places she has set her bed, i.e. practised heathen rites, which were in fact notoriously sensual. The memorial is probably a phallic symbol; incited by it (so read for to another than me) she strips and prepares her bed and hires for herself such as she loves intercourse with (slightly emending made thee a covenant). For where thou sawest it translate probably, thou sawest the phallus. If so, some clause has fallen out. She anoints herself for the King, i.e. Melek (= Moloch) the Palestinian god, and perfumes herself. Not content with Palestinian deities she sends representatives to the shrines of distant gods, even to the deities of Sheol. She refuses, despite her weariness, to acknowledge failure. Whom has she feared? For she has entirely ignored her duty to Yahweh. She has misinterpreted His inaction. But he will expose her righteousness (!) and her works. When she cries, her abominations the idols (cf. mg.) will not rescue her. They shall fly like chaff in the wind. But he who adheres to Yahweh shall possess the land.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
57:3 But draw near here, ye {c} sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
(c) He threatens the wicked hypocrites, who under the pretence of the name of God’s people, derided God’s word and his promises: boasting openly that they were the children of Abraham, but because they were not faithful and obedient as Abraham was, he calls them bastards and the children of sorcerers, who forsook God, and fled to wicked means for comfort.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Rampant apostasy 57:3-13
Isaiah identified another mark of Israel, which boasted in its election by God and viewed righteousness in terms of correct worship ritual. This was the widespread departure of the nation from God (apostasy). She had forsaken God and had pursued idols.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
God summoned the idolatrous Israelites, in contrast to the righteous (Isa 57:1-2), to come before Him for judgment. Rather than behaving like descendants of Abraham and Sarah (cf. Isa 51:2), these wicked Israelites were acting as though their father was an adulterer and their mother a sorceress and a prostitute. That is, they were congenitally selfish, unfaithful to God, and wayward.
"Adultery . . . expresses the principle (unfaithfulness to the covenant); prostitution the practice (devotion to lovers other than the Lord). The adulterer gives his love elsewhere; the prostitute takes other lovers." [Note: Motyer, p. 472.]