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?
6. As commonly explained, the verse refers to the worship of stone fetishes; but this is very doubtful. It is obvious, indeed, that by the smooth (ones) of the wadi some objects of worship are denoted, but is it necessary to suppose that they were smooth stones? The expression “smooth ones” ( alq) is chosen for the sake of a play of words between it and “portion” ( leq). If we take it literally it is of course natural to think of stones worn smooth by the winter torrents (cf. 1Sa 17:40), although even then there is force in Duhm’s observation that such featureless objects were least of all likely to be chosen as fetishes. (See Tylor, Primitive Culture 3 , Vol. ii. p. 144 f.) But the word occurs in the metaphorical sense of “slippery,” flattering, deceitful (Eze 12:24; cf. Pro 7:5; Pro 7:21; Pro 29:5; Psa 5:9, &c.); and such a term might readily be applied to false gods of any kind (cf. e.g. “lies” in Amo 2:4). We may therefore render (following Duhm), “In the deceivers of the wadi is thy portion”; although the special connexion of the deities with the wadi remains obscure.
thy portion ] As Jehovah is said to be the portion of His people (Deu 4:19; Jer 10:16; Psa 16:5; Psa 142:6) so these deceitful beings are the portion of those who do homage to them in the manner described in the second half of the verse.
thou hast offered a meat-offering ] or, more generally, an oblation, as R.V. (see on ch. Isa 1:13).
should I receive comfort in these?] Better, as R.V., shall I be appeased for these things? i.e. “leave them unpunished.” Cf. Jer 5:9.
Note that from this verse onwards the female personification is employed, indicating that a definite community is addressed.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Among the smooth stones of the streams – In the original here, there is a paronomasia, which cannot be fully retained in our English version. There has been also considerable diversity of opinion in regard to the sense of the passage, from the ambiguity of the words in the original. Jerome (the Vulgate) renders it, In partibus torrentis pars tua – Thy portion is in the parts of the torrent. The Septuagint translates it This is thy portion; this is thy lot. The word rendered in our version, smooth stones ( cheleq), means properly smoothness, hence, barrenness or bare place; and supposes that the idea is, their lot was in the bare places of the valley, that is, in the open (not wooded) places where they worshipped idols – an interpretation not very consistent with the fact that groves were commonly selected as the place where they worshipped idols. It seems to me, therefore, that the idea of smoothness here, whether of the valley or of the stones, is not the idea intended. Indeed, in no place, it is believed, does the word mean smooth stones; and it is difficult to conceive what was the exact idea which our translators intended to convey, or why they supposed that such worship was celebrated among the smooth or much-worn stones of the running stream. The true idea can probably be obtained by reverting to the primitive sense of the word as derived from the verb. The verb chalaq means:
1. To smooth.
2. To divide, to distribute, to appropriate – as the dividing of spoil, etc.
Hence, the noun also means dividing, or portion, as that which is divided – whether an inheritance, or whether the dividings of spoil after battle. Retaining this idea, the literal sense, as I conceive, would be this in which also something of the paronomasia will be retained: Among the dividings of the valley is thy dividing, that is, thy portion In the places where the valley divides, is thy lot. Thy lot is there instead of the place which God appointed. There you worship; there you pour out your libations to the false gods; and there you must partake of the protection and favor which the gods whom you worship can give. You have chosen that as your inheritance, and by the results of that you must abide.
Of the stream – The word rendered here stream ( nachal), means either a stream, or a rivulet of water Num 34:5; Josh. 15:4-47; or it means a valley with a brook or torrent; a low place with water. Here it means evidently the latter – as it cannot be supposed they would worship in a stream, though they undoubtedly worshipped in a vale or low place where there was occasionally a rivulet of water. This entire description is strikingly applicable to the valley of Jehoshaphat – a low vale, broken by chasms and by projecting and overhanging rocks, and along the center of which flowed a small brook, much swelled occasionally by the waters that fell from the adjacent hills. At some seasons of the year, however, the valley was entirely dry. The idea here is, that they had chosen their portion in the dividings of that valley instead of the adjacent hills on which the worship of God was celebrated. That valley became afterward the emblem of punishment: and may it not be implied in this passage that they were to inherit whatever would descend on that valley; that is, that they were to participate in the punishment which would be the just expression of the divine displeasure?
Even to them hast thou poured out – That is, to these idols erected in the valleys.
A drink-offering – A libation, or drink-offering was usually poured out in the worship of pagan gods Jer 7:18. It was common also in the worship of the true God (see Gen 35:14). Among the Hebrews it consisted of wine and oil Exo 29:40; Num 15:5-7; Lev 23:13.
Thou hast offered a meat-offering – On the word used here ( minchah) see the notes at Isa 1:13; Isa 43:23. The word meat formerly denoted in the English language food in general, and was not confined as it is now to animal food. Hence, the word meat-offering is so often used in the Scriptures when a sacrifice is intended which was not a bloody sacrifice. The mincha was in fact an offering of meal, fine flour, etc., mingled with oil Lev 14:10; Num 7:13, and was distinguished expressly from the bloody sacrifice. The word meal-offering would much more appropriately express the sense of the original than meat-offering. This was a common offering made to idols as well as to the true God, and was designed as an expression of thankfulness.
Should I receive comfort in these? – It is implied that God could not behold them but with displeasure, and that for them he would punish them. The Vulgate and the Septuagint express it well as: On account of these things shall I not be enraged?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 57:6
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion
Smooth stones
The term portion suggests that the smooth stones were fetishes.
(A. B. Davidson, D. D.)
False sods the idolaters portion
In stony valleys they set up their gods, which they called their portion, and took for their lot, as Gods people take Him for their lot and portion. (M. Henry.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. Among the smooth stones of the stream – “Among the smooth stones of the valley”] The Jews were extremely addicted to the practice of many superstitious and idolatrous rites, which the prophet here inveighs against with great vehemence. Of the worship of rude stones consecrated, there are many testimonials of the ancients. They were called and probably from the stone which Jacob erected at Beth-el, pouring oil upon the top of it. This practice was very common in different ages and places. Arnobius, lib. i., gives an account of his own practice in this respect before he became a Christian: Si quando conspexeram lubricatum lapidem, et ex olivi unguine sordidatum; tanquam inesset vis praesens, adulabar, affabar, et beneficia poscebam nihil sentiente de trunco. – “When I have met with a smooth stone, smeared with oil, supposing a spiritual power to be connected with it, I worshipped it, paid my addresses to it, and requested blessings,” c. Clemens Alex., Strom. lib. vii., speaks of a worshipper of every smooth stone in a proverbial way, to denote one given up to superstition. And accordingly Theophrastus has marked this as one strong feature in the character of the superstitious man: , , . “Passing by the anointed stones in the streets, he takes out his phial of oil, and pours it on them and having fallen on his knees, and made his adorations, he departs.” Kimchi says: “When they found a beautiful polished stone in a brook or river, they paid Divine adoration to it.” This idolatry is still prevalent among the Hindoos. The stone which is the object of their adoration is called salgram. They are found about eighty miles from the source of the river Sown, in the viceroyalty of Bahar, on the coast of Bengal. Ayeen Akbery vol. ii. p. 29.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; thou hast chosen for thy portion those idols which were either made of those smooth stones which were cast up by rivers, or which were worshipped upon altars made of such stones, or which were worshipped by the sides of brooks or rivers, where such smooth stones commonly lie.
They are thy lot; thou hast forsaken me, and chosen idols for the great object of thy worship and trust.
To them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meat-offering; for the devil is Gods ape, and idolaters used the same rites and offerings in the worship of idols which God had prescribed in his own, Num 15:4, &c.
Should I receive comfort in these? should I be pleased with such a people and such actions? must I not needs be highly provoked, and show my displeasure by an exemplary punishment of such wicked and foolish actions? This is a usual figure, called meiosis, or litotes, when less is said, and more is understood.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. The smooth stones, shaped asidols, are the gods chosen by thee as thy portion (Ps16:5).
meat offeringnot abloody sacrifice, but one of meal and flour mingled with oil. “Meat”in Old English meant food, not flesh, as it means now(Le 14:10).
Should I receivecomfortrather, “Shall I bear these things with patience?”[HORSLEY].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion,…. Or thy god; but the portion of Jacob is not like them, stocks and stones,
Jer 10:16. Whenever they could pick up smooth stones, and such as were fit for their purpose, whether in the stream of a brook, or in a valley, as the word also signifies, they polished and formed them into an image, and made gods of them; and these were their portion and inheritance, and which they left to their children. There is an elegant play on words k in the Hebrew tongue, between the word for “smooth stones”, and that for a “portion l”, which cannot be expressed in our language: or, “in the smooth or slippery places of the valley shall be thy portions”; see Ps 35:6.
They, they are thy lot; even those stones. Jarchi’s note is, to stone thee with, the punishment of idolaters with the Jews; suggesting that those idols would be their ruin; as they will be the ruin of the idolatrous members of the church of Rome, who repent not of worshipping their idols of stone among others, Re 9:20:
even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering; or a “bread offering”, as well as a libation of wine, respecting the sacrifice of the mass, which consists of bread and wine, which is offered up in honour of their idols, angels and saints; hence “Michael mass” and “Martin mass”, c.
Should I receive comfort in these? be pleased with such idolatrous sacrifices? no. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions render it, “should I not be angry for these?” I will I have just reason for it. Or it may be rendered, “shall I repent of these m?” of the evil I have threatened to bring, and am about to bring upon these idolaters? I will not.
k . l “In laevitatibus vallis erit portio tua”, Gataker, Vitringa. m “a me super his poenitebit?” Musculus; “poenitebit me”, some in Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. Amidst polished stones, or, in parts of the valley. He continues the same subject, and reproves in various ways the superstitions which abounded in Judea; for no place was altogether free from idolatry. There were no rocks, no rivers, no valleys, no corner whatever, in which they had not erected a monument of their superstition. They had their groves and mountains, in which they sacrificed after the manner of the Gentiles.
Whether we here adopt the reading, “Polished stones,” or “Parts of the river,” the meaning will be the same. The Prophet means that the Jews chose their own method of worshipping God, and turned aside from the rule which he had laid down in his Law; and consequently that every kind of worship which they followed by their own choice was abominable and wicked; for in religion and in the worship of God it is only to the voice of God that we ought to listen. If it be thought preferable to render it “polished stones,” then Isaiah rebukes the contempt of the Law by which God forbade the use of hammers, (Exo 20:25) in hewing or chiselling the stones to be employed in building the altar; for he did not wish that sacrifices should be offered on any but one altar. But as it was customary with the Gentiles to dedicate temples near fountains and rivers, the other meaning will be equally appropriate.
They, they are thy lot. The repetition of “they, they” is highly emphatic. A word may be supplied by way of permission, as if the Lord permitted the Jews to abide by their practices, since they had forsaken him and preferred idols and false worship; as it is said, “Go, sacrifice to idols.” (Eze 20:39) I am disposed to favor this reading; as if he had said, “I leave to you your inventions, and willingly permit you to be entirely devoted to them, and relinquish my right; for I have nothing to do with traitors and apostates.” And yet he undoubtedly alludes to that passage in the writings of Moses, by whose mouth God said that he would be the inheritance of his people, so that they ought to be satisfied with having him alone. (Num 18:20) This was also followed by David, who says, “The Lord is my portion, my inheritance.” (Psa 16:5) Since, therefore, the Jews had revolted from God, and had followed idols, the Lord justly commanded them to keep the idols to themselves, and intimated that he would have nothing in common with them.
Even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering. He proceeds in enumerating superstitions, and confirms the statement that he has been rejected and cast off by them; for they alienated to false gods what he wished to belong to himself alone. The Jews might have replied to every word of the Prophet, that they had no other intention than to worship God. But the Prophet pays no regard to such idle and frivolous pretenses; for the wrath of God is provoked by false worship, and is the more inflamed by it in proportion as it is more constant and longer continued. Hence we learn what sobriety we ought to observe in the worship of God, that we may depend on his word alone; for whosoever shall swerve from it in the smallest degree, will not only lose his labor, but will kindle the wrath of God, whose majesty he wickedly insults and does all that is in his power to lessen.
Shall I take pleasure in these things? It might also be translated, “Shall I repent?” This interpretation has been most generally adopted, because he wishes to assign a reason why he punishes the people. As if he had said, “When I take vengeance for these transgressions, is it possible that I shall repent?“ Yet the interpretation which I have followed appears to me preferable, “Shall I take delight, or consolation, from those sacrifices which thou hast offered to me?” For idolaters commonly take delight in their own inventions, and imagine that God also is delighted with everything that they pursue with mad and furious eagerness. Nor is such a question superfluous; for men think that God is like themselves, and will approve of everything that is agreeable to them. On the contrary, he declares that nothing is approved by him, or is acceptable to him, but what agrees with his word. (110)
(110) “Jehovah adds a question, ‘Should I take consolation in these things?’ Should I shake off from my mind, and bury in oblivion, my indignation which arises from your heinous crimes, so as to allow them to pass unpunished? The meaning has been accurately expressed by the Septuagint, ἐπὶ τούτοις οὖς οὐκ ὀργισθήσομαι; ‘Shall I not be enraged on account of these things?’ which has been followed by Jerome, ‘ Nunquid super his non indignabor ?‘“ Rosenmuller
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Isa. 57:6. I. Human substitutes for true and spiritual worship. II. Their offensiveness to God.Dr. Lyth.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
2. SENSUALITY
TEXT: Isa. 57:6-10
6
Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?
7
Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8
And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast Uncovered 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 oil, and didst increase thy perfume, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol.
10
Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain; thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.
QUERIES
a.
What is the portion called among the smooth stones?
b.
Where is behind the doors and the posts?
c.
How could they be wearied and yet find quickening of strength?
PARAPHRASE
You stupid people. You go down into the valleys and take the stones worn smooth by the rains and winds and make them your gods. You have declared that these rocks are the focus of all your existence. You worship rocks with wine and grain offerings. Do you think this is acceptable to Me, the Living God? You have not allowed any obstacle to deter you from entering into the gross sexual immoralities connected with your idolatry. You laboriously carry your beds up steep mountains and set them there to aid in your indulgence. Up there you also haul all your offerings and sacrifices. The scripture plaques that are supposed to be where they can be seen on the door-posts of your homes you have deliberately hidden behind the posts. You have done this because you have committed yourselves to total intimacy in idolatry and immorality. You take off your clothes and climb into your large beds up among the groves of the hills along with those prostitutes you have paid to have sexual intercourse with you. This is your consuming passion, Israel! You spared yourself no trouble in developing these abominable practices as your way of life. A long time ago you sent merchants and envoys to pagan kings trading your goods for their gods. You continued to go out of your way to make yourself more and more comfortable to heathen practices. You allowed yourself to be debased with a rottenness like that of the grave in order to practice your immorality. All this made you physically and psychologically weary but you never admitted the stupidity of it all because you found a certain intoxicating, exhilaration in your rebellious immorality. So, you kept it up!
COMMENTS
Isa. 57:6-8 PRESENT: The depravity of the rulers and leaders infected the whole nation. The smooth stones of the valley apparently are to be linked to the idolatry being practiced. Perhaps they were using these smooth stones to build altars (which in itself was forbidden; not even to Jehovah was an altar to be built anywhere except in Jerusalem) to pagan gods. They might have been using the smooth stones to chisel into images of Molech or other idols. The question of Jehovah through His prophet is, almost incredulous, Do you actually believe this is acceptable to Me, the Living God!? Worshiping rocks!? The worship of Molech (in Hebrew the word means, governing), god of the Ammonites, was best noted for its gross sexual orgies and sacrifice of children. It was already forbidden by Moses (Lev. 18:21; Lev. 20:1-5); allowed by Solomon to please his foreign wives (1Ki. 11:7); principally worshipped in the valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) (2Ch. 33:6). The words Moloch, Molech, Milcom (1Ki. 11:5) and Malcam (Zep. 1:5) are all variations of the same image. (See Minor Prophets, by Clinton Gill, College Press, pgs. 2238; and Eze. 16:20; Eze. 23:37-39; Jer. 7:9-11; Jer. 7:31; Jer. 19:4-13; Psa. 106:35-42; for further information on the worship of Molech.)
Setting up a bed upon a high and lofty mountain indicates extensive and elaborate preparations were made by the Hebrews in order to engage in these Canaanite fertility-cult practices. There were special groves of trees, well-kept flower gardens and elaborately furnished temples high up in the hills of Jehovahs holy land where the men and women went to worship at the throne of flesh. Great amounts of labor and money were spent building and maintaining these whore-houses. The worship of flesh is not dead! Great amounts of labor and money are expended today to build and maintain modern sophisticated whore-houses. The Anglo-saxon fertility cult has its groves, prophets, priestesses, publishing-houses, and temples today in both America and Great Britain.
One might wonder how the Hebrew people could ever succumb to such gross depravity. They had the Law of Moses. They even copied some of those Laws and fastened them to the doorposts of their houses so they might be reminded constantly of Jehovahs presence and His revealed will. Verse eight tells the tragic story! These people had deliberately taken these memorials of scripture off their door-posts and hidden them behind the posts. Out of sight, out of mind! The Hebrew people had long ago rejected the word of God (2Ki. 17:19; 2Ch. 36:16; Amo. 2:4, etc.). Incredibly, the books of the Law of the Lord had even been lost at one point in Judahs history (cf. 2Ki. 22:8 ff). These people had prostituted themselves to pagan gods. What they were doing was no accident. It was not because they had been socially deprived, or because they were born in a ghetto. They voluntarily chose to uncover themselves to another. This is a figurative description of the intimacy with which they joined themselves to their idols. They really gave themselves to idolatry; they married their pagan gods (made . . . a covenant). That is not unique. People today marry their possessions, their jobs, their recreation. These Jews loved their idol-beds (orgies). They were not forced into idolatry.
Isa. 57:9-10 PAST: Judahs past history was replete with instances of her kings and leaders going to pagan kings for help in bringing idolatry into the land of Jehovah (cf. 2Ki. 16:10 ff; 2Ch. 28:22 ff; Isa. 30:1 ff; Amo. 5:25-27, etc.). Ezekiels graphic parody of Judahs idolatry (spiritual adultery) pictures the nation, the bride of Jehovah, as an adulterous nymphomaniac! She did not play the part of a normal prostitute accepting pay for her adultery. She went after her lovers, paying them to practice spiritual harlotry with her (Eze. 16:23-34)! Judah could not invent enough idolatry on her ownshe had to send ambassadors to other nations to copy their idolatry for themselves. Sheol symbolized the grave, the place where human flesh rots. Graves were associated with that which was unclean according to the Mosaic Law. Isaiah declares Judah debased herself even unto rottenness, corruption and death by joining herself so intimately and wholly to idolatry.
Judah expended great effort, millions of shekels, and willingly allowed herself to be humiliated before pagan kings in her insatiable lust for idolatry. Judah wore herself out running after every opportunity to engage in it. Prophets likened Israels pursuit of idolatry to a wild ass in heat (cf. Jer. 2:23-24; Hos. 8:9 ff). Pursuing idolatry as Judah did was expensive, exhausting and debasing, but she never would admit the obvious: It is vain. As a matter of fact, she found a certain intoxication and exhilaration in it. Sin and rebellion is enticing because it intoxicates with a false sense of power. Man in rebellion against God falsely assumes an exhilarating sense of sovereignty. His brain, intoxicated with this false sovereignty, is philosophically and psychologically addled and he will not admit the stupidity of his rebellion. He floats in a fantasy-land of philosophical inebriation like the drunkard. He has a false sense of strength. This was Judah. She would not admit the stupidity of idolatry (cf. Isa. 44:9-20) because she was inebriated with the indulgent pleasure and false sovereignty she felt in practicing it.
QUIZ
1.
What were the people doing with the smooth stones?
2.
What was involved in the worship of Molech?
3.
To what pains did these people go to practice their idolatry?
4.
Would the Hebrew people reject the Law of Moses?
5.
To what extent did Judah go after idolatry?
6.
What is so invigorating about sin and idolatry?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(6) Among the smooth stones . . .The worship of stones was almost as widely diffused as that of trees and serpents. In Gen. 28:18 we have, at least, an analogous practice, which might easily become identical. Among the Phnicians such stones were known as Btulia (probably a Grecised form of Bethel), and were connected with the worship of the reproductive powers of nature. As the true portion of Israel was emphatically Jehovah (Jer. 10:16; Psa. 16:5) there is an indignant irony in the word thus used. The idolaters had chosen a fetish instead of the Eternal One. In thy portion, we have the feminine singular, designating Israel as the faithless wife.
Should I receive comfort in these?i.e., better, Should I be quiet in spite of all this? (Comp. Jer. 5:7.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 57:6. Among the smooth stones, &c. Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; these, these are thy lot: Even to these hast thou poured out thy libation, hast thou presented thine offering. Can I see these things with acquiescence? Vitringa thinks that the meaning of the first clause is, “They shall be thrown into the deep and low valleys, where they perform the execrable rites above-mentioned, and shall there perish.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 57:6 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?
Ver. 6. Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion. ] Pars et sors tua. A poor portion it is, but such as thou art well apaid of, viz., thine altars and thine idol service, and settest up in my place. How exceeding devout in their way are some misled and muzzled Papists, those of the weaker sex especially, in the service of their god, Mauzzim, in the honour of their too admired relics, which they esteem no less than the people of the isle Ceylon, in the East Indies, did their consecrated ape’s tooth, which being got from them, they offered an incredible mass of treasure to recover it.
Should I receive comfort in these?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the smooth stones, &c. = the open places. Judah still in the land. None of the things mentioned in verses: Isa 57:5-7 found in Babylonia.
thy. This and all the Pronouns in verses: Isa 57:6-8 are Feminine.
drink offering . . . meat offering. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 29:40, Exo 29:41, &c. Num 15:1-10). Compare 1Ki 12:32, 1Ki 12:33.
I receive comfort. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the smooth: Jer 3:9, Hab 2:19
to them: Isa 65:11, Deu 32:37, Deu 32:38, Jer 7:18, Jer 19:13, Jer 32:29, Jer 44:17-25
Should: Isa 66:3, Eze 20:39
Reciprocal: Exo 29:40 – a drink Lev 20:2 – giveth Num 28:7 – to be poured Psa 16:4 – drink Jer 2:23 – valley Eze 8:10 – every Hos 9:4 – neither Mal 1:13 – should I accept
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
57:6 Among the smooth [stones] {e} 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 {f} these?
(e) Meaning every place was polluted with their idolatry: or every fair stone they found they made into an idol.
(f) In the sacrifices which you offering before these idols thought you served God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Having chosen to worship in the wadis, the apostate Israelites would have to be content to have the rocks of the wadis as their gods (cf. Rom 1:20-25). A wadi (Heb. nahal) is a streambed that is dry most of the year but in the rainy season becomes a rushing torrent. As mountaintops became places of worship because they were close to heaven and the gods, so wadis in valleys became places of worship because they were close to Sheol and the dead. The unfaithful in Israel even made drink and grain offerings to these rocks. This was not the kind of behavior that would cause God to change His mind about bringing judgment on His people.