Isaiah 57

Israel's Futile Idolatry

1 The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
a Merciful men are taken away,
b While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from 1 evil. 2 He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in c their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness. 3 "But come here,
d You sons of the sorceress,
You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot! 4 Whom do you ridicule?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
And stick out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
Offspring of falsehood, 5 Inflaming yourselves with gods e under every green tree,
f Slaying the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth g stones of the stream
Is your portion;
They, they, are your lot!
Even to them you have poured a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I receive comfort in h these? 7 "On i a lofty and high mountain
You have set j your bed;
Even there you went up
To offer sacrifice. 8 Also behind the doors and their posts
You have set up your remembrance;
For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me,
And have gone up to them;
You have enlarged your bed
And 2 made a covenant with them;
k You have loved their bed,
Where you saw their 3 nudity. 9 l You went to the king with ointment,
And increased your perfumes;
You sent your m messengers far off,
And even descended to Sheol. 10 You are wearied in the length of your way;
n Yet you did not say, 'There is no hope.'
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.

11 "And o of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because p I have 4 held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me? 12 I will declare your righteousness
And your works,
For they will not profit you. 13 When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain."

Comfort for the Contrite

14 And one shall say,
q "Heap it up! Heap it up!
Prepare the way,
Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people." 15 For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, r whose name is Holy:
s "I dwell in the high and holy place,
t With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
u To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 v For I will not contend forever,
Nor will I always be angry;
For the spirit would fail before Me,
And the souls w which I have made. 17 For the iniquity of x his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
y I hid and was angry,
z And he went on 5 backsliding in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and a will heal him;
I will also lead him,
And restore comforts to him
And to b his mourners. 19 "I create c the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace d to him who is far off and to him who is near,"
Says the LORD,
"And I will heal him." 20 e But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 "There f is no peace,"
Says my God, "for the wicked."

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 12:1
    Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
  2. Cross References
    1 Kings 14:13
    And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
  3. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 16:14
    They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.
  4. Cross References
    Isaiah 1:4
    Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.
    Matthew 16:4
    A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.
  5. Cross References
    2 Kings 16:4
    And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
  6. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:10
    And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech.
    Psalms 106:37
    They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons.
    Psalms 106:38
    And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.
    Jeremiah 7:31
    And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.
    Ezekiel 16:20
    Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter.
  7. Cross References
    Jeremiah 3:9
    So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
    Habakkuk 2:19
    Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!' To silent stone, 'Arise! It shall teach!' Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet in it there is no breath at all.
  8. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:9
    Shall I not punish them for these things? " says the LORD. "And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
    Jeremiah 5:29
    Shall I not punish them for these things? ' says the LORD. 'Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
    Jeremiah 9:9
    Shall I not punish them for these things? " says the LORD. "Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
  9. Cross References
    Jeremiah 3:6
    The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot.
    Ezekiel 16:16
    You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.
  10. Cross References
    Ezekiel 23:41
    You sat on a stately couch, with a table prepared before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil.
  11. Cross References
    Ezekiel 16:26
    You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger.
  12. Cross References
    Hosea 7:11
    Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense - They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria.
  13. Cross References
    Ezekiel 23:16
    As soon as her eyes saw them, She lusted for them And sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
    Ezekiel 23:40
    Furthermore you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and there they came. And you washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments.
  14. Cross References
    Jeremiah 2:25
    Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, 'There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, and after them I will go.
    Jeremiah 18:12
    And they said, "That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.
  15. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:25
    The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
    Isaiah 51:12
    I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?
    Isaiah 51:13
    And you forget the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day Because of the fury of the oppressor, When he has prepared to destroy. And where is the fury of the oppressor?
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 50:21
    These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
    Ecclesiastes 8:11
    Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
    Isaiah 42:14
    I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.
  17. Cross References
    Isaiah 40:3
    The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
    Isaiah 62:10
    Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!
    Jeremiah 18:15
    Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway.
  18. Cross References
    Job 6:10
    Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
    Luke 1:49
    For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 68:35
    O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
    Zechariah 2:13
    "Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"
  20. Cross References
    Psalms 34:18
    The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
    Psalms 51:17
    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart - These, O God, You will not despise.
    Isaiah 66:2
    For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 147:3
    He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
    Isaiah 61:1 - 3
    The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
  22. Cross References
    Psalms 85:5
    Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
    Psalms 103:9
    He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
    Micah 7:18
    Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.
  23. Cross References
    Numbers 16:22
    Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?
    Job 34:14
    If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath.
    Hebrews 12:9
    Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
  24. Cross References
    Isaiah 2:7
    Their land is also full of silver and gold, And there is no end to their treasures; Their land is also full of horses, And there is no end to their chariots.
    Isaiah 56:11
    Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
    Jeremiah 6:13
    Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.
  25. Cross References
    Isaiah 8:17
    And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.
    Isaiah 45:15
    Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!
    Isaiah 59:2
    But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
  26. Cross References
    Isaiah 9:13
    For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.
  27. Cross References
    Jeremiah 3:22
    Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God.
  28. Cross References
    Isaiah 61:2
    To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn.
  29. Cross References
    Isaiah 6:7
    And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.
    Isaiah 51:16
    And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, 'You are My people.'
    Isaiah 59:21
    "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
    Hebrews 13:15
    Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
  30. Cross References
    Acts 2:39
    "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
    Ephesians 2:17
    And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
  31. Cross References
    Job 15:20
    The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
    Proverbs 4:16
    For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
  32. Cross References
    Isaiah 48:22
    "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked."
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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