Yesaya 57:3

57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,

you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! ¹ 

Yesaya 57:5-6

57:5 you who practice ritual sex ²  under the oaks and every green tree,

who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. ³ 

57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;

they, they are the object of your devotion. ⁴ 

You pour out liquid offerings to them,

you make an offering.

Because of these things I will seek vengeance. ⁵ 

Yesaya 57:13

57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols ⁶  help you!

The wind blows them all away, ⁷ 

a breeze carries them away. ⁸ 

But the one who looks to me for help ⁹  will inherit the land

and will have access to ¹⁰  my holy mountain.”

[57:3]  ¹ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “offspring of an adulterer [masculine] and [one who] has committed adultery.” Perhaps the text has suffered from transposition of vav (ו) and tav (ת) and מְנָאֵף וַתִּזְנֶה (mÿna’ef vattizneh) should be emended to מְנָאֶפֶת וְזֹנָה (mÿna’efet vÿzonah, “an adulteress and a prostitute”). Both singular nouns would be understood in a collective sense. Most modern English versions render both forms as nouns.

[57:5]  ² tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.

[57:5]  ³ sn This apparently alludes to the practice of child sacrifice (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

[57:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “among the smooth stones of the stream [is] your portion, they, they [are] your lot.” The next line indicates idols are in view.

[57:6]  ⁵ tn The text reads literally, “Because of these am I relenting?” If the prefixed interrogative particle is retained at the beginning of the sentence, then the question would be rhetorical, with the Niphal of נָחָם (nakham) probably being used in the sense of “relent, change one’s mind.” One could translate: “Because of these things, how can I relent?” However, the initial letter he may be dittographic (note the final he [ה] on the preceding word). In this case one may understand the verb in the sense of “console oneself, seek vengeance,” as in 1:24.

[57:13]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.

[57:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “all of them a wind lifts up.”

[57:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “a breath takes [them] away.”

[57:13]  ⁹ tn Or “seeks refuge in me.” “Seeking refuge” is a metonymy for “being loyal to.”

[57:13]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “possess, own.” The point seems to be that he will have free access to God’s presence, as if God’s temple mount were his personal possession.