Isaiah 57

Idolatry is Adultery

¹The righteous one perishes, and there is no one who takes it to heart.[#Or “sets”]

for the righteous is gathered from the presence of wickedness.

they will rest on their beds,

³“But you, come near here, you children of a soothsayer,[#Or “And”]

⁴At whom do you make fun?

Are you not children of transgression,

⁵who burn with lust among the oaks,

who slaughter children in the valleys,

⁶Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley;

indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering,

Shall I relent concerning these things?

⁷You have set your bed upon a high and lofty mountain;

⁸And you have set your symbol behind the door and the doorpost;

you make your bed wide, and you make a deal with them,

⁹And you climbed down to the king with oil,

and you sent your envoys far away,

¹⁰You grow weary by the greatness of your way,

You found the renewal of your strength,

¹¹And of whom were you afraid and feared, that you deceived

Have I not been silent, even from long ago,

¹²I myself will declare your righteousness and your works,

¹³When you cry, let your collection deliver you,[#Literally “your crying”]

But he who takes refuge in me shall take possession of the land,

Peace for the Contrite

¹⁴And one shall say, “Build up, build up! Clear the way!

¹⁵For thus says the high and lofty one who resides forever, and whose name is holy:

“I reside in a high and holy place,

to revive the spirit of the humble,

¹⁶For I will not attack forever,

for the spirit will grow faint before me,

¹⁷I was angry because of his sin of gain, and I struck him;

¹⁸I have seen his ways,

and I will lead him

¹⁹creating fruit of lips.

Peace, peace to the far and near,” says Yahweh, “and I will heal him.

²⁰But the wicked are like the churning sea, that is not able to keep quiet,[#Or “And”]

²¹There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”