Isaiah 57:1-13 - Idolatry Is Adultery

¹ The righteous [one] perishes, and there is no one who takes [it] to heart. And men of faithfulness [are] gathered, while there is no one who understands, for the righteous is gathered from the presence of wickedness. ² he enters [into] peace; they will rest on their beds, walking straight ahead of him.

³ "But you, come near here, you children of a soothsayer, offspring [of] an adulterer and she [who] commits fornication. ⁴ At whom do you make fun? At whom do you {open} [your] mouth [and] {stick out} [your] tongue? [Are] you not children of transgression, offspring of deception, ⁵ who burn with lust among the oaks, under every leafy tree, who slaughter children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? ⁶ Your portion [is] among [the] smooth [stones] of [the] valley; they, they [are] your lot; indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a food offering. Shall I relent concerning these [things]? ⁷ You have set your bed upon a high and lofty mountain; indeed, you went up there to slaughter sacrifice. ⁸ And you have set your symbol behind the door and the doorpost; for you depart from me, and you go up; you make your bed wide, and you {make a deal with} them, you have loved their bed; you have seen [their] {genitals}. ⁹ And you climbed down to the king with oil, and you made your perfumes numerous, and you sent your envoys {far away}, and you {sent down deep} to Sheol. ¹⁰ You grow weary by the greatness of your way, [but] you did not say, 'Despairing!' You found the {renewal} of your {strength}, therefore you do not grow weak. ¹¹ And of whom were you afraid and feared, that you deceived and did not remember me? Did you not place [it] on your heart? [Have] I not been silent, even from long ago, and [so] you do not fear me? ¹² I myself will declare your righteousness and your works, but they will not benefit you. ¹³ When {you cry}, let your collection deliver you, and [the] wind will carry all of them away; a breath will take [them] away. But he who takes refuge in me shall take possession [of] [the] land, and he shall inherit my {holy mountain}."