Isaiah 57:6

6 Among the smooth stones of ¹the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?

Isaiah 57:6 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 57:6

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, ( Jeremiah 10:16 ) ( 2:27 ) . 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 ^F11 in the Hebrew tongue, between the word for "smooth stones", and that for a "portion ^F12", which cannot be expressed in our language: or, "in the smooth or slippery places of the valley shall be thy portions"; see ( Psalms 35:6 ) ( 73:18 ) . 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, ( Revelation 9:20 Revelation 9:21 ) : 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" 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 ^F13?" of the evil I have threatened to bring, and am about to bring upon these idolaters? I will not.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Kqlx lhn yqlxb) .
F12 "In laevitatibus vallis erit portio tua", Gataker, Vitringa.
F13 (Mxna hla leh) "a me super his poenitebit?" Musculus; "poenitebit me", some in Vatablus.

Isaiah 57:6 In-Context

4 Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit,

5 you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?

7 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice.

8 Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.

Cross References

• 1. [2 Kings 23:10]