Isaiah 57:3-5

Isaiah 57:3

But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

a. NLT: “But you—come here, you witches’ children, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: But come close, you sons of a sorceress [nursed in witchcraft and superstition], you offspring of an adulterer and a harlot. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: But draw ye near hither, ye lawless children, the seed of adulterers and the harlot. 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: And now come near to here, you children of the astrologer, seed of the adulterer and the adulteress.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “But draw near hither…”

a. [But draw near [7126 * qarab] [Strong: a primitive root; to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose:--(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring (forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer, present, produce, make ready, stand, take.]

b. hither [Strong: 2008 hennah hane'-naw from 2004; hither or thither (but used both of place and time):--here, hither(-to), now, on this (that) side, + since, this (that) way, thitherward, + thus far, to...fro, + yet.]

2.  “…ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.”

a. ye [Strong: 859 'attah at-taw' or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine (irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem {at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah {at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you:--thee, thou, ye, you.]

b. sons [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

b. [of the] sorceress [6049 * ‘anan] [Strong: figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. practise magic:--X bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe(-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer.][Gesenius: to act covertly, to use hidden arts i.e., magic, to practice sorcery.]

c. [the] seed [2233 * zera] [Strong: from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]

d. [of the] adulterer [Strong: 5003 na'aph naw-af' a primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize:--adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.] [Gesenius: to commit adultery, it is applied to the turning aside of Israel from the true God to the worship of idols.]

e. [and the] whore [Strong: 2181  zanah: to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.] 

1). These Old Covenant believers are “sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore”. The description of them continues in Isaiah 57:4 and the reason why Isaiah refers to them in this way is shown in Isaiah 57:5. The Lord called Israel a whore and harlot because of their unfaithfulness to Him. In the New Covenant professing and pretending Christians are also sons of the sorceress and seed of the whore. They are joined with the planned parenthood organization which should be renamed planned child sacrifice organization and all the politicians that want to further abortion as a so called constitutional right.

a). Ezekiel 16:28  Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.

b). Isaiah 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

c). Jeremiah 2:20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

d). The Hebrew word for harlot and whore are the same: [2181 * zanah] Strong: a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.

2). Old Covenant believers who engaged in child sacrifice are referred to as “sons of the sorceress, seed of the adulterer and the whore”. They were clearly apostate in that they left the pure faith and engaged in pagan, barbarian and Cannaanite religious practices. The term “whore” or “harlot” is applied in the sense Israel is the wife of her Covenant God and by her actions is being the unfaithful wife. This is comparable to the New Testament.

a). James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

3). The end of the age will see a faithful church and an unfaithful church. The unfaithful church is referred to as a spiritual whore.

a). Revelation 17:1-5  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

4). Looking at the Old Testament type and foreshadow we can say the New Testament whore will be pro-child sacrifice/pro-abortion. This whorish church is attended by individuals and leaders who profess Christianity and are pro-abortion such as President Jimmy Carter, President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.

Isaiah 57:4

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

a. NLT: Whom do you mock, making faces and sticking out your tongues?
You children of sinners and liars! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom enlarge ye the mouth? Prolong ye the tongue? Are not ye children of transgression? a false seed? [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: Against whom do you make sport and take your delight? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and put out your tongue? Are you not yourselves the children of transgression, the offspring of deceit— [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: Wherein have ye been rioting? and against whom have ye opened your mouth, and against whom have ye loosed your tongue? are ye not children of perdition? a lawless seed? 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: Against whom do you take delight; against whome do you open wide a mouth [and] stick out a tongue? Are you not children of sin, seed of falsehood. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1). Note under Isaiah 57:4 Stone Edition: How dare you take delight in deriding the prophets of God, as the verse now describes? (Radak).

1. “Against whom do ye sport yourselves…”

a. Against [Strong: 5921  `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

b. whom [Strong: 4310 miy me an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.]

c. [do ye] sport yourselves [Strong: 6026 * ‘anag: a primitive root; to be soft or pliable, i.e. (figuratively) effeminate or luxurious:--delicate(-ness), (have) delight (self), sport self.] [Gesenius: to be soft, be delicate, be dainty, to be delicate, to be of dainty habit, be pampered, to be happy about, take exquisite delight, to make merry over, make sport of.]

1). These individuals are mockers and no doubt the target of their ridicule is those who they are the righteous.

2). Matthew Poole's Commentary: Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Consider whom it is that you mock and scoff when you deride God’s prophets, as they did, Isaiah 28:14, 22, and know that it is not so much men that you abuse as God, whose cause they plead, and in whose name they speak.

2. “…Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue…”

a. against [Strong: 5921  `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

b. whom [Strong: 4310 miy me an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.]

c. [make ye a] wide [Strong: 7337 * rachab: a primitive root; to broaden (intransitive or transitive, literal or figurative):--be an en-(make) large(-ing), make room, make (open) wide.]

b. mouth [Strong 6310 peh peh: from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, + file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk, tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.]

c. [and] draw out [Strong: 748 * ‘arak: a primitive root; to be (causative, make) long (literally or figuratively):--defer, draw out, lengthen, (be, become, make, pro-)long, + (out-, over-)live, tarry (long).]

d. [the] tongue [Strong: 3956 lashown law-shone' or lashon {law-shone'}; also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'}; from 3960; the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water):--+ babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.]

1).  Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Against whom do ye sport yourselves?—The question, as in Isaiah 37:23, is one of indignant scorn, the implied answer being that the mockers were deriding the servants of Jehovah. (Comp. Wisdom 2), and, in so doing, mocking Jehovah himself. The “wide mouth,” and the “drawn-out tongue,” are the natural symbols of derision.

3. “…Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.”

a. are ye [Strong: 859 'attah at-taw' or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine (irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem {at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah {at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you:--thee, thou, ye, you.]

b.  not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. children [Strong: 3206 * yeled: from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).]

b. [of] transgression [Strong: 6588 * pesha] [Strong: from 6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):--rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.]

c. [a] seed [Strong: 2233 * zera; from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]

d. [of] falsehood [Strong: 8267 * sheqer; from 8266; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial):--without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.]

1). The phrase “children of transgression” is almost identical to a phrase found in the New Testament.

a). Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

b). The phrase “children of transgression” is almost identical to the phrase, “children of disobedience” used in Ephesians 2:2 to describe those who live their lives, “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh” in them. They are her “seed”. This in effect links them with “the great whore” of Revelation 17. There are hundreds of thousands of believers who attend churches within denominations where the official position of that work is pro-abortion. In that case I would obey Revelation 18:4 that says, “…Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” This helps answer the question of, ‘Has the church placed herself under a curse by advocating abortion?’ Yes!, and the church will be judged as a result! If we are attending a church that supports abortion rights and we are giving tithe and offerings to that work, we are partakers of her sins. It is an abomination for someone to claim to be a follower of Christ and be pro-abortion. That is why they need to be expelled from the Church. They are not right with God and the system they are associated with is a religious whore. The children of disobedience are walking in obedience to the devil, likewise the “children of transgression” are in obedience to the devil, both allow him to work in them to sin against God.

2). The phrase “seed of falsehood” shows they claim to be someone they are not, in particular, they claim to be believers in the one true God, but in fact as the verse reveals they mock the true believers in the one true God.

Isaiah 57:5

Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

a. NLT: You worship your idols with great passion beneath the oaks and under every green tree. You sacrifice your children down in the valleys, among the jagged rocks in the cliffs. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts of the rocks. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: You who burn with lust [inflaming yourselves with idols] among the oaks, under every green tree, you who slay the children [in sacrifice] in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks? [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: who call upon idols under the leafy trees, slaying your children in the valleys among the rocks?

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: you who indulge your lusts at the elm trees, under every leafy tree, who slaughter children in the valleys, under the crags of the rocks? [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree…”

a. Enflaming [yourselves] [Strong: 2552 * chamam; to be hot (literally or figuratively):--enflame self, get (have) heat, be (wax) hot, (be, wax) warm (self, at).]

b. [with] idols [Strong: 410 * ‘el:  shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God (god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in “-el.”]

1). They are burning with lust as they covert with their idols under the trees.

c. under [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

d. every [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

e. green [Strong: 7488 * ra’anan; from an unused root meaning to be green; verdant; by analogy, new; figuratively, prosperous:--green, flourishing.]

d. tree [Strong: 6086 * ‘ets; from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.]

2. “…slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?”

a. slaying [Strong: 7819 * shachat] [Strong:  a primitive root; to slaughter (in sacrifice or massacre):--kill, offer, shoot out, slay, slaughter.]

b. [the] children [Strong: 3206 * yeled;] from 3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:--boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).]

c. [in the] valleys [Strong: 5158 * nachal; from 5157 in its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine):--brook, flood, river, stream, valley.]

d. under [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

e. [the] clifts [Strong: 5585 * ca’iyph; from 5586; a fissure (of rocks); also a bough (as subdivided):--(outmost) branch, clift, top.]

e. [of the] rocks [Strong: 5553 * cela; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress):--(ragged) rock, stone(-ny), strong hold.]

1). The prophet says in Isaiah 57:3, 4 that those who slay children are “sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore…children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.” Under the Old Covenant these were regarded as apostates, they were not right with God. Ezekiel is another witness of how God feels toward child sacrifice.

a). Ezekiel 16:35, 36 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:

16:36 Thus saith the LORD GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

2). Those who participated in child sacrifice and then came into the temple defiled the temple and profaned it.

a). Ezekiel 23:38, 39 Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.

23:39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.

3). This verse links those who slay children with those described in the previous verses. The phrase “children of transgression” is almost identical to the phrase, “children of disobedience” used in Ephesians 2:2 to describe those who live their lives, “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh” in them. They are her “seed”. This in effect links them with “the great whore” of Revelation 17. There are hundreds of thousands of believers who attend churches within denominations where the official position of that work is pro-abortion. In that case I would obey Revelation 18:4 that says, “…Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” This helps answer the question of, ‘Has the church placed herself under a curse by advocating abortion?’ Yes! and the church will be judged as a result! If we are attending a church that supports abortion rights and we are giving tithe and offerings to that work, we are partakers of her sins. It is an abomination for someone to claim to be a follower of Christ and be pro-abortion. That is why they need to be expelled from the Church. They are not right with God and the system they are associated with is a religious whore. These passages put those who engage in child sacrifice exactly where God has said they are, in a group of people out of covenant with God. In a whore or harlot church, and therefore they need to be excommunicated out of the Body of Christ, until they repent.