English Standard Version
Isaiah 57:9
9You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol.
Isaiah 57:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
- New International Version (NIV)You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!
- New King James Version (NKJV)You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol.
- New Living Translation (NLT)You have gone to Molech with olive oil and many perfumes, sending your agents far and wide, even to the world of the dead.
Context of Isaiah 57:9
7On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. 8Behind 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. You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. 10You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, "It is hopeless"; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint. 11Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me?
Read all of Isaiah 57Isaiah 57:9 word by word
וַתָּשֻׁ֤רִי לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בַּשֶּׁ֔מֶן וַתַּרְבִּ֖י רִקֻּחָ֑יִךְ וַתְּשַׁלְּחִ֤י צִרַ֙יךְ֙ עַד־מֵ֣רָחֹ֔ק וַתַּשְׁפִּ֖ילִי עַד־שְׁאֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thou wentestשׁוּרshûr · to travelH7788
- to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- with ointmentשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- and didst increaseרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- thy perfumesרַקּוּחַraqqûach · perfumeryH7547
- and didst sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- thy messengersצִירtsîyr · envoyH6735
- far offרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
- and didst debaseשָׁפֵלshâphêl · to abaseH8213
- unto hellשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
Cross-references for Isaiah 57:9
- Isaiah 30:1"Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
- Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!
- 2 Kings 16:7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me."
- Ezekiel 16:33Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from every side with your whorings.
- Ezekiel 23:16When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
- Hosea 7:11Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.
- Hosea 12:1Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.
- Proverbs 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
- Isaiah 2:9So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them!
- Colossians 2:18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
Commentaries on Isaiah 57:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9And thou wentest to the king with ointment "And thou hast visited the king with a present of oil" - That is, the king of Assyria, or Egypt. Hosea, chap, Hosea 12:1, reproaches the Israelites for the same practice: - "They make a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt." It is well known, that in all parts of the east, whoever visits a great person must carry him a present. "It is counted uncivil," says Maundreg, p. 26, "to visit in this country…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And thou wentest to the king - Margin, Respectedst.‘ Jerome renders this, Thou hast adorned thyself with royal ointment, and hast multiplied thy painting; and evidently understands it as a continuance of the sentiment in the previous verses as referring to the kind of decoration which harlots used. The Septuagint renders it, Thou hast multiplied thy fornication with them, and hast done it with many who are far from thee.‘ The Chaldee renders it, When thou…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 The Lord here calls apostates and hypocrites to appear before him. When reproved for their sins, and threatened with judgments, they ridiculed the word of God. The Jews were guilty of idolatry before the captivity; but not after that affliction. Their zeal in the worship of false gods, may shame our indifference in the worship of the true God. The service of sin is disgraceful slavery; those who thus debase themselves to hell, will justly have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13This passage reflects on how common evil had become among God’s people. Many of them were greedy and wanted more and more for themselves (Isaiah 56:9–12). They treated righteous people with hatred and violence (Isaiah 57:1–2). They also worshiped idols instead of the true God (Isaiah 57:3–13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. the king--the idol which they came to worship, perfumed with oil, like harlots (Jr 4:30; Eze 23:16, 40). So "king" means idol (Am 5:26; Zep 1:5); (malcham meaning "king") [Rosenmuller]. Rather, the king of Assyria or Egypt, and other foreign princes, on whom Israel relied, instead of on God; the "ointment" will thus refer to the presents (Ho 12:1), and perhaps the compliances with foreigners' idolatries, whereby Israel sought to gain their favor…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 57:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 57
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries