Isaiah 57:9

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!
• English Standard Version (ESV)You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol.
• 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.

Context of Isaiah 57:9

7You’ve made your bed on a high and lofty mountain. You’ve gone to offer sacrifices there. 8You’ve set up your idols beside doors and doorposts. You’ve uncovered yourself to the idols. You’ve distanced yourself from me. You’ve made your bed with them. You’ve made a deal with those you have pleasure with in bed. You’ve seen them naked. You’ve journeyed to the king with perfumed oils and put on plenty of perfume. You’ve sent your ambassadors far away and sent them down to Sheol. 10You’ve tired yourself out with many journeys. You didn’t think that it was hopeless. You’ve found renewed strength, so you didn’t faint. 11Whom did you dread and fear so much that you lied to me? You haven’t remembered me or cared about me. I’ve been silent for a long time. Is that why you don’t fear me?

Isaiah 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 30:1The Lord declares, “How horrible it will be for those rebellious children. They carry out plans, but not mine. They make alliances against my will. They pile sin on top of sin.
• Isaiah 31:1How horrible it will be for those who go to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who depend on many chariots, who depend on very strong war horses. They don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t seek the Lord.
• 2 Kings 16:7Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to say, “I’m your servant, your son. Come and save me from the kings of Aram and Israel who are attacking me.”
• Ezekiel 16:33All prostitutes get paid. But you give gifts to all your lovers and bribe them to come to you from all directions to have sex with you.
• Ezekiel 23:16She fell in love with them at first sight and sent messengers to them in Babylonia.
• Hosea 7:11Ephraim, you are like a silly, senseless dove. You call for Egypt and run to Assyria for help.
• Hosea 12:1The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind and try to chase the east wind all day. They are very violent and destructive. They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt.
• Proverbs 7:17I’ve sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
• Isaiah 2:9People will be brought down. Everyone will be humbled. Do not forgive them.
• Colossians 2:18Let no one who delights in ⌞false⌟ humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen.

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

• Anointing
• Hell
• Idolatry
• Infidelity
• Perfume

In the dictionaries

• Bed
• Dirt
• Eternity
• Inhabit
• Lofty
• Perfumes
• Hades
• Isaiah
• Saviour
• Trade

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