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

7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices. 8Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them, you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their genitals. You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol. 10Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ You get renewed energy, so you don’t collapse. 11Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of 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 30:1“The rebellious children are as good as dead,” says the Lord, “those who make plans without consulting me, who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, and thereby compound their sin.
• Isaiah 31:1Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt’s many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord.
• 2 Kings 16:7Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.”
• Ezekiel 16:33All prostitutes receive payment, but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors!
• Ezekiel 23:16When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
• Hosea 7:11Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.
• Hosea 12:1Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.
• Proverbs 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
• Isaiah 2:9Men bow down to them in homage, they lie flat on the ground in worship. Don’t spare them!
• Colossians 2:18Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly 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

• 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