Isaiah 57:7

Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Upon a lofty {H1364} and high {H5375} mountain {H2022} hast thou set {H7760} thy bed {H4904}: even thither wentest thou up {H5927} to offer {H2076} sacrifice {H2077}.

You set up your bed on a high, lofty mountain; you also went up there to offer sacrifices.

On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.

Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Isaiah 57:7 is a powerful indictment from God against the spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry of His people, likely Judah, during a period of significant moral decline. The verse uses vivid, metaphorical language to describe their audacious embrace of pagan worship practices.

Context

This verse is part of a broader prophetic message in Isaiah 57, where the Lord contrasts the peace of the righteous who have died with the restless wickedness of the ungodly. The chapter heavily criticizes the nation for its deep-seated idolatry and spiritual adultery. The imagery of "setting thy bed upon a lofty and high mountain" points directly to the prevalent practice of worshiping false gods on elevated sites, often referred to as "high places." These were notorious centers for forbidden rituals, including sacrifices to pagan deities, ritual prostitution, and even child sacrifice, all of which were abominable to the Lord. This verse highlights the brazenness of their unfaithfulness, as they openly engaged in practices explicitly forbidden by the Mosaic Law, turning away from the first commandment to have no other gods.

Key Themes

  • Idolatry and Spiritual Adultery: The central theme is Israel's profound unfaithfulness to God, depicted as a bride committing adultery. The "bed" metaphor strongly suggests illicit intimacy, emphasizing the deep betrayal involved in worshiping false gods. This concept of spiritual harlotry is common in the prophetic books.
  • Rebellion and Audacity: The phrase "lofty and high mountain" signifies not just the location but also the open, defiant nature of their rebellion. They were not hiding their idolatry but performing it in prominent, public places.
  • False Worship: The "sacrifice" offered was not to the one true God, Yahweh, but to idols, demonstrating a complete departure from the covenant relationship. These practices were often associated with Canaanite fertility cults.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "lofty and high mountain" (har gâbôah werâm) emphasizes the elevated and conspicuous nature of these idolatrous sites, suggesting a deliberate and public act of defiance against God. The word for "bed" (mittah) often carries connotations of intimacy and sexual relations, further reinforcing the metaphor of spiritual adultery and linking the idolatry to the ritual prostitution often practiced at these pagan shrines. The act of "offering sacrifice" (zâbach) here is not an act of devotion to God but a forbidden ritual to false deities, highlighting the depth of their spiritual corruption.

Practical Application

While modern societies may not literally set up beds on mountains to offer sacrifices to stone idols, the principle of Isaiah 57:7 remains highly relevant. This verse serves as a powerful reminder about the dangers of spiritual compromise and placing anything or anyone above God in our lives. Our "high places" today can be anything we elevate to a position of ultimate importance or source of security and fulfillment apart from God—be it career, wealth, relationships, social status, or even self-indulgence. The call is for exclusive devotion to the Lord, recognizing that true peace and security come only from a faithful relationship with Him. It encourages us to examine our hearts and ensure our worship is directed solely to the one true God, avoiding any form of modern idolatry that displaces Him from His rightful place.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 23:41

    And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.

  • Ezekiel 16:16

    And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: [the like things] shall not come, neither shall it be [so].

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 20:28

    [For] when I had brought them into the land, [for] the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

  • Ezekiel 20:29

    Then I said unto them, What [is] the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

  • Jeremiah 3:6

    ¶ The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

  • Jeremiah 3:2

    Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

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