Isaiah 57:8

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered [thyself to another] than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee [a covenant] with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest [it].

Behind {H310} the doors {H1817} also and the posts {H4201} hast thou set up {H7760} thy remembrance {H2146}: for thou hast discovered {H1540} thyself to another than me, and art gone up {H5927}; thou hast enlarged {H7337} thy bed {H4904}, and made {H3772} thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst {H157} their bed {H4904} where {H3027} thou sawest {H2372} it.

Behind door and doorpost you set up your [lewd] memorial; then, far from me, you uncovered your bed, climbed up on it and opened it wide, made an agreement with some of them, whose bed you loved when you saw their hand beckoning.

Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.

And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

Commentary

Isaiah 57:8 delivers a powerful and scathing indictment against ancient Israel's pervasive idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness. The prophet Isaiah employs vivid, often shocking, imagery to describe the nation's betrayal of God, their divine husband.

Context

This verse is part of a larger section in Isaiah (chapters 56-59) where the prophet condemns the moral and spiritual decay within Judah, contrasting it with God's righteousness and future promises. Following chapters describing God's comfort and salvation, Isaiah turns to expose the deep-seated sins that hinder true blessing. The imagery of "doors and posts" alludes to the command in Deuteronomy 6:9 for Israelites to write God's laws on their doorposts, serving as a constant reminder of their allegiance. Here, however, they have replaced divine reminders with pagan symbols, signifying a complete inversion of their covenant obligations.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The primary theme is Israel's unfaithfulness to God, depicted as a "discovery of self to another" and "enlarging the bed." This metaphor powerfully portrays the nation's abandonment of the one true God for pagan deities and practices. It highlights the profound spiritual prostitution that characterized their religious life.
  • Broken Covenant: By "making a covenant" with foreign gods and nations, Israel actively broke their sacred covenant relationship with Yahweh. This wasn't merely a lapse but a deliberate choice to align with forces hostile to God's will.
  • Eagerness in Sin: The phrase "thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it" underscores the willing and passionate pursuit of idolatry. It wasn't a reluctant or coerced act but one born of desire, indicating a deep-seated spiritual corruption.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses the phrase "discovered [thyself to another]" which in Hebrew, often carries the sense of uncovering oneself, revealing nakedness, or exposing oneself, particularly in a sexual context. This strong imagery reinforces the idea of spiritual harlotry. The "remembrance" set up "behind the doors and posts" is an ironic counterpoint to the divine "remembrance" God commanded to be placed there, highlighting how Israel chose to remember idols instead of God's law.

Practical Application

Isaiah 57:8 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual compromise and idolatry in any form. While modern idolatry may not involve physical statues, it can manifest as anything that takes precedence over God in our lives—money, power, relationships, or even self. This verse challenges believers to examine their allegiances: are we truly faithful to God alone, or have we "enlarged our bed" with distractions and desires that pull us away from Him? It calls for a return to undivided devotion and seeking God's kingdom first, recognizing that true fulfillment comes only from a covenant relationship with Him.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 16:25

    Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 8:8

    Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.

  • Ezekiel 8:12

    Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

  • Ezekiel 16:32

    [But as] a wife that committeth adultery, [which] taketh strangers instead of her husband!

  • Ezekiel 23:2

    Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:

  • Ezekiel 23:20

    For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh [is as] the flesh of asses, and whose issue [is like] the issue of horses.
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