Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
ISAIAH 57:6KJVWhat does Isaiah 57:6 mean?
Isaiah 57:6 describes how the people of Israel have chosen to worship idols using smooth stones from the stream, making offerings to them instead of to God. The verse ends with God questioning whether He should find comfort or satisfaction in these actions.
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking God's words to people who have turned away from Him. The "smooth stones of the stream" refers to objects used in idol worship, which was common among surrounding nations. God points out that the people have given these stones the devotion and offerings that should have been directed to Him, highlighting their spiritual unfaithfulness.
The Hebrew behind Isaiah 57:6
- "smooth" (חֶלֶק, ḥeleq): This word means "smooth" and refers to stones worn down by water, often used in pagan rituals. The choice of these stones underlines how the people adopted foreign religious practices.
- "stream" (נַחַל, naḥal): This is a word for a seasonal stream or riverbed. It shows the specific place where the people found these stones, linking their idolatry to local pagan customs.
- "portion" (חֵלֶק, ḥēleq) and "lot" (גּוֹרָל, gōral): Both words point to the idea of something assigned or chosen. Here, they stress that the people have made these stones their spiritual inheritance instead of God.
- "poured" (שָׁפַךְ, shafakh) and "offering" (נֶסֶךְ, neseḵ): "Poured" refers to the act of pouring out a drink offering, a ritual act of worship. This highlights the seriousness of their devotion to idols.
Why Isaiah 57:6 matters
- Isaiah 57:6 clears up that the people's idolatry was not just casual but involved deliberate, ritual acts that replaced true worship of God.
- The verse emphasizes that God does not accept or find comfort in worship directed toward anything other than Himself, even if it is sincere or costly.
- This verse connects to the wider passage, which is a rebuke against Israel's unfaithfulness and a call to recognize the emptiness of idol worship compared to the living God.