The Meaning of Isaiah 57:6 Explained

Isaiah 57:6

KJV: 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?

YLT: Among the smooth things of a brook is thy portion, They -- they are thy lot, Also to them thou hast poured out an oblation, Thou hast caused a present to ascend, For these things am I comforted?

Darby: Among the smooth stones of the torrent is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured out a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be comforted myself as to these things?

ASV: Among the smooth'stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Isaiah 57:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Having chosen to worship in the wadis, the apostate Israelites would have to be content to have the rocks of the wadis as their gods (cf. Romans 1:20-25). A wadi (Heb. nahal) is a streambed that is dry most of the year but in the rainy season becomes a rushing torrent. As mountaintops became places of worship because they were close to heaven and the gods, so wadis in valleys became places of worship because they were close to Sheol and the dead. The unfaithful in Israel even made drink and grain offerings to these rocks. This was not the kind of behavior that would cause God to change His mind about bringing judgment on His people.

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:6 mean?

Among the smooth [stones] of the stream [Is] your portion they [are] your lot Even to them you have poured a drink offering You have offered a grain offering In these Should I receive comfort
בְּחַלְּקֵי־ נַ֣חַל חֶלְקֵ֔ךְ הֵ֥ם הֵ֖ם גּוֹרָלֵ֑ךְ גַּם־ לָהֶ֞ם שָׁפַ֥כְתְּ נֶ֙סֶךְ֙ הֶעֱלִ֣ית מִנְחָ֔ה הַ֥עַל אֵ֖לֶּה ؟ אֶנָּחֵֽם

בְּחַלְּקֵי־  Among  the  smooth  [stones] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: חָלָק  
Sense: smooth.
נַ֣חַל  of  the  stream 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
חֶלְקֵ֔ךְ  [Is]  your  portion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
גּוֹרָלֵ֑ךְ  your  lot 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
גַּם־  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
לָהֶ֞ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
שָׁפַ֥כְתְּ  you  have  poured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
נֶ֙סֶךְ֙  a  drink  offering 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶסֶךְ 
Sense: drink offering, libation, molten image, something poured out.
הֶעֱלִ֣ית  You  have  offered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מִנְחָ֔ה  a  grain  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
אֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
؟ אֶנָּחֵֽם  Should  I  receive  comfort 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.