The Meaning of Isaiah 57:7 Explained

Isaiah 57:7

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

YLT: On a mountain, high and exalted, Thou hast set thy couch, Also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 57:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Israelites also worshipped idols on mountains, as the pagans did to get closer to their gods. Such worship constituted infidelity to the Lord and adultery with loved idols. Thus Israel had made her bed and slept with another man when she worshipped as she did. However, Isaiah"s language was more than figurative since worship of these nature deities involved sacred prostitution.

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 57:7 mean?

On a mountain high and high You have set your bed EVEN there you went up to offer sacrifice
עַ֤ל הַר־ גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ וְנִשָּׂ֔א שַׂ֖מְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבֵ֑ךְ גַּם־ שָׁ֥ם עָלִ֖ית לִזְבֹּ֥חַ זָֽבַח

הַר־  a  mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙  high 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹהַּ  
Sense: high, exalted.
וְנִשָּׂ֔א  and  high 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
שַׂ֖מְתְּ  You  have  set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
מִשְׁכָּבֵ֑ךְ  your  bed 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁכָּב  
Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.
גַּם־  EVEN 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
עָלִ֖ית  you  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
לִזְבֹּ֥חַ  to  offer 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
זָֽבַח  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.