Isaiah 57:3–13

Sidebar to: Sacred Sex, Sacrifice and Death

3But you, draw near, you sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer and of her who plays the harlot; 4at whom do you jeer, at whom do you open your mouth, do you stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit, 5who burn with lust among the terebinths, under every green tree, who slaughter children in wadis, among the clefts of the rocks? 6With the perished of the wadi is your portion, they, they are your lot.

Even to them you have poured out a libation, you have offered up an offering.

Shall I be appeased for these things? 7On a mountain high and lofty you have set your bed.

There you went upto offer sacrifice.

8And behind the door and the doorpost you set up your symbol. For a hundred times you stripped and you mounted and spread out your bed. You…yourself from them the love of their bedding, the phallus which you envisioned.

9You anointed the mulk-sacrifice with oil, you multiplied your perfumed oils. You sent your envoys to a distant throne (?), sent them down even to Sheol.

10In the length of your way you wearied, But you did not say, “There is no hope.” You found revivification for your strength, therefore you did not weaken.

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