John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 57:6

"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?" — Isaiah 57:6 (ASV)

Amidst polished stones, or, in parts of the valley. He continues the same subject and rebukes in various ways the superstitions that were widespread in Judea, for no place was entirely free from idolatry. There were no rocks, no rivers, no valleys, no corner whatever, in which they had not erected a monument of their superstition. They had their groves and mountains, in which they sacrificed in the manner of the Gentiles.

Whether we adopt the reading, “Polished stones,” or “Parts of the river,” the meaning will be the same. The Prophet means that the Jews chose their own method of worshipping God and turned aside from the rule He had laid down in His Law. Consequently, every kind of worship they followed by their own choice was abominable and wicked, for in religion and in the worship of God, we ought to listen only to the voice of God.

If it is considered preferable to translate it “polished stones,” then Isaiah rebukes the contempt of the Law by which God forbade the use of hammers (Exodus 20:25) in hewing or chiseling the stones to be used in building the altar; for He did not wish sacrifices to be offered on any altar except one. However, since it was customary for the Gentiles to dedicate temples near fountains and rivers, the other interpretation will be equally appropriate.

They, they are your lot. The repetition of “they, they” is highly emphatic. A word implying permission may be supplied, as if the Lord allowed the Jews to continue in their practices, since they had forsaken Him and preferred idols and false worship, as it is said, Go, sacrifice to idols (Ezekiel 20:39). I am inclined to favor this interpretation, as if He had said, “I leave your inventions to you, and willingly permit you to be entirely devoted to them, and I relinquish My right, for I have nothing to do with traitors and apostates.”

And yet, he undoubtedly alludes to that passage in the writings of Moses, through whom God said that He would be the inheritance of His people, so that they ought to be satisfied with having Him alone (Numbers 18:20).

David also followed this principle, saying, The Lord is my portion, my inheritance (Psalms 16:5). Therefore, since the Jews had revolted from God and had followed idols, the Lord justly commanded them to keep the idols for themselves and intimated that He would have nothing in common with them.

Even to them have you poured a drink-offering. He continues by enumerating superstitions and confirms the statement that He has been rejected and cast off by them, for they alienated to false gods what He wished to belong to Himself alone.

The Jews might have replied to every word of the Prophet that they had no other intention than to worship God. But the Prophet pays no attention to such idle and frivolous pretenses. For the wrath of God is provoked by false worship and is inflamed all the more by it, the more constant and prolonged it is.

From this we learn what sobriety we ought to observe in the worship of God, that we may depend on His word alone. For whoever swerves from it in the smallest degree will not only lose his labor but will also kindle the wrath of God, whose majesty he wickedly insults and does all that is in his power to diminish.

Shall I take pleasure in these things? This might also be translated, “Shall I repent?” This latter interpretation has been most widely adopted because He wishes to give a reason why He punishes the people, as if He had said, “When I take vengeance for these transgressions, is it possible that I shall repent?”

Yet the interpretation I have followed seems preferable to me: “Shall I take delight, or consolation, from those sacrifices which you have offered to Me?” For idolaters commonly take delight in their own inventions and imagine that God also is delighted with everything that they pursue with mad and furious eagerness.

Nor is such a question unnecessary, for people think that God is like themselves and will approve of everything that is agreeable to them. On the contrary, He declares that nothing is approved by Him, or is acceptable to Him, unless it agrees with His word.