Isaiah 57:3 Meaning: The Harsh Summons to Face Our Sin
“But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God call His people ‘sons of a sorceress’ and ‘offspring of adulterers’? This verse reveals the severity of spiritual unfaithfulness.
Context
The chapter opens with a sad contrast: the righteous die and enter peace, but nobody pays attention (verses 1, 2). Then the tone shifts sharply. God summons the wicked to draw near, not for comfort, but for a confrontation. The people had turned to sorcery, child sacrifice, and cult prostitution (verses 5, 7). These were not small sins; they were a complete abandonment of the covenant. So God calls them by names that match what they have become: children of a sorceress, offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute. The harshness is deliberate. It is meant to wake them up, to stop them from pretending they are still in good standing with Him.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind “draw near” is qarav. It often means to approach for worship or blessing, but here it is a courtroom summons. God is calling them to stop hiding and come before His judgment. The word carries weight: they cannot avoid this moment.
“Sons of a sorceress” uses onenah, a term for a woman who practices soothsaying or occult arts. It was forbidden in Israel, yet the people had made it normal. By calling them her sons, God says their identity has been shaped by the very practices they should have rejected.
The words for “adulterer” (menaef) and “prostitute” (zanah) are used throughout the Old Testament for covenant unfaithfulness. This is not about literal sexual sin; it is the language of betrayal. The people had given their hearts to other gods, and God uses blunt names to expose what they had refused to see.
How Christians Read This Verse
Most commentators agree this verse addresses the idolatrous party within Israel, not the whole nation. Barnes points to the reign of Manasseh, when sorcery and child sacrifice were widespread. The Cambridge Bible, writing from an Anglican perspective, suggests the passage may refer to the Samaritan community after the exile. Wesley emphasizes that “sons” means by imitation, not by birth, they had chosen to live like the children of a sorceress. Across traditions, Christians see this harsh language as a prophetic wake-up call. God will not soft-pedal the truth when His people are destroying themselves with false religion. The hope is that exposing the wound is the first step toward healing.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think God is simply being cruel or insulting here. In fact, the language matches the seriousness of what the people had done. They were engaged in sorcery, child sacrifice, and cult prostitution, practices that directly broke the covenant. The names are not arbitrary slurs. They describe what the people had become through their own choices. God speaks this way because He wants them to stop pretending and see themselves clearly.
Living This Out
You may not practice sorcery or literal adultery, but the heart that chases after other gods is still alive in you. It could be the quiet idol of approval, the habit of turning to comfort instead of God, or the hidden resentment you nurse. This verse invites you to stop rationalizing and let God name what is really there. The call to “draw near” is not rejection; it is an invitation to honesty. God wants you to come out of hiding, not because He is angry at you, but because He loves you enough to tell you the truth. You can bring your failure to Him today and trust that He will meet you there.
Main takeaway: God calls us to face our unfaithfulness honestly, because the truth is the only path back to Him.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God loves us and wants us to be close to Him. But sometimes we turn away and do wrong things. God calls us to come back and be honest about it.
For ages 9, 12
This verse shows how serious it is when we stop trusting God and start depending on other things, like the Israelites did with sorcery and idols. God’s harsh words were meant to shock them into realizing what they had done. But even in His strong warning, He still tells them to draw near. He wants us to stop pretending and come back to Him honestly. That is real love.
Questions People Ask
Why does God use such insulting language in this verse?
The harsh language matches the severity of the sin. The people were engaged in sorcery, child sacrifice, and cult prostitution, direct violations of their covenant with God. He uses shocking names to wake them up to what they had become and to call them to repentance.
What does 'sons of a sorceress' mean?
It means they had adopted pagan practices like divination and witchcraft, as if a sorceress were their mother. The term describes their character and actions, not their literal parentage. It was a way of saying they had abandoned the true God for forbidden practices.
Is this verse only for ancient Israel?
The passage directly addresses the nation of Israel in Isaiah's time, but the principle of spiritual unfaithfulness applies to all people. Christians have read it as a warning against any form of idolatry, putting anything above God in our hearts.
What does 'offspring of adulterer and prostitute' mean spiritually?
These terms are figurative for covenant unfaithfulness. Throughout the Old Testament, God describes His relationship with Israel as a marriage. When the people worshiped other gods and trusted foreign alliances, they were committing spiritual adultery. The language exposes the depth of their betrayal.
How should Christians apply this verse today?
We should examine our hearts for hidden idols, anything we trust more than God, such as success, relationships, comfort, or control. The call to 'draw near' invites us to confess our unfaithfulness honestly and return to Him, trusting that His love is greater than our failure.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study