Isaiah 57:4 · Bible study
Isaiah 57:4 Commentary: Mocking God in His Messengers
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study of Isaiah 57:4: Hebrew grammar, historical background, and across traditions point to: mocking God's prophets is mocking God Himself.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Mocking God's prophets is a direct act of rebellion against God, exposing a heart that is fundamentally unfaithful.
- Key words: תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ (Hithpael of H6026), “make sport”/“take delight in mocking”; יִלְדֵי־פֶשַׁע, “children of transgression”; זֶרַע שָׁקֶר, “seed of falsehood.”
- Main debate: Whether the mockery is primarily directed at human messengers or directly at God; most commentators see the former as a real manifestation of the latter.
- Theological theme: The honour of God is bound up with the honour of his sent servants; to reject the prophet is to reject God (cf. 1 Samuel 8:7, Matthew 10:40).
- Best use: A text for self‑examination of our posture toward those who speak God’s truth to us, and a call to stand with those who are mocked for their faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,
WEB World English Bible 2000
Whom do you mock? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Aren’t you children of disobedience and offspring of falsehood,
KJV King James Version 1769
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom enlarge ye the mouth? Prolong ye the tongue? Are not ye children of transgression? a false seed?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom do ye make a wide mouth, [and] draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Upon whom have you jested? upon whom have you opened your mouth wide, and put out your tongue? are not you wicked children, a false seed,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ De quién os habéis mofado? ¿ contra quién ensanchasteis la boca, y alargasteis la lengua? ¿ No sois vosotros hijos rebeldes, simiente mentirosa,
De quem fazeis piadas de escárnio? Contra quem alargais a boca, e colocais a língua para fora? Por acaso não sois filhos da transgressão, e descendentes da falsidade?
De qui vous moquez-vous?
An wem wollt ihr nun eure Lust haben? Über wen wollt ihr nun das Maul aufsperren und die Zunge herausrecken? Seid ihr nicht die Kinder der Übertretung und ein falscher Same,
Over wien maakt gij u lustig, over wien spert gij den mond wijd open en steekt de tong lang uit? Zijt gij niet kinderen der overtreding, een zaad der valsheid?
Alle spalle di chi vi divertite? Verso chi aprite larga la bocca e cacciate fuori la lingua? Non siete voi figliuoli della ribellione, progenie della menzogna,
Nad kimże się cieszycie? przeciwko komuż rozdzieracie gębę, i wywieszacie język? Izali nie jesteście synowie nierządu, nasienie kłamliwe?
Над кем вы глумитесь? против кого расширяете рот, высовываете язык? не дети ли вы преступления, семя лжи,
你們向 誰 戲笑？向 誰 張 口 吐 舌呢？你們 豈不是 悖逆 的兒女，虛謊 的種類呢？
Of whom do you make sport? against whom is your mouth open wide and your tongue put out? are you not uncontrolled children, a false seed,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 57:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse rebukes a generation marked by contempt for God and his servants. Barnes notes that the verb translated “sport yourselves” (תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ, Hithpael of עָנֹג) normally means “take delight” but here carries the sense of mocking or deriding. The rhetorical questions demand an answer: by making wide mouths and protruding tongues (gestures of public scorn, as seen in Psalm 22:7, 35:21), these mockers think they are targeting the prophets, but in truth they deride God himself. The Cambridge Bible draws a parallel to the Samaritans’ contempt for the returned Jews in Nehemiah 4:1-4 and cross-references Isaiah 66:5. JFB adds that the people are “children of transgression” not merely as descendants of sinful parents but as those who embody rebellion itself. The phrase “seed of falsehood” (זֶרַע שָׁקֶר) confirms their character: they are fundamentally unfaithful, given to deception and broken covenant. This consensus, echoed by Gill, Wesley, and Matthew Henry, reframes mockery not as petty rudeness but as a symptom of deep‑rooted rebellion against Israel’s covenant Lord.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Mockery of God directly: The rhetorical question asks 'whom do you mock?' and leaves the answer open; the surrounding accusations of idolatry and covenant violation suggest the mockers are directly defying God.
- Mockery of God's messengers as indirect mockery of God: The context of vv. 1‑2 concerns the righteous who are removed; the mockers target the faithful human prophets, but the divine indictment makes clear that God takes this as personally offensive.
What is clear: Mocking those who bear God’s word reveals a heart of rebellion against God, and such people are rightly called children of transgression and seed of falsehood.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Target of the mockery | The mockery is directed against those who speak for God, the righteous (v. 1), the prophets, and faithful believers. | Some see the primary target as God himself, others as his human messengers, but both sides agree that the ultimate dishonour falls on God. |
| Meaning of 'sport yourselves' (תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ) | The verb normally expresses delight and pleasure, but here it is used ironically to describe malicious contempt. | A few older interpreters read it as a general reference to reckless living; most now agree it denotes specific mocking behaviour. |
| Identity of 'children of transgression' | It is an indictment of character, not merely of actions, these people are not just sinners, they are defined by rebellion. | Some (e.g., JFB) take it as 'children of transgressors' (i.e., following their parents’ ways), while others (e.g., Barnes) say it emphasises that transgression is their essential nature. |
| Applicability to post‑exilic vs. pre‑exilic Judah | The passage addresses a real historical community that practiced idolatry and scorned the faithful. | Scholars debate whether the setting is pre‑exilic (Isaiah’s own time) or post‑exilic (after the return from Babylon), with implications for whom the 'righteous' in vv. 1‑2 represent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 57 sits within the latter section of the book (chapters 56, 66), a collection of oracles addressing the community in post‑exilic Judah. After the return from Babylon, the people struggled with syncretism and social injustice. The preceding verses (57:1‑2) lament the removal of the righteous, who are taken away from impending evil. Verse 3 summons the offenders with sharp epithets: “sons of a sorceress,” “offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.” The language invokes the covenant lawsuit, where God acts as prosecutor against a faithless people.
The mockery described in verse 4 uses well‑known gestures of contempt from the ancient Near East. “Making a wide mouth” and “sticking out the tongue” appear in Psalms directed against the psalmist by his enemies (Psalm 22:7; 35:21; 2 Chronicles 36:16). The verb “sport yourselves” (תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ) is the Hithpael of a root that otherwise means “live delicately” or “take delight” (cf. Isaiah 55:2; 58:14). Here it is twisted into malevolent satisfaction, a mocking delight taken in humiliating God’s messengers.
The identity of those mocked is not specified in the verse itself, but the context points to the true prophets and faithful believers who called the nation back to covenant loyalty. By ridiculing them, the people show contempt for the God who sent them. The phrases “children of transgression” and “seed of falsehood” echo other prophetic indictments (Jeremiah 9:3; Hosea 1:2) and confirm that this mockery springs from a nature that is rebellious and deceitful. In the surrounding passage (vv. 5‑8), God catalogues the specific idolatrous practices that prove the charge: sacrifices under trees, child sacrifice, and sexual rites in pagan worship. These behaviors were the outward expression of the inner rebellion that the mockery revealed.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Isaiah 57:4. The Masoretic text is consistent across manuscripts. The only minor variation is in the form of יִלְדֵי־ (children of) which appears with a Makkeph here but without it in three other Old Testament occurrences (Isaiah 2:6; Exodus 2:6; Hosea 1:2). This is a scribal convention, not a textual divergence.
Reception History
Early Christian writers, such as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, saw in this passage a prophecy of the mockery that Christ and the apostles endured from Jewish and Gentile opponents. Medieval catenae used the verse to discourage disrespect toward clergy, while some monastic readings applied it to the internal danger of despising a spiritual director. Reformation exegetes, especially Calvin and Luther, highlighted the verse to urge that rejections of the gospel message are ultimately rejections of God. In more recent centuries, the verse has been cited in hymns that depict the suffering of the righteous at the hands of the ungodly (e.g., settings of Psalm 22). Modern scholarship largely focuses on the verse’s role in the covenant‑lawsuit pattern and its historical setting in post‑exilic Judah. Across traditions, the verse has served as a sober reminder that contempt for God’s messengers reflects a deeper spiritual condition.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- The Gestures of Mockery (v. 4a), Making a wide mouth and sticking out the tongue were public acts of scorn that betrayed a heart set against God’s authority.
- The Target of Mockery (v. 4b), The rhetorical question presses the point: when you mock the messenger, you are ultimately mocking the God who commissioned him.
- The Identity of the Mockers (v. 4c), “Children of transgression” reveals that their actions flow from a nature bent on rebellion; “seed of falsehood” shows that their worship is built on a lie.
Five‑point outline
- The Loss, The righteous are taken away (vv. 1‑2), leaving behind a generation that celebrates their removal.
- The Summons, God calls the mockers to “draw near” to face judgment (v. 3).
- The Accusation, Their mocking body language is evidence of their contempt (v. 4a).
- The Cross‑Examination, “Whom do you mock?” forces them to see the true object of their scorn (v. 4b).
- The Verdict, Their genealogy is rebellion; their lineage is deception (v. 4c).
Illustration hooks
- A child mocks a teacher in front of the class, thinking the teacher alone is the target. In reality, the child has insulted the entire school authority and the educational system behind it.
- Online commenters ridicule a pastor’s sermon with memes and gifs. The pastor is minor; the war is against the God he preaches.
- The crowd who mocked Jesus before the crucifixion (Mark 15:29‑32) used the same gestures, wagging heads, shouting insults, revealing that hatred of God can hide behind religious appearances.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do we tell the difference between respectfully questioning a leader and sinfully mocking God’s messenger?
- What should I do if I have been the object of such mockery for my faith?
- Does this verse mean we cannot ever criticize a church leader or prophet?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 57:4 holds up a mirror to our attitude toward God’s messengers. It asks whether we recognise that the way we treat those who bring God’s word reveals what we actually think of God himself. The gestures of scorn, wide mouth, protruding tongue, are vivid reminders that the heart’s contempt often shows on the face and in the voice.
Discussion questions
- What specific gestures of mockery does the verse describe? Why do you think God records them so concretely?
- Read Psalm 22:7 and Psalm 35:21. How do those passages help us understand the situation Isaiah addresses?
- Why does God call them “children of transgression” and “seed of falsehood”? What does that tell us about their core identity, not just their behavior?
- How does the surrounding context (vv. 1‑3 and 5‑8) shape your understanding of why these people mock the righteous?
- Think of a time you heard someone mock a Christian leader or believer. How did you respond? What does this verse suggest about the spiritual stakes in that moment?
- If we are honest, we can all laugh at a caricature of a faithful person. Where is the line between harmless humor and the kind of mockery God condemns here?
- How can this passage lead us to pray differently for those who openly ridicule the gospel and its messengers?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 9:17 | because you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go. |
| Exodus 16:7 | In the morning, you shall see Yahweh’s glory; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?” |
| Exodus 16:8 | Moses said, “Now Yahweh will give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you, because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.” |
| Numbers 16:11 | Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you complain against him?” |
| Joshua 10:21 | all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. |
| Judges 16:25 | When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars; |
| Judges 16:27 | Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson performed. |
| Job 16:9 | He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary identifies the insult "sons of a sorceress" and "seed of an adulterer and a whore" as a pointed attack on the Samaritans' mixed ancestry. The words allude to the old Israelite population (unfaithful to God) and the pagan peoples imported by Assyria. Reviling someone's mother was considered the deepest insult in the ancient Near East.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the sharp sarcasm in the prophet's questions: the people mock and make rude gestures, but they are actually exposing their own rebellion and deceit. Their open contempt reveals they are not God's true children but a false, disobedient seed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists that mockers of God's faithful servants are ultimately mocking the Lord himself. He specifically identifies these scoffers as Papists and antichrist figures, whose scornful gestures will one day bring God's judgment. Their slander reveals them as children of perdition and falsehood.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the mockers are not simply descendants of sinful people but are children of transgression and falsehood itself, utterly unfaithful to God. Their mocking of the righteous is ultimately an ignorance of the glory of the One whose servants they mock.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch reads the prophet's harsh parentage names as a description of the generation that persisted in the idolatry which caused the exile. Calling them children of a sorceress and seed of an adulterer identifies the nation by its own corrupt character, not just its ancestry, showing that apostasy and deception are their true inheritance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry treats this passage as a formal indictment from God against a generation so corrupt that the righteous were taken from it as a judgment. He stresses that the charge, though severe, is entirely just and exposes the people's persistent idolatry, hypocrisy, and refusal to fear God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that those who mock God's prophets are actually mocking God Himself. He identifies them as a generation of liars, whose deceitful practices openly contradict their professions of faith toward both God and people.