The Meaning of Isaiah 57:4 Explained

Isaiah 57:4

KJV: 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,

YLT: 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: 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,

ASV: 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,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Isaiah 57:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Evidently the people these wicked Israelites mocked were the righteous minority among them. Like children, they ridiculed the righteous for being different from themselves. They were rebellious and deceitful in their relationship to the Lord.

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 57:4 mean?

Upon Whom do you ridicule Against whom do you make a wide mouth [And] stick out the tongue [Are] not you children of transgression Offspring of falsehood
עַל־ מִי֙ ؟ תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ עַל־ מִ֛י תַּרְחִ֥יבוּ פֶ֖ה תַּאֲרִ֣יכוּ ؟ לָשׁ֑וֹן הֲלֽוֹא־ אַתֶּ֥ם יִלְדֵי־ פֶ֖שַׁע זֶ֥רַע שָֽׁקֶר

עַל־  Upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מִי֙  Whom 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
؟ תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ  do  you  ridicule 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָנַג  
Sense: to be soft, be delicate, be dainty.
עַל־  Against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מִ֛י  whom 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
תַּרְחִ֥יבוּ  do  you  make  a  wide 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָחַב  
Sense: to be or grow wide, be or grow large.
פֶ֖ה  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
תַּאֲרִ֣יכוּ  [And]  stick  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָרַךְ 
Sense: to be long, prolong.
؟ לָשׁ֑וֹן  the  tongue 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
הֲלֽוֹא־  [Are]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִלְדֵי־  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
פֶ֖שַׁע  of  transgression 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
זֶ֥רַע  Offspring 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
שָֽׁקֶר  of  falsehood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.