This verse doesn't just point a finger at outward sin; it reveals that their spiritual unfaithfulness to God is so profound it's like a family trait, inherited through generations of spiritual adultery and deception, rather than a literal bloodline. God sees their actions not just as individual choices but as a deep-seated corruption that marks them as illegitimate children in His eyes.
But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet has just lamented the death of the righteous and the general disregard for godliness, contrasting their peaceful rest with the turbulent lives of the wicked. Now, Isaiah turns directly to address those who continue in their unfaithfulness to God, summoning them to hear their condemnation for spiritual adultery and idolatry. This is not a gentle invitation, but a stark summons to face divine judgment for their corrupt practices, which have estranged them from God and marked them as illegitimate offspring in His eyes.
The Bible often speaks of spiritual lineage – being a 'child' of someone. But what does it truly mean when God calls you a 'son of a sorceress' or 'seed of an adulterer'?
In this verse, God isn't just pointing out ancestry; He's highlighting a chosen betrayal. The people of Judah, descendants of Abraham and inheritors of God's promises, are being called out for behaviors that directly contradict their heritage.
Ask a follow-up
Sorcery and adultery are presented here not just as moral failings, but as deep-seated betrayals. What is it about these specific sins that so angers God and corrupts identity?
The prophet Isaiah, speaking for God, confronts Judah with stark accusations: 'sons of the sorceress,' 'seed of the adulterer and the whore.' These weren't minor slips; they represent a profound turning away from God's truth and into dangerous deception.
Understand the original words
pesha' · Hebrew Noun
Broadly, sin, rebellion, or crossing the line of God's commanded boundaries. It implies a willful departure from the covenant or divine law.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Refers to falsehood, lying, or betrayal of trust. It denotes anything that is not true or anything that seeks to lead another person astray from the reality of God.
Isaiah confronts Judah not just with theological deviations, but with deeply ingrained, corrupt social and religious practices—sorcery and adultery—that mirrored spiritual unfaithfulness to God. This address likely occurred during or after Manasseh's reign, a time when these sins were rampant and had led the nation to the brink of destruction.
c. 715-697 BC— this verse
Reign of Manasseh
King Manasseh's reign was marked by a widespread return to idolatry and pagan practices, including sorcery and child sacrifice, reversing the reforms of his father Hezekiah. Isaiah likely prophesied during or shortly after this period, addressing the deep religious corruption.
c. 622 BC
Discovery of the Book of the Law
During the reign of Josiah, the Book of the Law was discovered in the Temple, leading to a major religious reformation. This event highlighted the extent of the people's deviation from God's commands and the need for repentance, providing a backdrop for prophecies concerning Judah's unfaithfulness.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled thousands of Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of the end for the kingdom of Judah.
587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's armies destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This catastrophic event was the culmination of generations of unfaithfulness prophesied by Isaiah and others.
This passage also uses the imagery of adultery to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to God, portraying the nation as a harlot who has broken her marriage covenant with Him.
Ezekiel 16:3Ezekiel uses similar language to describe Jerusalem's origins as mixed with foreign peoples and their idolatrous practices, essentially calling them illegitimate ('sons of a harlot') due to their spiritual unfaithfulness.
Hosea 4:11-14Hosea links idolatry and spiritual adultery with practices like sorcery and commercial immorality, showing that these sins were often intertwined in ancient Israel's corrupted worship.
Matthew 12:39Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, calling them an 'evil and adulterous generation,' drawing a parallel to the spiritual adultery described in the Old Testament prophets.
bensonIsaiah 57:3: "But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore."
Isaiah 57:3-4 . But draw near hither, &c. — “The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the pure seed of the church lay hid in solitary places, while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcass; not the true, but the idolatrous church.” Thus Vitringa, who understands this paragraph as des…
pulpitIsaiah 57:3: "But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore."
Verses 3-14. - ISRAEL SEVERELY REBUKED FOR IDOLATRY. Though Hezekiah had made a great reformation of religion when he ascended the throne(2 Kings 18:4; 2 Chronicles 29:3-19), and had done his best to put down idolatry, yet it was still dear to large numbers among the people, and was easily revived by Manasseh in the earlier portion of his reign (2 Chronicles 33:2-9). Isaiah now rebukes variou…
This verse doesn't just point a finger at outward sin; it reveals that their spiritual unfaithfulness to God is so profound it's like a family trait, inherited through generations of spiritual adultery and deception, rather than a literal bloodline. God sees their actions not just as individual choices but as a deep-seated corruption that marks them as illegitimate children in His eyes.
The prophet has just lamented the death of the righteous and the general disregard for godliness, contrasting their peaceful rest with the turbulent lives of the wicked. Now, Isaiah turns directly to address those who continue in their unfaithfulness to God, summoning them to hear their condemnation for spiritual adultery and idolatry. This is not a gentle invitation, but a stark summons to face divine judgment for their corrupt practices, which have estranged them from God and marked them as illegitimate offspring in His eyes.
The prophet has just lamented the death of the righteous and the general disregard for godliness, contrasting their peaceful rest with the turbulent lives of the wicked. Now, Isaiah turns directly to address those who continue in their unfaithfulness to God, summoning them to hear their condemnation for spiritual adultery and idolatry. This is not a gentle invitation, but a stark summons to face divine judgment for their corrupt practices, which have estranged them from God and marked them as illegitimate offspring in His eyes.
"But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children o…" — This verse doesn't just point a finger at outward sin; it reveals that their spiritual unfaithfulness to God is so profound it's like a family trait, inherited through generations of spiritual adulte…
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Last reviewed October 2026
