Isaiah 57:1-7

Evil Leaders Rebuked

1 The righteous man perishes, and no man 1takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from 2evil,
2 He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who 3walked in his upright way.
3 "But come here, you sons of a 4sorceress, 5Offspring of an adulterer and a 6prostitute.
4 "Against whom do you jest? Against whom do you open wide your mouth And stick out your tongue? Are you not children of 7rebellion, Offspring of deceit,
5 Who inflame yourselves among the 8oaks, 9Under every luxuriant tree, Who 10slaughter the children in the ravines, Under the clefts of the crags?
6 "Among the 11smooth stones of the ravine Is your portion, they are your lot; Even to them you have 12poured out a drink offering, You have made a grain offering. Shall I 13relent concerning these things?
7 "Upon a 14high and lofty mountain You have 15made your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

Isaiah 57:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 57

This chapter contains complaints of the stupidity and idolatry of the people, described in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and some promises of grace to the people of God. The stupidity of the former is observed, Isa 57:1 they not taking notice of the death of good men, nor of impending calamities they were taken from, whose happiness is described, Isa 57:2, then these idolatrous people are summoned before the Lord, Isa 57:3 and are charged with deriding the saints with idolatry and murder, Isa 57:4-6 and their idolatry is represented under the notion of adultery, attended with very aggravating circumstances, Isa 57:7-9 and yet these people still entertained presumptuous hopes of happiness, and boasted of, and trusted in, their righteousness and good works, which would be exposed, and be of no advantage to them, Isa 57:10-12, next follow promises of grace to the saints, that such that trusted in Christ should inherit the holy mountain, Isa 57:13 that the stumblingblock of his people should be removed, Isa 57:14, that he should dwell with the humble and contrite, Isa 57:15, and not be always wroth and contend with them, for a reason given, Isa 57:16 and that though he had smote them, and hid his face from them because of their sins, yet would heal them, lead them, and comfort them, and speak peace unto them, Isa 57:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with the character of the wicked, and an assurance that there is no peace for them, Isa 57:20,21.

Cross References 15

  • 1. Isaiah 42:25; Isaiah 47:7
  • 2. 2 Kings 22:20; Isaiah 47:11; Jeremiah 18:11
  • 3. Isaiah 26:7
  • 4. Malachi 3:5
  • 5. Isaiah 1:4; Matthew 16:4
  • 6. Isaiah 1:21; Isaiah 57:7-9
  • 7. Isaiah 48:8
  • 8. Isaiah 1:29
  • 9. 2 Kings 16:4; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:13
  • 10. 2 Kings 23:10; Psalms 106:37, 38; Jeremiah 7:31
  • 11. Jeremiah 3:9; Habakkuk 2:19
  • 12. Jeremiah 7:18
  • 13. Jeremiah 5:9, 29; Jeremiah 9:9
  • 14. Jeremiah 3:6; Ezekiel 16:16
  • 15. Ezekiel 23:41

Footnotes 8

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