Isaiah 57:1

1 A just man perisheth, and none is that thinketh in his heart; and men of mercy be gathered together, for none there is that understandeth; for why a just man is gathered from the face of malice. (The just, or the righteous, perish, and no one thinketh about it in their hearts, or in their minds; and people of mercy be taken away, and no one understandeth, that the just, or the righteous, have been taken away, before that malice, or the evil, come.)

Isaiah 57:1 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 57:1

The righteous perisheth
Not eternally; he may fear he shall, by reason of sin and temptation; he may say his strength and hope are perished; and his peace and comfort may perish for a time; but he cannot perish everlastingly, because he is one that believes in Christ, and is justified by his righteousness, from whence he is denominated righteous; and such shall never perish, but have everlasting life: but the meaning is, that he perisheth as to his outward man, or dies corporeally, which is called perishing, ( Ecclesiastes 7:15 ) and so the Targum renders it,

``the righteous die.''

Or it may be rendered, "the righteous man is lost" ^F2; not to himself, his death is a gain to him; but to the church, and to the world, which yet is not considered: and no man layeth it to heart;
takes any notice of it, thinks at all about it, far from being concerned or grieved; instead of that, rather rejoice, and are pleased that they are rid of such persons; which will be the case when the witnesses are slain, ( Revelation 11:10 ) . The Targum is,

``and no man lays my fear to heart;''

or on his heart; whereas such providences should lead men to fear the Lord, and seek to him, and serve him, as it did David, ( Psalms 12:1 ) : and merciful men are taken away;
or "gathered" ^F3; out of the world, to their own people, to heaven; these are such who obtain mercy of the Lord, and show mercy to others, holy good men: the former character may respect the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, this his grace implanted in them, discovered by acts of mercy and goodness; for one and the same persons are intended: none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to
come;
that there are evil times coming, great calamities, and sore judgments upon men; and therefore these righteous ones are gathered out of the world, and are gathered home, and safely housed in heaven, that they may escape the evil coming upon a wicked generation; and who yet have no thought about it, nor are they led to observe it as they might, from the removal of good men out of the world; see ( 2 Kings 22:20 ) . All this may be applied to the martyrs of Jesus in times of Popish persecution; or to the removal of good men by an ordinary death before those times came.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (dba qyduh) , (apwleto) , Sept.
F3 (Mypoan) "colliguntur", V. L. Munster, Piscator, Cocceius; "congregantur", Pagninus.

Isaiah 57:1 In-Context

1 A just man perisheth, and none is that thinketh in his heart; and men of mercy be gathered together, for none there is that understandeth; for why a just man is gathered from the face of malice. (The just, or the righteous, perish, and no one thinketh about it in their hearts, or in their minds; and people of mercy be taken away, and no one understandeth, that the just, or the righteous, have been taken away, before that malice, or the evil, come.)

2 Peace come, rest he in his bed, that went in his (proper) direction. (Let peace come, yea, rest they in their last beds, everyone who went in their own uprightness.)

3 But ye, sons of the seeker of false divining by chittering of birds, nigh hither, the seed of adulteress, and of a whore. (But come ye here, ye sons and daughters of the seeker of false divining by the twittering of birds, ye children of an adulterer, and of a whore.)

4 On whom scorned ye? on whom made ye great the mouth, and putted out the tongue? Whether ye be not cursed sons, a seed of leasings? (Against whom mocked ye? against whom made ye great the mouth, and stuck out the tongue? Be ye not accursed sons and daughters, the children, or the descendants, of liars?)

5 which be comforted in gods (who be comforted with gods), under each tree full of boughs, and (who) offer little children in strands, under (the) high stones.