Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 57 indicts Israel's-idolatry (vv. 1–13) and offers comfort-to-the-contrite (vv. 14–21). Verse 15's 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit' is one of-the-OT's-most-tender divine-presence promises. Verse 19's 'peace, peace, to the far and to the near' is cited at Ephesians 2:17.
Notable Variants
57:15 'with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit' divine-immanence; 57:19 'peace to far and near' → Ephesians 2:17; 57:21 'no peace, says my God, for the wicked' (// 48:22) closes-the-section.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 57 = LXX Isaiah 57. 21 verses.
The righteous one perishes, and no one takes it to heart. Men of steadfast love are gathered away, with no one understanding that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
'The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity' tracks MT.
He enters into peace; they rest on their beds — each one who walked in uprightness.
'He enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness' tracks MT. ENTER-INTO-PEACE — death-as-peaceful-rest. Revelation 14:13 ('blessed are the dead who die in the Lord … they may rest from their labors') extends.
But you — draw near, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of the adulterer and the prostitute!
'But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman' tracks MT.
Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit?
'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' tracks MT.
You who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree — who slaughter children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks!
'You who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?' tracks MT. CHILD-SACRIFICE indicted. Hinnom-Valley Tophet.
Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they are your lot! To them you have poured out drink offerings; you have brought grain offerings. Shall I relent concerning these things?
'Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?' tracks MT.
On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed; there also you went up to offer sacrifice.
'On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice' tracks MT.
Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your pagan symbols. Deserted Me and uncovered yourself — you climbed up and made your bed wide. You made a pact with them; you loved their bed; you gazed on their nakedness.
'Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed and have gone up to it; you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness' tracks MT.
You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You sent your envoys far away and debased yourself even to Sheol.
'You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol' tracks MT.
You wearied yourself on your many journeys, but you never said, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of strength and so did not grow faint.
'You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say: It is hopeless. You found new life for your strength; therefore you were not faint' tracks MT.
Whom did you dread and fear, that you lied and did not remember Me or take it to heart? Have I not held My peace for a long time, and so you do not fear Me?
'Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me?' tracks MT.
I will expose your so-called righteousness and your works — they will not profit you.
'I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you' tracks MT.
When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! But the wind will carry them all away; a breath will take them. But the one who takes refuge in Me shall inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.
'When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall inherit the land and shall possess my holy mountain' tracks MT.
And it shall be said: 'Build up, build up! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle from the path of My people.'
'And it shall be said: Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way' tracks MT. PREPARE-THE-WAY. // Isa 40:3.
For this is what the High and Exalted One says — He who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with the one who is crushed and lowly in spirit — to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the crushed.'
'For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite' tracks MT. HIGH-AND-LIFTED-UP / CONTRITE-AND-LOWLY. The double-divine-dwelling — transcendence-and-immanence in-the-same-verse. James 4:6 ('God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble') Christologically-extends. The OT's-most-condensed transcendence-and-immanence statement.
For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry, for the spirit would grow faint before Me — the very breath of life that I have made.
'For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made' tracks MT.
Because of his wicked greed I was angry; I struck him and hid My face in wrath. Yet he kept turning away, following the path of his own heart.
'Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart' tracks MT.
I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners.
'I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners' tracks MT.
creating the fruit of the lips: 'Peace, peace to the one who is far off and to the one who is near,' says the LORD, 'and I will heal him.'
Masoretic (WLC)
בּוֹרֵא נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר יְהוָה וּרְפָאתִיו
Creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near, says the LORD, and I will heal him
Septuagint (LXX)
εἰρήνην ἐπ᾽ εἰρήνην τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγὺς οὖσιν καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
Peace upon peace to those who are far and to those who are near, says the Lord; and I will heal them
EPHESIANS 2:17 ECHO. Paul writes: 'and he came and PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR OFF AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR (kai elthōn euēngelisato eirēnēn hymin tois makran kai eirēnēn tois eggys).' Paul applies-the-Isaianic peace-to-far-and-near to-Christ's-Gentile-Jewish-reconciliation. The eschatological-peace-bringing through-Christ.
But the wicked are like the churning sea that cannot be still; its waters toss up mire and mud.
'But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt' tracks MT. TOSSING-SEA-LIKE-WICKED. James 1:6 ('like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind') extends.
'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'
'There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked' tracks MT. // Isa 48:22. NO-PEACE-FOR-WICKED. Closes-Third-Isaiah's first-section.