57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth [it] to heart:
and merciful men [are] taken away, none considering that
the righteous is taken away a from the evil [to come].
(a) From the plague that is at hand, and also because God
will punish the wicked.
57:2b He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their
beds, [each one] walking [in] his uprightness.
(b) The soul of the righteous will be in joy, and their
body will rest in the grave to the time of the
resurrection, because they walked before the Lord.
57:3 But draw near here, ye c sons of the sorceress, the seed
of the adulterer and the harlot.
(c) He threatens the wicked hypocrites, who under the
pretence of the name of God's people, derided God's
word and his promises: boasting openly that they were
the children of Abraham, but because they were not
faithful and obedient as Abraham was, he calls them
bastards and the children of sorcerers, who forsook
God, and fled to wicked means for comfort.
57:5 Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree,
slaying the d children in the valleys under the clefts of
the rocks?
57:6 Among the smooth [stones] e of the stream [is] thy
portion; they, they [are] thy lot: even to them hast thou
poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering.
Should I receive comfort in f these?
(e) Meaning every place was polluted with their idolatry:
or every fair stone they found they made into an idol.
(f) In the sacrifices which you offering before these idols
thought you served God.
57:7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy g bed:
even there thou wentest up to offer sacrifice.
(g) That is, your altars in an open place, like an impudent
harlot, that cares not for the sight of her husband.
57:8 Behind the h doors also and the door posts hast thou set
up thy remembrance: for thou hast uncovered [thyself to
another] than me, and hast gone up; thou hast i enlarged
thy bed, and made thee [a covenant] with them; thou didst
love their bed where thou sawest [it].
(h) Instead of setting up the word of God in the open
places on the posts and doors to have it in
remembrance, (De 6:9,27:1) you have set up signs
and marks of your idolatry in every place.
(i) That is, increased your idolatry more and more.
57:9 And thou wentest k to the king with ointment, and didst
increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far
off, and didst debase [thyself even] to hell.
(k) You sought the favour of the Assyrians by gifts and
presents to help you against the Egyptians and when
they failed you sought the Babylonians, and more and
more tormented yourself.
57:10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; [yet] saidst
thou not, l There is no hope: thou m hast found the
life of thy hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
(l) Although you saw all your labours to be in vain, yet
would you never acknowledge your fault and leave off.
(m) He derides their unprofitable diligence, who thought
to have made all sure, and yet were deceived.
57:11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou
hast n lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid [it]
to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of o old,
and thou fearest me not?
(n) Broken promises with me.
(o) Meaning, that the wicked abuse God's leniency, and
grow to further wickedness.
57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, p and thy works; for
they shall not profit thee.
(p) That is, your naughtiness, idolatry and impiety which
the wicked call God's service: thus he derides their
obstinacy.
57:13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the
wind q shall carry them all away; vanity shall take
[them]: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess
the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
(q) Meaning, the Assyrians and others, whose help they
looked for.
57:14r And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the
way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my
people.
(r) God will say to Darius and Cyrus.
57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always
angry: s for the spirit should fail before me, and the
souls [which] I have made.
(s) I will not use my power against frail man, whose life
is but a blast.
57:17 For the t iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and
smote him: I hid myself, and was angry, and he went on
backsliding in the way of his heart.
(t) That is, for the vices and faults of the people, which
is here meant by covetousness.
57:18 I have seen his ways, and will u heal him: I will lead
him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
(u) Though they were obstinate, yet I did not withdraw my
mercy from them.
57:19 I create the x fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to [him
that is] y far off, and to [him that is] near, saith the
LORD; and I will heal him.
(x) That is, I frame the speech and words of my messengers
who will bring peace.
(y) As well to him that is in captivity as to him that
remains at home.
57:20 But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, when it z
cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
(z) Their evil conscience always torments them and
therefore they can never have rest, (Isa 48:22).
