THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH
Isaiah 57 ©
The Lord upbraids the Jews with their excessive heedlessness, because they regarded not the death of holy and godly men, v. 1, etc. As also because they derided the prophets, 4. And committed idolatry, 5. And because they trusted human help, 9. Therefore He threatens to punish them, 12. Yet He comforts the penitent, and promises to show them grace, 13. But the wicked have no peace, 20.
THE1 righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and mercifula men 2are taken away, none considering 3that the righteous is taken away 4from the evil to come.
5He shall enter 6into peace: they shall rest in their 7beds, each one walking in his 8uprightness.
¶But draw near hither, 9ye sons of the sorceress, 10the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
11Against whom do ye sport yourselves? 12against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not 13children of transgression, 14a seed of falsehood,
15Enflaming yourselves 16with idols under 17every green tree, 18slaying the children in the valleys 19under the cliftsb of the rocks?
20Among the smooth stones of the stream is 21thy portion; they, they are 22thy lot: even 23to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. 24Should I receive comfort in these?
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set 25thy bed: even thither wentest thou up 26to offer sacrifice.
27Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up 28thy remembrance: 29for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and 30art gone up; 31thou hast enlarged thy bed, 32and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst 33their bed 34where thou sawest 35it.
And 36thou wentest to the king 37with ointment, and 38didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers 39far off, 40and didst debase thyself even 41unto hell.
42Thou art wearied in the 43greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, 44There is no hope: 45thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou 46wast not grieved.
47And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and 48hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? 49have not I held my peace 50even of old, and thou fearest me not?
I will 51declare 52thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.53
¶When 54thou criest, let 55thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he thatc putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit 56my holy mountain;
And 57shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also 58that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For Id will not contend 59for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for 60the spirit should 61fail before me, 62and the souls whiche I have made.
For the iniquity of 63his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: 64I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly 65in the way of his heart.
¶ 66I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to 67his mourners.
68I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace 69to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
But the wicked are 70like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose 71waters 72cast 73up mire and dirt.
There is 74no peace, saith my God, to thef wicked.