Isaías 57

ARC · Chapter 57/66

1Perece o justo, e não ha quem considere n'isso em seu coração, e os homens compassivos são recolhidos, sem que alguem considere que o justo é recolhido antes do mal.

2Entrará em paz: descançarão nas suas camas, os que houverem andado na sua rectidão.

3Porém chegae-vos aqui, vós os filhos da agoureira, semente adulterina, e que commetteis fornicação.

4De quem fazeis o vosso passatempo? contra quem alargaes a bocca, e deitaes para fóra a lingua? porventura não sois filhos da transgressão, semente da falsidade,

5Que vos esquentaes com os deuses debaixo de toda a arvore verde, e sacrificaes os filhos nos ribeiros, debaixo dos cantos dos penhascos?

6Nas pedras lisas dos ribeiros está a tua parte; estas, estas são a tua sorte; a estas tambem derramas a tua libação, e lhes offereces offertas: contentar-me-hia eu d'estas coisas?

7Sobre os montes altos e levantados pões a tua cama; e lá sobes para sacrificar sacrificios.

8E detraz das portas e dos umbraes pões os teus memoriaes; porque, desviando-te de mim, a outros te descobres, e sobes, alargas a tua cama, e fazes concerto com alguns d'elles: amas a sua cama, onde quer que a vês.

9E vaes ao rei com oleo, e multiplicas os teus perfumes; e envias os teus embaixadores para longe, e te abates até aos infernos.

10Na tua comprida viagem te cançaste; porém não dizes: É coisa desesperada: o que buscavas achaste; por isso não adoeces.

11Mas de que tiveste receio, ou a quem temeste? porque mentiste, e não te lembraste de mim, nem no teu coração me pozeste? não é porventura porque eu me calo, e isso já desde muito tempo, e me não temes?

12Eu publicarei a tua justiça, e as tuas obras, que não te aproveitarão.

13Quando vieres a clamar, livrem-te os teus congregados; porém o vento a todos levará, e a vaidade os arrebatará: mas o que confia em mim possuirá a terra, e herdará o meu sancto monte.

14E dir-se-ha: Aplainae, aplainae a estrada, preparae o caminho: tirae os tropeços do caminho do meu povo.

15Porque assim diz o alto e o sublime, que habita na eternidade, e cujo nome é sancto: Na altura e no logar sancto habito; como tambem com o contrito e abatido de espirito, para vivificar o espirito dos abatidos, e para vivificar o coração dos contritos.

16Porque para sempre não contenderei, nem continuamente me indignarei; porque o espirito perante a minha face se opprimiria, e as almas que eu fiz.

17Pela iniquidade da sua avareza me indignei, e os feri: escondi-me, e indignei-me; comtudo, rebeldes, seguiram o caminho do seu coração.

18Eu vejo os seus caminhos, e os sararei, e os guiarei, e lhes tornarei a dar consolações, a saber, aos seus pranteadores.

19Eu crio os fructos dos labios: paz, paz, para os que estão longe, e para os que estão perto, diz o Senhor, e eu os sararei.

20Mas os impios são como o mar bravo, porque não se pode aquietar, e as suas aguas lançam de si lama e lodo.

21Os impios, diz o meu Deus, não teem paz.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Isaiah laments that the righteous die without anyone taking notice, while harshly denouncing the people's idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness, compared to adultery. The chapter closes with a surprising promise of healing and peace for the repentant, contrite, and humble.

Explanation

The observation that "the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart" reflects a realistic sorrow: good people often die without recognition, but the text suggests this may even be an act of mercy, sparing them from seeing future evils. The denunciation of idolatry using the language of adultery and prostitution (common among prophets such as Isaiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel) describes how the people sought other gods "under every green tree" and even practiced child sacrifice, a serious accusation confirmed by similar charges elsewhere in Scripture regarding certain periods of Judah's history. The chapter's final turn, promising to dwell "with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble," shows that despite so much denunciation, God's heart remains set on restoring those who genuinely humble themselves. The application today is that God draws especially near to those who recognize their own frailty and sincerely seek restoration.

Fun facts

  • The mention of "slaying the children in the valleys" (v.5) refers to the actual pagan practice of child sacrifice to deities such as Molech, denounced in several parts of the Old Testament and confirmed by archaeological evidence from Canaanite and Phoenician sites (including Carthage).
  • The closing phrase "there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (v.21) repeats almost identically the ending of chapter 48, functioning as a structural refrain that scholars use to identify divisions within the second half of the book of Isaiah.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Isaías 57:1Noticing that no one perceives when the righteous dies is a lament over collective indifference, and the idea that he is “taken away from the evil to come” suggests that an early death sometimes spares someone from seeing a greater catastrophe arrive.
  2. Isaías 57:2Entering “into peace” and resting in their own beds after a life of uprightness contrasts with the turbulent fate described for the wicked in the rest of the chapter — a quiet relief placed between two sections of accusation.
  3. Isaías 57:3“Sons of the sorceress” and “the seed of the adulterer and the whore” are harsh insults, linking the accused people to divination practices and to unfaithfulness, both in the marital and the religious sense.
  4. Isaías 57:4Opening the mouth wide and sticking out the tongue describes physical gestures of mockery, a scene of scorn directed at someone — probably the prophet himself or the message he carries.
  5. Isaías 57:5Sacrificing children near streams refers to a Canaanite custom of offering children to gods like Molech. It’s a practice the biblical prophets repeatedly condemn as one of the worst forms of idolatry.
  6. Isaías 57:6Smooth stones from the stream as your “portion” and “lot” describe pagan cult objects, possibly used in rituals involving stones polished by water, treated ironically as if they were a received inheritance.
  7. Isaías 57:7High mountains as a place for a “bed” and religious sacrifice repeat the common criticism against worship practiced on high places outside the official temple, a recurring theme since the book’s early chapters.
  8. Isaías 57:8Memorials behind doors and doorposts probably describe pagan religious symbols hidden inside the home, while the language of “bed” and “covenant” with others uses marital unfaithfulness as a metaphor for religious unfaithfulness.
  9. Isaías 57:9Sending ambassadors far away with oil and perfumes describes attempts to seek foreign political alliances, the same kind of criticism made in other chapters against trusting outside nations instead of God.
  10. Isaías 57:10Wearying yourself in “the greatness of thy way” without giving up, even with no relief in sight, describes stubbornness in continuing to pursue these alliances or cults, without admitting the effort wasn’t worth it.
  11. Isaías 57:11The question “of whom hast thou been afraid or feared” suggests that fear of something else, perhaps foreign powers, led the people to forget God, and His prolonged silence was misread as indifference.
  12. Isaías 57:12“I will declare thy righteousness” is ironic: instead of praise, it’s a public exposure of actions that, in truth, will bring no benefit at all to whoever did them.
  13. Isaías 57:13The invitation for the “companies,” probably the gathered idols, to save whoever cries out to them contrasts with the promise that only those who trust in God will truly inherit the land and the holy mountain.
  14. Isaías 57:14“Prepare the way” repeats the same path-preparation image used in chapter 40, here applied to removing specific obstacles that trip up the people, not only to the journey back from exile.
  15. Isaías 57:15Dwelling in eternity while at the same time living close to those who are humbled and grieving brings two extremes together. It is a God so great that He exists outside of time, yet chooses to draw near to those who suffer instead of pulling away.
  16. Isaías 57:16Saying that God “will not contend for ever” sets a limit on the duration of divine anger, a caution justified by the fragility of the very souls He created, who could not withstand eternal pressure.
  17. Isaías 57:17“The iniquity of his covetousness” ties the punishment to a specific sin, greed, and acknowledges that even after the punishment the people remained rebellious, following their own heart instead of correcting course.
  18. Isaías 57:18The promise to heal and guide the one previously wounded by punishment, and to comfort even those who mourn for him, shows a shift in posture: from correction to care.
  19. Isaías 57:19“I create the fruit of the lips” describes peace as something God produces and distributes, reaching both those who are far off and those who are near — probably referring to distant exiles and the people who stayed behind.
  20. Isaías 57:20Comparing the wicked to a raging sea that cannot be still, casting up mud, is an image of permanent instability. Whoever lives doing evil never truly rests, unlike the upright, described just before resting peacefully.
  21. Isaías 57:21This closing line, repeated almost identically at the end of chapter 48, functions as a fixed conclusion: despite every promise of peace and healing, it remains reserved for those who change course, not for those who persist in evil.

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