Isa 57:1
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.

Isa 57:2
57:2 {b} 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.

Isa 57:3
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.

Isa 57:5
57:5 Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree,
     slaying the {d} children in the valleys under the clefts of
     the rocks?

     (d) Read Le 18:21, 2Ki 23:10.

Isa 57:6
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.

Isa 57:7
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.

Isa 57:8
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.

Isa 57:9
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.

Isa 57:10
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.

Isa 57:11
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.

Isa 57:12
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.

Isa 57:13
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.

Isa 57:14
57:14 {r} 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.

Isa 57:16
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.

Isa 57:17
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.

Isa 57:18
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.

Isa 57:19
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.

Isa 57:20
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.