Isaiah 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 from the evil to come.
Original Language Analysis
אָבָ֔ד
perisheth
H6
אָבָ֔ד
perisheth
Strong's:
H6
Word #:
2 of 17
properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)
וְאֵ֥ין
H369
וְאַנְשֵׁי
and no man
H376
וְאַנְשֵׁי
and no man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
4 of 17
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
שָׂ֣ם
layeth
H7760
שָׂ֣ם
layeth
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
5 of 17
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
6 of 17
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
לֵ֑ב
it to heart
H3820
לֵ֑ב
it to heart
Strong's:
H3820
Word #:
7 of 17
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
וְאַנְשֵׁי
and no man
H376
וְאַנְשֵׁי
and no man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
8 of 17
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
חֶ֤סֶד
and merciful
H2617
חֶ֤סֶד
and merciful
Strong's:
H2617
Word #:
9 of 17
kindness; by implication (towards god) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
נֶאֱסַ֥ף
are taken away
H622
נֶאֱסַ֥ף
are taken away
Strong's:
H622
Word #:
10 of 17
to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e., remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
בְּאֵ֣ין
H369
מֵבִ֔ין
none considering
H995
מֵבִ֔ין
none considering
Strong's:
H995
Word #:
12 of 17
to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e., (generally) understand
כִּֽי
H3588
כִּֽי
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
13 of 17
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
מִפְּנֵ֥י
from
H6440
מִפְּנֵ֥י
from
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
14 of 17
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Cross References
2 Kings 22:20Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.Psalms 12:1Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.2 Chronicles 34:28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.Micah 7:2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.Isaiah 42:25Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.Isaiah 47:7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.1 Kings 14:13And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.Malachi 2:2If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.2 Chronicles 35:24His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.2 Chronicles 32:33And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
Historical Context
Before Babylonian invasion, godly King Josiah died in battle (2 Kings 22:20 - 'I will gather thee...that thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place'). His death was mercy, sparing him from seeing Jerusalem's destruction. Same principle explains why godly often die before catastrophic judgments.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding that death can be God's mercy (removing righteous from coming evil) change your view of mortality?
- What does the world's indifference to righteous people perishing reveal about spiritual blindness?
Analysis & Commentary
The observation that 'the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart' describes society's callous indifference to godly people's suffering. The explanation 'the righteous is taken away from the evil to come' reveals God's mercy in removing His servants before severe judgment. Death for believers is rescue, not punishment - God spares them from coming wrath. This reframes mortality as divine protection.