Focused Passage

Isaiah 57:14-21

The High and Lofty One Revives the Contrite but Gives No Peace to the Wicked

From the unnoticed death of the righteous and their entrance into peace, to an indictment of sorcery-like idolatry and spiritual adultery, to exposure of political and religious self-expenditure, to the LORD’s challenge that idols cannot save, to a promise that the high and holy God revives the contrite, to healing and peace for mourners, and finally to the no-peace condition of the wicked.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”

15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

16 For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me—the breath of life I have made.

17 I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

19 bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”

20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

And it will be said וְאָמַ֥ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Build it up סֹֽלּוּ־ H5549 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural build it up סֹ֖לּוּ H5549 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural prepare פַּנּוּ־ H6437 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural the way דָ֑רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular take הָרִ֥ימוּ H7311 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural every obstacle מִכְשׁ֖וֹל H4383 Noun - masculine singular out of the way מִדֶּ֥רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-m | Noun - common singular construct of My people עַמִּֽי׃ס H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

For כִּי֩ H3588 Conjunction thus כֹ֨ה H3541 Adverb says אָמַ֜ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the One who is high רָ֣ם H7311 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and lifted up וְנִשָּׂ֗א H5375 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular who inhabits שֹׁכֵ֥ן H7931 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular eternity עַד֙ H5703 Noun - masculine singular whose name שְׁמ֔וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular is Holy וְקָד֣וֹשׁ H6918 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular I dwell אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular in a high מָר֥וֹם H4791 Noun - masculine singular and holy place וְקָד֖וֹשׁ H6918 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular and with וְאֶת־ H854 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the oppressed דַּכָּא֙ H1793 Noun - masculine singular and humble וּשְׁפַל־ H8217 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct in spirit ר֔וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular to restore לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ H2421 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct the spirit ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of the lowly שְׁפָלִ֔ים H8217 Adjective - masculine plural and revive וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת H2421 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct the heart לֵ֥ב H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct of the contrite נִדְכָּאִֽים׃ H1792 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I will not לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle accuse you forever אָרִ֔יב H7378 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . לְעוֹלָם֙ H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular nor will I וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle always לָנֶ֖צַח H5331 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular be angry אֶקְּצ֑וֹף H7107 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular for כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction then the spirit [of man] ר֙וּחַ֙ H7307 Noun - common singular would grow weak יַֽעֲט֔וֹף H5848 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular before Me מִלְּפָנַ֣י H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular the breath of life וּנְשָׁמ֖וֹת H5397 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular have made עָשִֽׂיתִי׃ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Verse 17

Original words

I was enraged קָצַ֥פְתִּי H7107 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular by his sinful בַּעֲוֺ֥ן H5771 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct greed בִּצְע֛וֹ H1215 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular so I struck him וְאַכֵּ֖הוּ H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular and hid [My face] הַסְתֵּ֣ר H5641 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute in anger וְאֶקְצֹ֑ף H7107 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular yet he kept וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular turning back שׁוֹבָ֖ב H7726 Adjective - masculine singular to the desires בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct of his heart לִבּֽוֹ׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

I have seen רָאִ֖יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular his ways דְּרָכָ֥יו H1870 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular but I will heal him וְאֶרְפָּאֵ֑הוּ H7495 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular I will guide him וְאַנְחֵ֕הוּ H5148 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular and restore וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֧ם H7999 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular comfort נִֽחֻמִ֛ים H5150 Noun - masculine plural to him ל֖וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular and his mourners וְלַאֲבֵלָֽיו׃ H57 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

bringing בּוֹרֵ֖א H1254 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular praise נוּב H5108 Noun - masculine singular to their lips שְׂפָתָ֑יִם H8193 Noun - fd Peace שָׁל֨וֹם׀ H7965 Noun - masculine singular peace שָׁל֜וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular to those far לָרָח֧וֹק H7350 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular and near וְלַקָּר֛וֹב H7138 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular says אָמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and I will heal them וּרְפָאתִֽיו׃ H7495 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 20

Original words

But the wicked וְהָרְשָׁעִ֖ים H7563 Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine plural are like the storm-tossed נִגְרָ֑שׁ H1644 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular sea כַּיָּ֣ם H3220 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular for כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction it cannot לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be still הַשְׁקֵט֙ H8252 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . יוּכָ֔ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and its waves מֵימָ֖יו H4325 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular churn up וַיִּגְרְשׁ֥וּ H1644 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural mire רֶ֥פֶשׁ H7516 Noun - masculine singular and muck וָטִֽיט׃ H2916 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

There is no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb peace שָׁל֔וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular says אָמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular my God אֱלֹהַ֖י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular for the wicked לָרְשָׁעִֽים׃ס H7563 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.