Comfort for the Contrite

14 And it shall be said,
(A)“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
    remove every obstruction from my people's way.”
15 For thus says (B)the One who is high and lifted up,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is (C)Holy:
(D)“I dwell in the high and holy place,
    and also (E)with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
(F)to revive the spirit of the lowly,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 (G)For I will not contend forever,
    nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
    and the breath of life that I made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his (H)unjust gain I was angry,
    I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
    but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
18 I have seen his ways, (I)but I will heal him;
    I will lead him (J)and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
19     (K)creating (L)the fruit of the lips.
(M)Peace, peace, (N)to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
    (O)“and I will heal him.
20 (P)But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
    for it cannot be quiet,
    and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
21 (Q)There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

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14 And one has said:[a]
    ‘Build up! Build up the road![b]
        Prepare the highway!
Remove every obstacle from my people’s way.’

15 “For this is what the high and lofty One says,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“He lives[c] in the height and in holiness,[d]
    and also with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I won’t accuse forever,
    nor will I always be angry;
for then the human spirit would grow faint before me—
    even the souls that I have created.
17 Because of his wicked greed I was angry,
    so I punished him;
and[e] I hid my face, and was angry—
    but he kept turning back to his stubborn will.[f]
18 I’ve seen his ways,[g] yet I will heal him,[h]
    and restore for him[i] comfort[j] to him
        and for those who mourn for him[k]
19 when[l] I create the fruit of the lips:
    Peace[m] to the one who is far away or near,” says the Lord,
        “and I’ll heal him.
20 But the wicked are tossed like the sea;[n]
    for it is not able to[o] keep still,
        and its waters toss up mire and mud.

21 “Yet[p] there is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:14 So 1QIsaa; MT reads one will say; or I will say; LXX reads they will say
  2. Isaiah 57:14 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT lacks the road
  3. Isaiah 57:15 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad; MT reads I live
  4. Isaiah 57:15 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsad MT read in the high and holy place
  5. Isaiah 57:17 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad LXX; 1QIsab MT lack and
  6. Isaiah 57:17 Lit. into the way of his heart
  7. Isaiah 57:18 So 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsad reads way
  8. Isaiah 57:18 So 1QIsaa; MT reads him, and I will guide him; LXX reads him, and I will exhort him
  9. Isaiah 57:18 So 1QIsaa; the reading is probably an error: MT LXX lack for him
  10. Isaiah 57:18 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT use different but related words
  11. Isaiah 57:18 Lit. for his mourners
  12. Isaiah 57:19 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab 4QIsad MT lack when
  13. Isaiah 57:19 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read Peace, peace cf. LXX
  14. Isaiah 57:20 So 1QIsaa LXX; 4QIsad MT read are like the tossing sea
  15. Isaiah 57:20 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsad MT lack able to
  16. Isaiah 57:21 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack Yet