The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "taken away from the evil to come" isn't just about avoiding future suffering; it highlights that the departure of the righteous is a deliberate act by God to remove them before they are further corrupted or devastated by the surrounding wickedness and coming judgment. It’s a divine rescue, not merely an escape.
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet laments that righteous and merciful people are disappearing from Judah, and no one seems to notice or care. This absence of concern is a sign of the nation's deep corruption. However, these faithful individuals are actually being taken away to be protected from the terrible judgment and wickedness that is about to engulf the land.
What happens when the best people vanish from our communities? Often, it's barely a footnote, a quiet passing that few seem to notice or understand.
Isaiah opens this chapter with a startling observation: 'The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands.' This isn't just a lament; it's a powerful indictment. It speaks to a deep spiritual blindness when the removal of God's faithful servants—those who are pillars of integrity and virtue—goes unnoticed.
A Community's Blindness
This indifference reveals a community that has lost its spiritual compass, unable to discern the significance of godly lives and their departure.
Why would God allow good people to be taken? Sometimes, their departure isn't a punishment, but a profound act of protection.
The verse doesn't just state that the righteous are removed; it offers a crucial reason: 'For the righteous man is taken away from the evil to come.' This perspective shifts our understanding dramatically. Instead of seeing their removal as a loss , God's perspective frames it as a deliverance impending danger.
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Divine Protection and Foreknowledge
This offers immense comfort: even when the loss of a godly person feels like a tragedy, God might be orchestrating their safety and peace from evils we cannot even fathom.
Understand the original words
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Refers to one who is in a right relationship with God, characterized by moral integrity, obedience to His law, and trust in His covenant. It denotes a person whose life aligns with God's standards of justice and righteousness.
chasid · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Refers to those who are godly, faithful, or characterized by 'hesed' (covenant loyalty/loving-kindness). It describes those who maintain a devoted, pious relationship with the Lord and His people.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A state of evil, disaster, distress, or adversity. It often describes the judgment or ruin that comes upon a nation or individual due to sin and rebellion against God.
The verse speaks to a time of intense persecution and spiritual decay, likely during King Manasseh's reign. The disappearance of righteous people was not only a tragedy but a sign, largely ignored by the people, that a terrible judgment was coming upon the land due to its wickedness.
c. 716-697 BC— this verse
Reign of King Manasseh
Manasseh's reign was marked by a resurgence of idolatry and a brutal persecution of prophets and faithful Israelites. This period of intense spiritual and political turmoil is seen as the primary backdrop for Isaiah's lament.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion under Sennacherib
Although Jerusalem was not captured, this invasion devastated much of Judah, leading to widespread fear and upheaval. The devastation likely intensified the sense of divine judgment and the precariousness of life for the faithful.
c. 697-642 BC
Reign of King Amon
Manasseh's son, Amon, continued his father's wicked policies, further deepening the corruption within the kingdom. This continued apostasy amplified the prophet's warnings and concerns for the righteous.
c. 642-640 BC
Reign of King Josiah (Early Years)
Josiah's reign began with a commitment to reform, but the earlier decades were shaped by the legacy of Manasseh's and Amon's idolatry. The reforms gained momentum after the discovery of the Book of the Law.
This psalm laments the disappearance of godly people and the prevalence of wickedness, mirroring Isaiah's concern that no one is taking to heart the loss of the righteous.
2 Kings 22:19-20This passage shows King Josiah receiving a message that because of his humble heart, he will be 'gathered to your grave in peace,' and 'your eyes shall not see all the disaster I will bring on this place.' This directly reflects the idea in Isaiah that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come.
Job 14:1-4Job questions the fate of humanity, highlighting the brevity of life and the prevalence of sin, which resonates with Isaiah's observation that the righteous perish and their removal isn't fully understood in the face of widespread corruption.
Matthew 13:16-17Jesus' disciples rejoiced that they could see and hear his teachings, and Jesus affirmed their blessing, contrasting it with the blindness of others. This echoes Isaiah's lament that people fail to 'lay it to heart' or 'understand' when the righteous are removed, missing God's deeper purposes.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14Paul's words about not grieving like those without hope when believers die connect to Isaiah's message. The righteous are taken away to peace, a comfort that those who don't understand or care about their removal often miss.
ellicottIsaiah 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."
LVII. (1) The righteous perisheth . . .—The words seem written as if in the anticipation or in the actual presence of Manasseh’s persecution of the true prophets. Even before that persecution burst out in its full violence, the “righteous” survivors of Hezekiah’s régime may well have vexed their souls even to death with…
barnesIsaiah 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."
The righteous perisheth - This refers, as I suppose, to the time of Manasseh (see the Introduction, Section 3). Grotius supposes, that it refers to king Josiah; Vitringa, that it refers to martyrs in general. But it seems probable to me that the prophet designs to describe the state of stupidity which prevailed in his ow…
The phrase "taken away from the evil to come" isn't just about avoiding future suffering; it highlights that the departure of the righteous is a deliberate act by God to remove them before they are further corrupted or devastated by the surrounding wickedness and coming judgment. It’s a divine rescue, not merely an escape.
The prophet laments that righteous and merciful people are disappearing from Judah, and no one seems to notice or care. This absence of concern is a sign of the nation's deep corruption. However, these faithful individuals are actually being taken away to be protected from the terrible judgment and wickedness that is about to engulf the land.
The prophet laments that righteous and merciful people are disappearing from Judah, and no one seems to notice or care. This absence of concern is a sign of the nation's deep corruption. However, these faithful individuals are actually being taken away to be protected from the terrible judgment and wickedness that is about to engulf the land.
"The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;" — The phrase "taken away from the evil to come" isn't just about avoiding future suffering; it highlights that the departure of the righteous is a deliberate act by God to remove them before they are…
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Last reviewed October 2026