Isaiah 28:13-23

13 And the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, 1that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

A Cornerstone in Zion

14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you 2scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the 3overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made 4lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";
16 therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 5"Behold, I am the one who has laid[a] as a foundation 6in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste.'
17 And I will make justice 7the line, and righteousness 8the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
18 Then 9your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it.
19 As often as it passes through it will take you; 10for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be 11sheer terror to understand the message.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21 For the LORD will rise up 12as on Mount Perazim; 13as in the Valley of 14Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed--strange is his deed! and to work his work--alien is his work!
22 Now therefore do not 15scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard 16a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.
23 Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech.

Isaiah 28:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 28

In this chapter the ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, are threatened with divine judgments, because of their sins and iniquities mentioned. The ten tribes, under the name of Ephraim, for their pride and drunkenness, Isa 28:1 the means of their destruction, the Assyrian monarch, compared to a hail storm, and a flood of mighty waters, Isa 28:2 which destruction, for their sins, is repeated, and represented as sudden and swift; when they would be like a fading flower and hasty fruit, Isa 28:3,4 and then, as for the two tribes, though they had a glorious prince at the head of them, who had a spirit of wisdom and judgment for government, and of valour and courage for war, Isa 28:5,6 yet the generality of the people, led on by the example of priest and prophet, went into the same sensual gratifications as they of the ten tribes did, Isa 28:7,8 and became sottish and unteachable, and were like children just taken from the breast, and to be used as such, Isa 28:9-11 and though the doctrine proposed to be taught them was such as, if received, would be of the greatest advantage to them, for their comfort and refreshment, yet it was refused by them with the utmost contempt; which was to be their ruin, Isa 28:12,13, wherefore the rulers of Jerusalem are threatened with the judgments of God, which should come upon them night and day, the report of which would be a vexation to them; and from which they should not be screened by their covenant with death and hell, or by their shelters and coverings with lies and falsehood, in which they placed their confidence, Isa 28:14,15 Isa 28:17-22 in the midst of which account, for the comfort of the Lord's people, stands a glorious prophecy, concerning the sure foundation laid in Zion, on which all that are built are safe and happy, Isa 28:16 and the certainty of these judgments is illustrated by the method which the ploughman takes in sowing his corn, and threshing it out; for which he has instruction and direction from the Lord of hosts, Isa 28:23-29.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Isaiah 8:15
  • 2. ver. 22; Isaiah 29:20
  • 3. ver. 2, 18; [Isaiah 8:7, 8]
  • 4. [Romans 1:25]
  • 5. Cited Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6; [Psalms 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11]
  • 6. Isaiah 14:32
  • 7. [2 Kings 21:13]
  • 8. [2 Kings 21:13]
  • 9. ver. 15
  • 10. [Isaiah 50:4]
  • 11. [2 Chronicles 32:18]
  • 12. [2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 14:11]
  • 13. See Joshua 10:10-14
  • 14. 1 Chronicles 14:16; See Joshua 9:3
  • 15. ver. 14
  • 16. Isaiah 10:23

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Dead Sea Scroll I am laying
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.