Isaiah 28:19-29

19 As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
21 The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.
22 Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.
23 Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.
24 When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place,[a]barley in its plot,[b]and spelt in its field?
26 His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.
27 Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick.
28 Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.
29 All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.

Isaiah 28:19-29 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 22

  • 1. 2 Kings 24:2
  • 2. S Psalms 5:3
  • 3. S Job 18:11
  • 4. Isaiah 59:6
  • 5. S Genesis 38:29; S 1 Chronicles 14:11
  • 6. S Joshua 9:3; Joshua 10:10,12; 1 Chronicles 14:16
  • 7. Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 65:7; Luke 19:41-44
  • 8. S 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 29:18; Lamentations 2:15; Zephaniah 2:15
  • 9. S Isaiah 10:22
  • 10. S Isaiah 10:23
  • 11. Isaiah 32:9
  • 12. Ecclesiastes 3:2
  • 13. Matthew 23:23
  • 14. S Exodus 9:31
  • 15. Exodus 9:32; Ezekiel 4:9
  • 16. S Psalms 94:10
  • 17. S Isaiah 21:10
  • 18. S Job 41:30
  • 19. Isaiah 10:5
  • 20. S Isaiah 21:10
  • 21. S Isaiah 9:6
  • 22. S Psalms 92:5; Romans 11:33

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  • [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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