Isaiah 28:14-22

The Cornerstone of Zion

14 Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, men of mockery, rulers of these people in Jerusalem:
15 Because you have said, "We have {made} a covenant with death, and we have made an agreement with Sheol. [The] overwhelming flood, when it passes through, will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves in falsehood."
16 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: "Look! I [am] laying a stone in Zion, a {tested} stone, a precious cornerstone, a founded foundation: 'The one who trusts will not {panic}.'
17 And I will make justice [the] measuring line, and righteousness [the] plumb line; and hail will sweep away [the] refuge of lies, and waters will flood over [the] hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; you will become a trampling place for the overwhelming flood when it passes through.
19 {As often as it passes through}, it will take you, for {morning by morning} it will pass through, in the day and in the night, and understanding [the] message will be only terror."
20 For the bed is too short {to stretch out on}, and the covering is [too] narrow when wrapping oneself.
21 For Yahweh will rise up as [at] Mount Perazim; he will rave as [in the] valley at Gibeon to do his deed--his deed [is] strange-- and to work his work--his work [is] alien!
22 And now you must not scoff, or your bonds will be strong, for I have heard from the Lord, Yahweh of hosts: complete destruction decreed upon all the land.

Isaiah 28:14-22 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.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Hebrew "lie"
  • [b]. Literally "From enough his passing through"
  • [c]. Literally "in the morning in the morning"
  • [d]. Literally "from stretching oneself"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.