Isaiah 28:16-26

16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "1Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested 2stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
17 "I will make 3justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then 4hail will sweep away the refuge of lies And the waters will overflow the secret place.
18 "Your 5covenant with death will be 6canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the 7overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you become its 8trampling place.
19 "As 9often as it passes through, it will seize you; For 10morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be sheer 11terror to understand what it means."
20 The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the 12blanket is too small to wrap oneself in.
21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount 13Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the valley of 14Gibeon, To do His 15task, His 16unusual task, And to work His work, His extraordinary work.
22 And now do not carry on as 17scoffers, Or your fetters will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts Of decisive 18destruction on all the earth.
23 Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my words.
24 Does the farmer plow continually * to plant seed? Does he continually turn and harrow the ground?
25 Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter 19cummin And plant 20wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area?
26 For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

Isaiah 28:16-26 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 20

  • 1. Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6
  • 2. Psalms 118:22; Isaiah 8:14, 15; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20
  • 3. 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 5:16; Isaiah 30:18; Isaiah 61:8; Amos 7:7-9
  • 4. Isaiah 28:2
  • 5. Isaiah 28:15
  • 6. Isaiah 7:7; Isaiah 8:10
  • 7. Isaiah 28:15
  • 8. Isaiah 28:3; Daniel 8:13
  • 9. 2 Kings 24:2
  • 10. Isaiah 50:4
  • 11. Job 6:4; Job 18:11; Job 24:17; Psalms 55:4; Psalms 88:15; Lamentations 2:22
  • 12. Isaiah 59:6
  • 13. 2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 14:11
  • 14. Joshua 10:10, 12; 2 Samuel 5:25; 1 Chronicles 14:16
  • 15. Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 65:7
  • 16. Lamentations 2:15; Lamentations 3:33; Luke 19:41-44
  • 17. Isaiah 28:14
  • 18. Isaiah 10:22, 23
  • 19. Matthew 23:23
  • 20. Exodus 9:32

Footnotes 16

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