Isaiah 28:19

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.

Isaiah 28:19 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away.” This message will bring terror to your people.
The Message Bible (MSG)
19 Every time disaster comes, you'll be in on it - disaster in the morning, disaster at night." Every report of disaster will send you cowering in terror.
American Standard Version (ASV)
19 As often as it passeth though, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nought but terror to understand the message.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
19 Each time it passes by it will take you. It will pass by morning after morning, during the day and during the night. Understanding this message brings only terror.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
19 Every time it passes through, it will carry you away; it will pass through every morning- every day and every night. Only terror will cause you to understand the message.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
19 As often as it comes, it will carry you away. Morning after morning, day and night, it will come to punish you." If you understand this message, it will bring you absolute terror.

Isaiah 28:19 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 28:19

From the time that it goeth forth, it shall take you
Or, "as soon as it passeth through" F26, "it shall take you away"; as soon as it begins to overflow, and as it goes along, it shall make clear work, and carry you away with it; you will not be able to resist it, to withstand its motion, and stop its progress; but will be borne down by it, and carried away with it, either destroyed by it at once, or carried into captivity; so the Targum,

``in the time of its passing over, it shall carry you captive:''
for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night;
signifying that it should come very early, before they were aware of it and prepared for it, and should be constant and incessant, day after day, day and night, continually, until it had done its work thoroughly, in the utter destruction of them; which was true of the Assyrian, but especially of the Roman army: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand the report;
the fame, the rumour of the enemy's coming, of his invasion of the land, of the devastation he makes everywhere, and of his progress and near approach to Jerusalem; the bare report of this only being made and confirmed, so that there was reason to believe it, would produce anguish and distress of mind, cause a commotion, a fear and trembling, and shaking of the joints, as the word F1 signifies; and therefore, how dreadful must the calamity itself be! or else this may be meant of the report of the prophecy of the Lord, which before they would not believe; but now the judgments threatened coming upon them, they would be made to understand it; so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "and only vexation alone shall give understanding to the report"; and to this sense the Targum,
``and it shall be, before the time of the curse comes, that ye shall understand the words of the prophets;''
and, when it was come, should know to their sorrow, and by sad experience, the truth of what they had said.
FOOTNOTES:

F26 (wrbe ydm) "mox ut pertransierit", Tigurine version.
F1 (hewz) "commotio", Montanus, Piscator; "terror", Calvin; "pavor", Pagninus.

Isaiah 28:19 In-Context

17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.
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.

Cross References 3

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