Focused Passage

Isaiah 28:14-22

The Woe Against Proud Leaders and the Tested Cornerstone

Isaiah 28 moves from a woe against drunken Ephraim, to a rebuke of Judah’s mocking leaders, to the LORD’s promise of a sure foundation stone in Zion, and finally to a wisdom parable showing that God’s judgment is measured, purposeful, and perfectly governed.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.

15 For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”

16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.

18 Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it.

19 As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.

20 Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.

21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task.

22 So now, do not mock, or your shackles will become heavier. Indeed, I have heard from the Lord GOD of Hosts a decree of destruction against the whole land.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

Therefore לָכֵ֛ן H3651 Adverb hear שִׁמְע֥וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the word דְבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular O אַנְשֵׁ֣י H582 Noun - masculine plural construct scoffers לָצ֑וֹן H3944 Noun - masculine singular who rule מֹֽשְׁלֵי֙ H4910 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular in Jerusalem בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ H3389 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you said אֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural We have made כָּרַ֤תְנֽוּ H3772 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural a covenant בְרִית֙ H1285 Noun - feminine singular with אֶת־ H854 Preposition death מָ֔וֶת H4194 Noun - masculine singular we have fashioned עָשִׂ֣ינוּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural an agreement חֹזֶ֑ה H2374 Noun - masculine singular . . . שִׁיט H7885 Noun - masculine singular with וְעִם־ H5973 Conjunctive waw | Preposition Sheol שְׁא֖וֹל H7585 Noun - common singular When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the overwhelming scourge שׁוֹטֵ֤ף H7857 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular passes through עָבַר H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular it will not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle touch us יְבוֹאֵ֔נוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction we have made שַׂ֧מְנוּ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural lies כָזָ֛ב H3577 Noun - masculine singular our refuge מַחְסֵ֖נוּ H4268 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural and falsehood וּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶר H8267 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular our hiding place נִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃ס H5641 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Or false gods
Verse 16

Original words

So לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb this is what כֹּ֤ה H3541 Adverb the Lord אֲדֹנָ֣י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֔ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַר֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular See הִנְנִ֛י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I lay יִסַּ֥ד H3245 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular a stone אָ֑בֶן H68 Noun - feminine singular in Zion בְּצִיּ֖וֹן H6726 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular a tested בֹּ֜חַן H976 Noun - masculine singular stone אֶ֣בֶן H68 Noun - feminine singular construct a precious יִקְרַת֙ H3368 Adjective - feminine singular construct cornerstone פִּנַּ֤ת H6438 Noun - feminine singular construct a sure מוּסָּ֔ד H3245 Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singular foundation מוּסָ֣ד H4143 Noun - masculine singular the one who believes הַֽמַּאֲמִ֖ין H539 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular will never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be shaken יָחִֽישׁ׃ H2363 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • LXX will never be put to shame; cited in Romans 9:33, Romans 10:11, and 1 Peter 2:6
Verse 17

Original words

I will make וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular justice מִשְׁפָּט֙ H4941 Noun - masculine singular the measuring line לְקָ֔ו H6957 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular and righteousness וּצְדָקָ֖ה H6666 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular the level לְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶת H4949 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Hail בָרָד֙ H1259 Noun - masculine singular will sweep away וְיָעָ֤ה H3261 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular your refuge מַחְסֵ֣ה H4268 Noun - masculine singular construct of lies כָזָ֔ב H3577 Noun - masculine singular and water מַ֖יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural will flood יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ׃ H7857 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural your hiding place וְסֵ֥תֶר H5643 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 18

Original words

Your covenant בְּרִֽיתְכֶם֙ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural with אֶת־ H854 Preposition death מָ֔וֶת H4194 Noun - masculine singular will be dissolved וְכֻפַּ֤ר H3722 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and your agreement וְחָזוּתְכֶ֥ם H2380 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural with אֶת־ H854 Preposition Sheol שְׁא֖וֹל H7585 Noun - common singular will not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle stand תָק֑וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular When כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the overwhelming שׁוֹטֵף֙ H7857 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular scourge שׁ֤וֹט H7752 Noun - masculine singular passes through יַֽעֲבֹ֔ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular you will be וִהְיִ֥יתֶם H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural trampled by it לְמִרְמָֽס׃ H4823 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

As often as מִדֵּ֤י H1767 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct it passes through עָבְרוֹ֙ H5674 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular it will carry you away יִקַּ֣ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֔ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural - כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction it will sweep through יַעֲבֹ֖ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular morning בַבֹּ֧קֶר H1242 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular after morning בַּבֹּ֛קֶר H1242 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular by day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and by night וּבַלָּ֑יְלָה H3915 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular The understanding הָבִ֥ין H995 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct of [this] message שְׁמוּעָֽה׃ H8052 Noun - feminine singular [will bring] sheer רַק־ H7535 Adverb terror זְוָעָ֖ה H2113 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Indeed כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the bed הַמַּצָּ֖ע H4702 Article | Noun - masculine singular is too short קָצַ֥ר H7114 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to stretch out on מֵֽהִשְׂתָּרֵ֑עַ H8311 Preposition-m | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct and the blanket וְהַמַּסֵּכָ֥ה H4541 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular too small צָ֖רָה H6887 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular to wrap around you כְּהִתְכַּנֵּֽס׃ H3664 Preposition-k | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct
Verse 21

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will rise up יָק֣וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular as at Mount כְהַר־ H2022 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Perazim פְּרָצִים֙ H6559 Noun - masculine plural He will rouse Himself יִרְגָּ֑ז H7264 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular as [in] the Valley כְּעֵ֖מֶק H6010 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular of Gibeon בְּגִבְע֣וֹן H1391 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular to do לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct His work מַעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ H4639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular His strange זָ֣ר H2114 Adjective - masculine singular work מַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ H4639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and to perform וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ H5647 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct His task עֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹ H5656 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular His disturbing נָכְרִיָּ֖ה H5237 Adjective - feminine singular task עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃ H5656 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

So now וְעַתָּה֙ H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb do not אַל־ H408 Adverb mock תִּתְלוֹצָ֔צוּ H3887 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine plural or פֶּֽן־ H6435 Conjunction your shackles מֽוֹסְרֵיכֶ֑ם H4147 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural will become heavier יֶחְזְק֖וּ H2388 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Indeed כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction I have heard שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - מֵאֵ֨ת H854 Preposition-m | Direct object marker from the Lord אֲדֹנָ֧י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֛ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural a decree וְנֶחֱרָצָ֜ה H2782 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular of destruction כָלָ֨ה H3617 Noun - feminine singular against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the whole כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct land הָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.