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

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

15For 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.”

16So 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.

17I 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.

18Your 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.

19As 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.

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

21For 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.

22So 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

Thereforeלָכֵ֛ןH3651Adverbhearשִׁמְע֥וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralthe wordדְבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularOאַנְשֵׁ֣יH582Noun - masculine plural constructscoffersלָצ֑וֹןH3944Noun - masculine singularwho ruleמֹֽשְׁלֵי֙H4910Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructthisהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativepeopleהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularin Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃H3389Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionyou saidאֲמַרְתֶּ֗םH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralWe have madeכָּרַ֤תְנֽוּH3772Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plurala covenantבְרִית֙H1285Noun - feminine singularwithאֶת־H854Prepositiondeathמָ֔וֶתH4194Noun - masculine singularwe have fashionedעָשִׂ֣ינוּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralan agreementחֹזֶ֑הH2374Noun - masculine singular. . .שִׁיטH7885Noun - masculine singularwithוְעִם־H5973Conjunctive waw | PrepositionSheolשְׁא֖וֹלH7585Noun - common singularWhenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe overwhelming scourgeשׁוֹטֵ֤ףH7857Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularpasses throughעָבַרH5674Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularit will notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particletouch usיְבוֹאֵ֔נוּH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common pluralbecauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionwe have madeשַׂ֧מְנוּH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralliesכָזָ֛בH3577Noun - masculine singularour refugeמַחְסֵ֖נוּH4268Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluraland falsehoodוּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶרH8267Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularour hiding placeנִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃סH5641Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Or false gods
Verse 16

Original words

Soלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverbthis is whatכֹּ֤הH3541Adverbthe Lordאֲדֹנָ֣יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularGODיְהוִ֔הH3069Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַר֙H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularSeeהִנְנִ֛יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI layיִסַּ֥דH3245Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singulara stoneאָ֑בֶןH68Noun - feminine singularin Zionבְּצִיּ֖וֹןH6726Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singulara testedבֹּ֜חַןH976Noun - masculine singularstoneאֶ֣בֶןH68Noun - feminine singular constructa preciousיִקְרַת֙H3368Adjective - feminine singular constructcornerstoneפִּנַּ֤תH6438Noun - feminine singular constructa sureמוּסָּ֔דH3245Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singularfoundationמוּסָ֣דH4143Noun - masculine singularthe one who believesהַֽמַּאֲמִ֖יןH539Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularwill neverלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe shakenיָחִֽישׁ׃H2363Verb - 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 makeוְשַׂמְתִּ֤יH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularjusticeמִשְׁפָּט֙H4941Noun - masculine singularthe measuring lineלְקָ֔וH6957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularand righteousnessוּצְדָקָ֖הH6666Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularthe levelלְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶתH4949Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularHailבָרָד֙H1259Noun - masculine singularwill sweep awayוְיָעָ֤הH3261Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularyour refugeמַחְסֵ֣הH4268Noun - masculine singular constructof liesכָזָ֔בH3577Noun - masculine singularand waterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralwill floodיִשְׁטֹֽפוּ׃H7857Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralyour hiding placeוְסֵ֥תֶרH5643Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 18

Original words

Your covenantבְּרִֽיתְכֶם֙H1285Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralwithאֶת־H854Prepositiondeathמָ֔וֶתH4194Noun - masculine singularwill be dissolvedוְכֻפַּ֤רH3722Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand your agreementוְחָזוּתְכֶ֥םH2380Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralwithאֶת־H854PrepositionSheolשְׁא֖וֹלH7585Noun - common singularwill notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlestandתָק֑וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularWhenכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthe overwhelmingשׁוֹטֵף֙H7857Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularscourgeשׁ֤וֹטH7752Noun - masculine singularpasses throughיַֽעֲבֹ֔רH5674Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularyou will beוִהְיִ֥יתֶםH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluraltrampled by itלְמִרְמָֽס׃H4823Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

As often asמִדֵּ֤יH1767Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructit passes throughעָבְרוֹ֙H5674Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularit will carry you awayיִקַּ֣חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶתְכֶ֔םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural-כִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionit will sweep throughיַעֲבֹ֖רH5674Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularmorningבַבֹּ֧קֶרH1242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularafter morningבַּבֹּ֛קֶרH1242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularby dayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand by nightוּבַלָּ֑יְלָהH3915Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .וְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularThe understandingהָבִ֥יןH995Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructof [this] messageשְׁמוּעָֽה׃H8052Noun - feminine singular[will bring] sheerרַק־H7535Adverbterrorזְוָעָ֖הH2113Noun - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Indeedכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe bedהַמַּצָּ֖עH4702Article | Noun - masculine singularis too shortקָצַ֥רH7114Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto stretch out onמֵֽהִשְׂתָּרֵ֑עַH8311Preposition-m | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive constructand the blanketוְהַמַּסֵּכָ֥הH4541Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singulartoo smallצָ֖רָהH6887Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularto wrap around youכְּהִתְכַּנֵּֽס׃H3664Preposition-k | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct
Verse 21

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill rise upיָק֣וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularas at Mountכְהַר־H2022Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructPerazimפְּרָצִים֙H6559Noun - masculine pluralHe will rouse Himselfיִרְגָּ֑זH7264Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularas [in] the Valleyכְּעֵ֖מֶקH6010Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularof Gibeonבְּגִבְע֣וֹןH1391Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularto doלַעֲשׂ֤וֹתH6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructHis workמַעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙H4639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularHis strangeזָ֣רH2114Adjective - masculine singularworkמַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּH4639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand to performוְלַֽעֲבֹד֙H5647Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructHis taskעֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹH5656Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularHis disturbingנָכְרִיָּ֖הH5237Adjective - feminine singulartaskעֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃H5656Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

So nowוְעַתָּה֙H6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbdo notאַל־H408Adverbmockתִּתְלוֹצָ֔צוּH3887Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralorפֶּֽן־H6435Conjunctionyour shacklesמֽוֹסְרֵיכֶ֑םH4147Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwill become heavierיֶחְזְק֖וּH2388Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralIndeedכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionI have heardשָׁמַ֗עְתִּיH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-מֵאֵ֨תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markerfrom the Lordאֲדֹנָ֧יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularGODיְהוִ֛הH3069Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֖וֹתH6635Noun - common plurala decreeוְנֶחֱרָצָ֜הH2782Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singularof destructionכָלָ֨הH3617Noun - feminine singularagainstעַל־H5921Prepositionthe wholeכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructlandהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | 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.