Focused Passage

Isaiah 28:7-13

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

7These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.

8For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth.

9Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?

10For they hear: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there.”

11Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people

12to whom He has said: “This is the place of rest, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen.

13Then the word of the LORD to them will become: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there,” so that they will go stumbling backward and will be injured, ensnared, and captured.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Theseאֵ֙לֶּה֙H428Pronoun - common pluralalsoוְגַם־H1571Conjunctionstaggerשָׁג֔וּH7686Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom wineבַּיַּ֣יִןH3196Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand stumbleתָּע֑וּH8582Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom strong drinkוּבַשֵּׁכָ֖רH7941Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularPriestsכֹּהֵ֣ןH3548Noun - masculine singularand prophetsוְנָבִיא֩H5030Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularreelשָׁג֨וּH7686Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom strong drinkבַשֵּׁכָ֜רH7941Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand are befuddledנִבְלְע֣וּH1104Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralbyמִן־H4480Prepositionwineהַיַּ֗יִןH3196Article | Noun - masculine singularThey stumbleתָּעוּ֙H8582Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralbecause ofמִן־H4480Prepositionstrong drinkהַשֵּׁכָ֔רH7941Article | Noun - masculine singularmuddledשָׁגוּ֙H7686Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralin their visionsבָּֽרֹאֶ֔הH7203Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand stumblingפָּק֖וּH6328Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralin their judgmentsפְּלִילִיָּֽה׃H6417Noun - feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

Forכִּ֚יH3588Conjunctionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructtheir tablesשֻׁלְחָנ֔וֹתH7979Noun - masculine pluralare coveredמָלְא֖וּH4390Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwith vomitקִ֣יאH6892Noun - masculine singularthere is not a placeמָקֽוֹם׃סH4725Noun - masculine singularwithoutבְּלִ֖יH1097Adverbfilthצֹאָ֑הH6675Noun - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

-אֶת־H853Direct object markerWhomמִי֙H4310Interrogativeis He trying to teachיוֹרֶ֣הH3384Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .דֵעָ֔הH1844Noun - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerTo whomמִ֖יH4310Interrogativeis He explainingיָבִ֣יןH995Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularHis messageשְׁמוּעָ֑הH8052Noun - feminine singularTo infants just weanedגְּמוּלֵי֙H1580Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural constructfrom milkמֵֽחָלָ֔בH2461Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularTo babies removedעַתִּיקֵ֖יH6267Adjective - masculine plural constructfrom the breastמִשָּׁדָֽיִם׃H7699Preposition-m | Noun - md
Verse 10

Original words

For [they hear]כִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionOrderצַ֤וH6673Noun - masculine singularon orderלָצָו֙H6673Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularorderצַ֣וH6673Noun - masculine singularon orderלָצָ֔וH6673Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularlineקַ֥וH6957Noun - masculine singularon lineלָקָ֖וH6957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularlineקַ֣וH6957Noun - masculine singularon lineלָקָ֑וH6957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singulara littleזְעֵ֥ירH2191Noun - masculine singularhereשָׁ֖םH8033Adverba littleזְעֵ֥ירH2191Noun - masculine singularthereשָֽׁם׃H8033Adverb

BSB notes

  • Or For He says or For it is; literally For
  • Or Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; Hebrew sav lasav sav lasav kav lakav kav lakav (possibly meaningless sounds to demonstrate an inability to understand); also in verse 13
Verse 11

Original words

Indeedכִּ֚יH3588Conjunctionwith mockingבְּלַעֲגֵ֣יH3934Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural constructlipsשָׂפָ֔הH8193Noun - feminine singularand foreignאַחֶ֑רֶתH312Adjective - feminine singulartonguesוּבְלָשׁ֖וֹןH3956Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - common singularHe will speakיְדַבֵּ֖רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthisהַזֶּֽה׃H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleהָעָ֥םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in 1 Corinthians 14:21
Verse 12

Original words

to whomאֲשֶׁ֣ר׀H834Pronoun - relativeHe has saidאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֲלֵיהֶ֗םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralThisזֹ֤אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularis the place of restהַמְּנוּחָה֙H4496Article | Noun - feminine singularlet the wearyלֶֽעָיֵ֔ףH5889Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singularrestהָנִ֣יחוּH5117Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralthisוְזֹ֖אתH2063Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - feminine singularis the place of reposeהַמַּרְגֵּעָ֑הH4774Article | Noun - feminine singularBut they wouldאָב֖וּאH14Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralnotוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelistenשְׁמֽוֹעַ׃H8085Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 13

Original words

Then the wordדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularto themלָהֶ֜םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwill becomeוְהָיָ֨הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularOrderצַ֣וH6673Noun - masculine singularon orderלָצָ֞וH6673Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularorderצַ֤וH6673Noun - masculine singularon orderלָצָו֙H6673Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularlineקַ֤וH6957Noun - masculine singularon lineלָקָו֙H6957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularlineקַ֣וH6957Noun - masculine singularon lineלָקָ֔וH6957Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singulara littleזְעֵ֥ירH2191Noun - masculine singularhereשָׁ֖םH8033Adverba littleזְעֵ֣ירH2191Noun - masculine singularthereשָׁ֑םH8033Adverbso thatלְמַ֨עַןH4616Conjunctionthey will goיֵלְכ֜וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralstumblingוְכָשְׁל֤וּH3782Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralbackwardאָחוֹר֙H268Noun - masculine singularand will be injuredוְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּH7665Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralensnaredוְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּH3369Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluraland capturedוְנִלְכָּֽדוּ׃פH3920Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural

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.