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Isaiah 28:10-16
King James Version
Isaiah 28:10-16
King James Version
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
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Isaiah 28:10-16
New International Version
Isaiah 28:10-16
New International Version
10 For it is:
Do this, do that,
a rule for this, a rule for that[a];
a little here, a little there.(A)”
11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues(B)
God will speak to this people,(C)
12 to whom he said,
“This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;(D)
and, “This is the place of repose”—
but they would not listen.
13 So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
Do this, do that,
a rule for this, a rule for that;
a little here, a little there(E)—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
they will be injured(F) and snared and captured.(G)
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord,(H) you scoffers(I)
who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,(J)
with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(K)
it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie(L) our refuge
and falsehood[b] our hiding place.(M)”
16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Footnotes
- Isaiah 28:10 Hebrew / sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav (probably meaningless sounds mimicking the prophet’s words); also in verse 13
- Isaiah 28:15 Or false gods
Isaiah 28:10-16
New King James Version
Isaiah 28:10-16
New King James Version
10 (A)For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.”
11 For with (B)stammering lips and another tongue
He will speak to this people,
12 To whom He said, “This is the (C)rest with which
You may cause the weary to rest,”
And, “This is the refreshing”;
Yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was to them,
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little,”
That they might go and fall backward, and be broken
And snared and caught.
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men,
Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
And with Sheol we are in agreement.
When the overflowing scourge passes through,
It will not come to us,
(D)For we have made lies our refuge,
And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”
A Cornerstone in Zion
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, I lay in Zion (E)a stone for a foundation,
A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
Whoever believes will not act hastily.
Isaiah 28:10-16
English Standard Version
Isaiah 28:10-16
English Standard Version
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”
11 (A)For by people of strange lips
and with a foreign tongue
the Lord will speak to this people,
12 to whom he has said,
(B)“This is rest;
give rest to the weary;
and this is repose”;
yet they would not hear.
13 And the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little,
(C)that they may go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.
A Cornerstone in Zion
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you (D)scoffers,
who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement,
when the (E)overwhelming whip passes through
it will not come to us,
for we have made (F)lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;
16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
(G)“Behold, I am the one who has laid[a] as a foundation (H)in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
Footnotes
- Isaiah 28:16 Dead Sea Scroll I am laying
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.