Isaiah 28:14-22

Modern English Version

¹⁴ Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers,
    who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
¹⁵ because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
    and with hell we are in agreement.
The overflowing scourge shall not come to us
    when it passes through,
for we have made lies our refuge
    and under falsehood we have hid ourselves.”

See, I lay in Zion a stone,
    a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, firmly placed;
    he who believes shall not act hastily.
¹⁷ I shall make justice the measuring line
    and righteousness the plummet;
then the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies
    and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death shall be annulled,
    and your agreement with hell shall not stand;
when the overflowing scourge passes through,
    then you shall be trodden down by it.
¹⁹ As often as it passes through, it shall seize you;
    for morning by morning it shall pass through,
    anytime by day or night.

It shall be terror only
    to understand the report.
²⁰ The bed is too short to stretch out,
    and the covering is too small to wrap oneself in it.
²¹ For the Lord shall rise up as at Mount Perazim,
    He shall be wrathful as in the Valley of Gibeon
to do His work, His unusual work,
    and bring to pass His task, His exceptional task.
²² Now therefore, do not continue as mockers,
    lest your bonds be made stronger;
for I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts
    of determined destruction upon the whole earth.