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The Cornerstone of Zion

14 Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, men of mockery,
    rulers of these people in Jerusalem:

15 Because you have said,

“We have made[a] a covenant with death,
    and we have made an agreement with Sheol.

The overwhelming flood, when it passes through, will not come to us,

for we have made lies[b] our refuge,
and we have hidden ourselves in falsehood.”

16 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this:

“Look! I am laying a stone in Zion,
    a tested[c] stone,
a precious cornerstone,
    a founded foundation:

‘The one who trusts will not panic.’[d]

17 And I will make justice the measuring line,
    and righteousness the plumb line;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,[e]
    and waters will flood over the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death will be annulled,
    and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
you will become a trampling place for the overwhelming flood when it passes through.
19     As often as it passes through,[f] it will take you,
for morning by morning[g] it will pass through,
    in the day and in the night,

and understanding the message will be only terror.”

20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on,[h]
    and the covering is too narrow when wrapping oneself.
21 For Yahweh will rise up as at Mount Perazim;
    he will rave as in the valley at Gibeon
to do his deed—his deed is strange—
    and to work his work—his work is alien!
22 And now you must not scoff,
    or your bonds will be strong,

for I have heard from the Lord, Yahweh of hosts:

complete destruction
    decreed upon all the land.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 28:15 Literally “cut”
  2. Isaiah 28:15 Hebrew “lie”
  3. Isaiah 28:16 Literally “testing”
  4. Isaiah 28:16 Literally “hurry”
  5. Isaiah 28:17 Hebrew “lie”
  6. Isaiah 28:19 Literally “From enough his passing through”
  7. Isaiah 28:19 Literally “in the morning in the morning”
  8. Isaiah 28:20 Literally “from stretching oneself”

14 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord,
    you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death
    and have made a deal to dodge the grave.[a]
The coming destruction can never touch us,
    for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”

16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,[b]
    a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
    Whoever believes need never be shaken.[c]
17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice
    and the plumb line of righteousness.
Since your refuge is made of lies,
    a hailstorm will knock it down.
Since it is made of deception,
    a flood will sweep it away.
18 I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,
    and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.
When the terrible enemy sweeps through,
    you will be trampled into the ground.
19 Again and again that flood will come,
    morning after morning,
day and night,
    until you are carried away.”

This message will bring terror to your people.
20 The bed you have made is too short to lie on.
    The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
21 The Lord will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim
    and against the Amorites at Gibeon.
He will come to do a strange thing;
    he will come to do an unusual deed:
22 For the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    has plainly said that he is determined to crush the whole land.
So scoff no more,
    or your punishment will be even greater.

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Footnotes

  1. 28:15 Hebrew Sheol; also in 28:18.
  2. 28:16a Hebrew in Zion.
  3. 28:16b Greek version reads Look! I am placing a stone in the foundation of Jerusalem [literally Zion], / a precious cornerstone for its foundation, chosen for great honor. / Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced. Compare Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:6.