Isaiah 28:15

Isaiah 28:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";
• New King James Version (NKJV)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, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”

Context of Isaiah 28:15

13Therefore the word of the Lord to them will be [merely monotonous repetitions]: “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Rule upon rule, rule upon rule, Here a little, there a little.” That they may go and stumble backward, and be broken, ensnared, and taken captive. 14Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you arrogant men Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem! Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol (the place of the dead) we have made an agreement, When the overwhelming scourge passes by, it will not reach us, For we have made lies our refuge and we have concealed ourselves in deception.” 16Therefore the Lord God says this, “Listen carefully, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a tested Stone, A precious Cornerstone for the [secure] foundation, firmly placed. He who believes [who trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone] will not be disturbed or give way [in sudden panic]. 17I will make justice the measuring line And righteousness the mason’s level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies And waters will flood over the secret [hiding] place.

Isaiah 28:15 word by word

כִּ֣י אֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם כָּרַ֤תְנֽוּ בְרִית֙ אֶת־מָ֔וֶת וְעִם־שְׁא֖וֹל עָשִׂ֣ינוּ חֹזֶ֑ה שׁ֣וֹט שׁוֹטֵ֤ף כִּֽי־יַֽעֲבֹר֙ לֹ֣א יְבוֹאֵ֔נוּ כִּ֣י שַׂ֧מְנוּ כָזָ֛ב מַחְסֵ֖נוּ וּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶר נִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because ye have saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• We have madeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
• a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• with deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• and with hellשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
• are weעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• at agreementחֹזֶהchôzeh · seerH2374
• when the overflowingשָׁטַףshâţaph · to overflowH7857
• scourgeשַׁ֫יִטshayiţ · oarH7885
• scourgeשׁוֹטshôţ · whipH7752
• shall pass throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• it shall not comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto us: for we have madeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• liesכָּזָבkâzâb · lieH3577
• our refugeמַחְסֶּהmachăseh machseh · refugeH4268
• and under falsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• have we hidסָתַרsâthar · to hideH5641

Cross-references for Isaiah 28:15

• Isaiah 5:18Woe (judgment is coming) to those who drag along wickedness with cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes [towing their own punishment];
• Ecclesiastes 8:8There is no man who has power and authority over the wind to restrain the wind, Nor does he have authority over the day of death; There is no discharge [from service] during time of war, And evil will not rescue those who [actively seek to] practice it.
• Job 5:23For you will be in harmony with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
• Job 15:25Because he has stretched out his hand against God And behaves arrogantly against the Almighty,
• Jeremiah 44:17But rather we will certainly perform every word of the vows we have made: to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven (Ishtar) and to pour out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves and our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for [then] we had plenty of food and were prosperous and saw no misfortune.
• Ezekiel 8:12Then He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, each man in his [secret] room of carved images? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has abandoned the land.’ ”
• Hosea 2:18And in that day I will make a covenant for Israel With the animals of the open country And with the birds of the heavens And with the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow and the sword and [banish] war from the land And will make them lie down in safety.
• Zephaniah 1:12It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps And I will punish the men Who [like old wine] are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’
• Isaiah 8:7Now therefore, listen carefully, the Lord is about to bring on them the waters of the [Euphrates] River, strong and abundant— The king of Assyria and all his glory; And it will rise over all its channels and canals and go far beyond its banks.
• Daniel 11:22The overwhelming forces [of the invading armies of Egypt] will be flooded away before him and smashed; and also the prince of the covenant [will be smashed].
• Isaiah 30:10Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions from God”; And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right! Speak to us pleasant things and smooth words, Prophesy [deceitful] illusions [that we will enjoy].
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love [to have] it so! But what will you do when the end comes?
• Jeremiah 14:13But I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, the [false] prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I [the Lord] will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ”
• Jeremiah 16:19[Then said Jeremiah] “O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold, And my Refuge in the day of distress and need, The nations will come to You From the ends of the earth and say, ‘Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies and illusion, [Worthless] things in which there is no benefit!’
• Jeremiah 28:15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
• Ezekiel 13:16along with the [false] prophets of Israel who prophesy [deceitfully] to Jerusalem, and who see [false] visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ says the Lord God.

Commentaries on Isaiah 28:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15A covenant with death - To be in covenant with, is a kind of proverbial expression to denote perfect security from evil and mischief of any sort: - "For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." Job 5:23. "And I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field. And with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground." Hosea 2:18. That is, none of these shall…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15We have made a covenant with death - We are not to suppose that they had formally said this, but that their conduct was as if they had said it; they lived as securely as if they had entered into a compact with death not to destroy them, and with hell not to devour them. The figure is a very bold one, and is designed to express the extraordinary stupidity of the nation. It is most strikingly descriptive of the great mass of people. They are as little…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-15Verses 5-15 The prophet next turns to Judah, whom he calls the residue of his people. Happy are those alone, who glory in the Lord of hosts himself. Hence his people get wisdom and strength for every service and every conflict. But it is only in Christ Jesus that the holy God communicates with sinful man. And whether those that teach are drunk with wine, or intoxicated with false doctrines and notions concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15have made a covenant with death … fashioned an agreement with Sheol: There are two possible interpretations: The people had pledged themselves to the Canaanite god of death, Mot, for his supposed protection. The prophet was sarcastic. The people believed their political and economic actions ensured their safety, but they had actually harmed themselves. lies … and falsehood: The leaders did not see themselves as deceptive, but they were.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. said--virtually, in your conduct, if not in words. covenant--There may be a tacit reference to their confidence in their "covenant" with the Assyrians in the early part of Hezekiah's prosperous reign, before he ceased to pay tribute to them, as if it ensured Judah from evil, whatever might befall the neighboring Ephraim (Is 28:1). The full meaning is shown by the language ("covenant with death--hell," or sheol) to apply to all lulled in false security…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 28:15

• Blindness
• Confidence
• Falsehood
• Hell
• Infidelity
• Isaiah
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Mocking
• Presumption
• Rulers
• Security

In the dictionaries

• Battle
• Covenant
• Diadem
• Doctrine
• Foundation
• Hasty
• Refuge
• Rod
• Short
• Sure

Commentaries on Isaiah 28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings