Amplified Bible
Isaiah 28:20
20For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself [and likewise all their preparations are inadequate].
Isaiah 28:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
- New International Version (NIV)The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.
Context of Isaiah 28:20
18Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol (the place of the dead) will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you will become its trampling ground. 19As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, by day and by night, And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.” For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself [and likewise all their preparations are inadequate]. 21For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the Valley of Gibeon, To do His work, His unusual and incredible work, And to accomplish His work, His extraordinary work. 22Now do not carry on as scoffers, Or the bands which bind you will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts [a decree] Of decisive destruction on all the earth.
Read all of Isaiah 28Isaiah 28:20 word by word
כִּֽי־קָצַ֥ר הַמַּצָּ֖ע מֵֽהִשְׂתָּרֵ֑עַ וְהַמַּסֵּכָ֥ה צָ֖רָה כְּהִתְכַּנֵּֽס׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 28:20
- Isaiah 57:12I will declare your [hypocritical] righteousness and your deeds, But they will not benefit you.
- Isaiah 59:5They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s webs; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from an egg which is crushed a viper breaks out.
- Isaiah 64:6For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction].
- Isaiah 66:3“He who kills an ox [for pagan sacrifice] is [as guilty] as one who kills a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as one who breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as one who offers swine’s blood; He who offers incense, as one who blesses an idol. Such people have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their repulsive acts;
- Jeremiah 7:8“Behold, you are trusting in deceptive and useless words that bring no benefit.
- Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith;
- 1 Corinthians 1:18For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.
Commentaries on Isaiah 28:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For the bed is shorter - A mashal or proverbial saying, the meaning of which is, that they will find all means of defense and protection insufficient to secure them, and cover them from the evils coming upon them. מסך massek, Isaiah 22:8, the covering, is used for the outworks of defense, the barrier of the country; and here, in the allegorical sense, it means much the same thing. Their beds were only mattresses laid on the floor; and the coverlet a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For the bed is shorter - This is evidently a proverbial saying, and means that they would find all their places of defense insufficient to secure them. They seek repose and security - as a man lies down to rest at night. But they find neither. His bed furnishes no rest; his scanty covering furnishes no security from the chills of the night. So it would be with those who sought protection in idols, in the promises of false prophets, and in the aid which…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 Here is a promise of Christ, as the only foundation of hope for escaping the wrath to come. This foundation was laid in Zion, in the eternal counsels of God. This foundation is a stone, firm and able to support his church. It is a tried stone, a chosen stone, approved of God, and never failed any who made trial of it. A corner stone, binding together the whole building, and bearing the whole weight; precious in the sight of the Lord, and of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20the bed … the blanket: The leaders were not ready for God's judgment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Proverbial, for they shall find all their sources of confidence fail them; all shall be hopeless perplexity in their affairs.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 28:20
In the dictionaries
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
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