English Standard Version
Isaiah 30:28
28his breath is like an overflowing stream that reaches up to the neck; to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction, and to place on the jaws of the peoples a bridle that leads astray.
Isaiah 30:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.
- New International Version (NIV)His breath is like a rushing torrent, rising up to the neck. He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray.
- New King James Version (NKJV)His breath is like an overflowing stream, Which reaches up to the neck, To sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, Causing them to err.
- New Living Translation (NLT)His hot breath pours out like a flood up to the neck of his enemies. He will sift out the proud nations for destruction. He will bridle them and lead them away to ruin.
Context of Isaiah 30:28
26Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow. 27Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire; his breath is like an overflowing stream that reaches up to the neck; to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction, and to place on the jaws of the peoples a bridle that leads astray. 29You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel. 30And the Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones.
Read all of Isaiah 30Isaiah 30:28 word by word
וְרוּח֞וֹ כְּנַ֤חַל שׁוֹטֵף֙ עַד־צַוָּ֣אר יֶֽחֱצֶ֔ה לַהֲנָפָ֥ה גוֹיִ֖ם בְּנָ֣פַת שָׁ֑וְא וְרֶ֣סֶן מַתְעֶ֔ה עַ֖ל לְחָיֵ֥י עַמִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And his breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- as an overflowingשָׁטַףshâţaph · to overflowH7857
- streamנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
- shall reach to the midstחָצָהchâtsâh · to divideH2673
- of the neckצַוָּארtsavvâ'r tsavvâr tsavvârôn tsavvâ'râh · neckH6677
- to siftנוּףnûph · to waveH5130
- the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- with the sieveנָפָהnâphâh · sieveH5299
- of vanityשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
- a bridleרֶ֫סֶןresen · bridleH7448
- in the jawsלְחִיlechîy · jawH3895
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- to errתָּעָהtâ‛âh · to go astrayH8582
Cross-references for Isaiah 30:28
- Isaiah 11:4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
- Psalms 18:15Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
- Luke 22:31"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
- Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Revelation 1:16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
- Revelation 2:16Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
- Isaiah 8:8and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel."
- Isaiah 28:17And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
- Isaiah 29:6you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
- Habakkuk 3:12You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger.
- Isaiah 19:12Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you that they might know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.
- Isaiah 33:10"Now I will arise," says the Lord, "now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.
- Hosea 13:3Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window.
- Amos 9:9"For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the earth.
- Matthew 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Commentaries on Isaiah 30:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28To sift the nations with a sieve of vanity "To toss the nations with the van of perdition" - The word להנפה lahanaphah is in its form very irregular. Kimchi says it is for להניף lehaniph . Houbigant supposes it to be a mistake, and shows the cause of it; the joining it to the ה he, which should begin the following word. The true reading is הגוים להניף lehaniph haggoyim, "to sift the nations." The Vulgate seems to be the only one of the ancient…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28And his breath - The word רוח rûach properly means “wind,” air in motion; then a breathing, an exhalation, a breath; then the soul, spirit, etc. The idea here seems to be that of excited, and rapid, and agitated breathing, as when one is in anger (compare Judges 8:3; Zechariah 6:8). As an overflowing stream - This figure is common to express desolating judgments (see the notes at Isaiah 8:8; Isaiah 10:22; Isaiah 28:17; compare Psalm 69:2, Psalm 69:15)…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-33Verses 27-33 God curbs and restrains from doing mischief. With a word he guides his people into the right way, but with a bridle he turns his enemies upon their own ruin. Here, in threatening the ruin of Sennacherib's army, the prophet points at the final and everlasting destruction of all impenitent sinners. Tophet was a valley near Jerusalem, where fires were continually burning to destroy things that were hurtful and offensive, and there the idolatrous…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28like a rushing torrent that rises to the neck: Assyria’s destruction would be as devastating as their invasion of Judah (see Isaiah 8:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. (Is 11:4; 2Th 2:8). reach ... neck--the most extreme danger; yet as the head, or capital of Judah, was to be spared (Is 8:8), so the head, or sovereign of Assyria, Sennacherib, should escape. sieve of vanity--Rather, "the winnowing fan of destruction" [Lowth] (Is 41:16). bridle in ... jaws--as prisoners are represented in the Assyrian inscriptions (Is 37:29). causing ... to err--(Is 63:17). "People," Hebrew, "peoples," namely, the various races…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 30:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 30
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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