Revised Literal Translation
Isaiah 28:15
15Because 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:
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
13But the word of Yhwh was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. 14Wherefore hear the word of Yhwh, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 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: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord Yhwh, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
Read all of Isaiah 28Isaiah 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
- 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 unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
- Ecclesiastes 8:8There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
- Job 5:23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
- Job 15:25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
- Jeremiah 44:17But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
- Ezekiel 8:12Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, Yhwh seeth us not; Yhwh hath forsaken the earth.
- Hosea 2:18And in that day will I 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: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
- Zephaniah 1:12And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, Yhwh will not do good, neither will he do evil.
- Isaiah 8:7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
- Daniel 11:22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
- Isaiah 30:10Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
- Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
- Jeremiah 14:13Then said I, Ah, Lord Yhwh! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
- Jeremiah 16:19O Yhwh, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; Yhwh hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
- Ezekiel 13:16To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord Yhwh.
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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries