Isaiah 28:14–22

A DEAL WITH DEATH

¹⁴Therefore hear the word of the Lord,^d you scoffers^e

who rule this people in Jerusalem.

¹⁵For you said, “We have made a covenant with Death,

and we have an agreement with Sheol;

when the overwhelming catastrophe passes through,^f

it will not touch us,

because we have made falsehood our refuge

and have hidden behind treachery.”

¹⁶Therefore the Lord God said:

“Look, I have laid a stone^g in Zion,

a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;^h

the one who believes will be unshakable.^Bi

¹⁷And I will make justice the measuring line

and righteousness the mason’s level.”^j

Hail will sweep away the false refuge,

and water will flood your hiding place.

¹⁸Your covenant with Death will be dissolved,

and your agreement with Sheol will not last.

When the overwhelming catastrophe passes through,

you will be trampled.

¹⁹Every time it passes through,

it will carry you away;

it will pass through every morning—

every day and every night.

Only terror^k will cause you

to understand the message.^C

²⁰Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on,

and its cover too small to wrap up in.

²¹For the Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim.^l

He will rise in wrath, as at the Valley of Gibeon,^m

to do his work, his unexpected work,

and to perform his task, his unfamiliar task.

²²So now, do not scoff,

or your shackles will become stronger.

Indeed, I have heard from the Lord God of Armies

a decree of destruction for the whole land.ⁿ