Isaiah 28:14–22

A Message to Jerusalem

¹⁴So hear the Lord’s word, you foolish talkers 

who rule the people in Jerusalem. 

¹⁵You say, “We made a treaty with death 

and an agreement with the grave. 

When the overwhelming disaster passes by, 

it won’t matter to us, 

because we have taken refuge in our lies, 

and falsehood is our hiding place.” 

¹⁶This is what the Almighty Lord says: 

I am going to lay a rock in Zion, 

a rock that has been tested, 

a precious cornerstone, 

a solid foundation. 

Whoever believes ⸤in him⸥ will not worry. 

¹⁷I will make justice a measuring line 

and righteousness a plumb line. 

Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, 

and floodwaters will wash away your hiding place. 

¹⁸Your treaty with death will be wiped away. 

Your agreement with the grave will not stand. 

When the overwhelming disaster passes by, 

you will be trampled by it. 

¹⁹Each time it passes by it will take you. 

It will pass by morning after morning, 

during the day and during the night. 

Understanding this message brings only terror. 

²⁰The bed is too short to stretch out on. 

The blanket is too narrow to serve as a cover. 

²¹The Lord will rise as he did on Mount Perazim. 

He will wake up as he did in Gibeon Valley. 

He will do his work, his unexpected work, 

and perform his deeds, his mysterious deeds. 

²²Now stop laughing, or your chains will be tightened, 

because I have heard that the Almighty Lord of Armies 

has finally determined to destroy the whole land.