Isaiah 28:14–22

¹⁴Therefore hear the word of the Lord,^q you scoffers^r

who rule this people in Jerusalem.

¹⁵You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,^s

with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.

When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^t

it cannot touch us,

for we have made a lie^u our refuge

and falsehood^b our hiding place.^v”

¹⁶So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,^w a tested stone,^x

a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;^y

the one who relies on it

will never be stricken with panic.^z

¹⁷I will make justice^a the measuring line

and righteousness the plumb line;^b

hail^c will sweep away your refuge, the lie,

and water will overflow^d your hiding place.

¹⁸Your covenant with death will be annulled;

your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^e

When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^f

you will be beaten down^g by it.

¹⁹As often as it comes it will carry you away;^h

morning after morning,ⁱ by day and by night,

it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message

will bring sheer terror.^j

²⁰The bed is too short to stretch out on,

the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^k

²¹The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,^l

he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon^m—

to do his work,ⁿ his strange work,

and perform his task, his alien task.

²²Now stop your mocking,^o

or your chains will become heavier;

the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me

of the destruction decreed^p against the whole land.^q