Isaiah 28:17
Isaiah 28:17 in Multiple Translations
I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
Judgment 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.
And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.
And I will make right decision the measuring-line, and righteousness the weight: and the ice-storm will take away the safe place of false words, and the secret place will be covered by the flowing waters.
I will make justice as straight as a measuring line, and doing what's right the standard rule. Hail will destroy the protection of your lies, and water will flood the place where you're hiding.
Iudgement also will I laye to the rule, and righteousnesse to the balance, and the haile shall sweepe away the vaine confidence, and the waters shall ouerflowe the secret place.
And I have put judgment for a line, And righteousness for a plummet, And sweep away doth hail the refuge of lies, And the secret hiding-place do waters overflow.
I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
Judgment 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.
And I will set judgment in weight, and justice in measure: and hail shall overturn the hope of falsehood: and waters shall overflow its protection.
I will test you people of Jerusalem to find out if you will act justly and righteously like [MET] someone uses a plumb line to determine if a wall is straight and vertical. But because your agreement with Egypt to protect you was made by leaders lying to each other and deceiving each other, you will be defeated and taken away from your country by an army that will come against you like [MET] a flood.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 28:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 28:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
מִשְׁפָּט֙
לְ/קָ֔ו
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
לְ/מִשְׁקָ֑לֶת
וְ/יָעָ֤ה
בָרָד֙
מַחְסֵ֣ה
כָזָ֔ב
וְ/סֵ֥תֶר
מַ֖יִם
יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
sûwm
H7760
to set
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
מִשְׁפָּט֙
mishpâṭ
H4941
justice
N-ms
לְ/קָ֔ו
qav
H6957
cord
Prep | N-ms
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
righteousness
Conj | N-fs
לְ/מִשְׁקָ֑לֶת
mishqeleth
H4949
level
Prep | N-fs
וְ/יָעָ֤ה
yâʻâh
H3261
to sweep away
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
בָרָד֙
bârâd
H1259
hail
N-ms
מַחְסֵ֣ה
machăçeh
H4268
refuge
N-ms
כָזָ֔ב
kâzâb
H3577
lie
N-ms
וְ/סֵ֥תֶר
çêther
H5643
secrecy
Conj | N-ms
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
N-mp
יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ
shâṭaph
H7857
to overflow
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 28:17
וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤י
sûwm
H7760
"to set"
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
מִשְׁפָּט֙
mishpâṭ
H4941
"justice"
N-ms
Mishpat means justice or judgment, and is often used to describe God's righteous judgment, as well as human laws and decisions, in books like Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) judgment, justice, ordinance 1a) judgment 1a1) act of deciding a case 1a2) place, court, seat of judgment 1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges) 1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment) 1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment) 1a6) execution (of judgment) 1a7) time (of judgment) 1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man) 1c) ordinance 1d) decision (in law) 1e) right, privilege, due (legal) 1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
Usage: Occurs in 406 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong. See also: Genesis 18:19; 1 Kings 2:3; Psalms 1:5.
לְ/קָ֔ו
qav
H6957
"cord"
Prep | N-ms
This word means a cord or line, used for measuring or as a musical string. It can also mean a rule or a rim, and is translated as line in the Bible.
Definition: 1) line, measuring-line 2) (BDB) onomatapoetic mimicry of Isaiah's words, perhaps senseless
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: line. Compare H6978 (קַו־קַו)lemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו. See also: 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 34:11; Psalms 19:5.
וּ/צְדָקָ֖ה
tsᵉdâqâh
H6666
"righteousness"
Conj | N-fs
Encompasses the idea of righteousness, including justice, virtue, and morality, often describing God's attribute or the standard for human behavior. It is used to describe the ideal for personal conduct and societal norms, emphasizing the importance of living a righteous life.
Definition: 1) justice, righteousness 1a) righteousness (in government) 1a1) of judge, ruler, king 1a2) of law 1a3) of Davidic king Messiah 1b) righteousness (of God's attribute) 1c) righteousness (in a case or cause) 1d) righteousness, truthfulness 1e) righteousness (as ethically right) 1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification, salvation 1f1) of God 1f2) prosperity (of people) 1g) righteous acts Aramaic equivalent: tsid.qah (צִדְקָה "righteousness" H6665)
Usage: Occurs in 150 OT verses. KJV: justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness). See also: Genesis 15:6; Proverbs 16:31; Psalms 5:9.
לְ/מִשְׁקָ֑לֶת
mishqeleth
H4949
"level"
Prep | N-fs
This word refers to a leveling tool, like a plummet, used to ensure something is straight or level, such as in construction or building projects in ancient Israel.
Definition: level, levelling tool or instrument, plummet
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: plummet. See also: 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17.
וְ/יָעָ֤ה
yâʻâh
H3261
"to sweep away"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
The Hebrew word yaa'h means to sweep away, brushing something aside. It is used to describe God's powerful action in the Bible.
Definition: (Qal) to sweep, sweep away, sweep together
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: sweep away. See also: Isaiah 28:17.
בָרָד֙
bârâd
H1259
"hail"
N-ms
Hail is a sign of God's judgment in the Bible, with hailstones sometimes used as a symbol of His power. It appears in stories of destruction and chaos.
Definition: 1) hail 1a) of God's judgment (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: hail(stones). See also: Exodus 9:18; Exodus 10:15; Psalms 18:13.
מַחְסֵ֣ה
machăçeh
H4268
"refuge"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means a safe place to go, like a shelter from a storm. It appears in the Bible as a place of hope and trust, where people can find refuge from danger. In Psalm 71:3, God is called a rock of refuge.
Definition: 1) refuge, shelter 1a) from rain or storm, from danger 1b) of falsehood
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: hope, (place of) refuge, shelter, trust. See also: Job 24:8; Psalms 94:22; Psalms 14:6.
כָזָ֔ב
kâzâb
H3577
"lie"
N-ms
A lie or falsehood is what this word represents, whether it is a literal untruth or a figurative idol, and is often used to describe the deceitful nature of humanity.
Definition: a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: deceitful, false, leasing, + liar, lie, lying. See also: Psalms 4:3; Proverbs 30:8; Psalms 5:7.
וְ/סֵ֥תֶר
çêther
H5643
"secrecy"
Conj | N-ms
This word refers to a shelter or covering, like a place to hide. It can also mean protection, as in Psalm 18:11 where God is a shelter from danger.
Definition: 1) covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy 1a) covering, cover 1b) hiding place, shelter, secret place 1c) secrecy 1c1) secrecy (of tongue being slanderous)
Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: backbiting, covering, covert, [idiom] disguise(-th), hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place). See also: Deuteronomy 13:7; Psalms 61:5; Psalms 18:12.
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ
shâṭaph
H7857
"to overflow"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This verb means to overflow or gush, often used to describe a strong flow of water. It can also imply cleansing or conquering, as seen in various Old Testament passages, including Psalm 69. The word is used to describe powerful natural events.
Definition: 1) to wash, rinse, overflow, engulf, rinse or wash off 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to overflow 1a2) to flow, run 1a3) to rinse or wash off 1b) (Niphal) to be swept away, be rinsed out 1c) (Pual) to be rinsed, be scoured and rinsed
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: drown, (over-) flow(-whelm, rinse, run, rush, (throughly) wash (away). See also: Leviticus 6:21; Isaiah 28:17; Psalms 69:3.
Study Notes — Isaiah 28:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 28:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 28:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 28:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 28:17
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 28:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
- Sermons on Isaiah 28:17
Context — A Cornerstone in Zion
15For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
16So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
17I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
18Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it. 19As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Kings 21:13 | I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down. |
| 2 | Amos 7:7–9 | This is what He showed me: Behold, the Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. “Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD. “A plumb line,” I replied. “Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them: The high places of Isaac will be deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with My sword.” |
| 3 | Revelation 16:21 | And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous. |
| 4 | Romans 2:5 | But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. |
| 5 | Romans 2:2 | And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 7:14 | therefore what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears My Name, the house in which you trust, the place that I gave to you and your fathers. |
| 7 | Isaiah 28:2 | Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground. |
| 8 | Revelation 11:19 | Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. |
| 9 | Psalms 94:15 | Surely judgment will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. |
| 10 | Daniel 11:22 | Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant. |
Isaiah 28:17 Summary
[This verse means that God will use His perfect standards of justice and righteousness to judge our actions, and those who have been relying on lies and deceit will be left without a refuge. As it says in Psalm 119:75, God's judgments are true and righteous, and we can trust in His goodness. We can find true refuge in God, as seen in Psalm 46:1, where it says that God is our refuge and strength, and we can trust in His power to judge and redeem us.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level?
This means that God will use His perfect standards of justice and righteousness to evaluate and judge our actions, as seen in Isaiah 28:17, and this is in line with His character as described in Psalm 89:14, where it says that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
What is the significance of hail sweeping away the refuge of lies and water flooding the hiding place?
The hail and water in Isaiah 28:17 symbolize God's judgment and power, which will destroy the false sense of security that people have when they rely on lies and deceit, as also warned in Proverbs 10:25, where it says that the righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.
How does this verse relate to the idea of a covenant with death and an agreement with Sheol mentioned in the previous verse?
The verse is a continuation of the idea that those who make a covenant with death and an agreement with Sheol, as mentioned in Isaiah 28:15, will be judged by God and their false sense of security will be destroyed, as also seen in Isaiah 28:18, where it says that their covenant with death will be dissolved.
What is the ultimate result of God's judgment in this verse?
The ultimate result is that those who have relied on lies and deceit will be left without a refuge or hiding place, and they will be forced to face the reality of God's judgment, as seen in Isaiah 28:19, where it says that the understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
Reflection Questions
- How do I measure my own actions and decisions against God's standards of justice and righteousness?
- In what ways have I been relying on 'lies' or false sense of security, and how can I turn to God for true refuge?
- What does it mean for me to 'believe' in God, as mentioned in the previous verse, Isaiah 28:16, and how can I apply that to my life?
- How can I trust in God's power and judgment, even when I face overwhelming circumstances, as seen in Isaiah 28:18-19?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 28:17
Judgment also will I lay to the line,.... A metaphor taken from builders, who in building use the line and plummet to carry on their work even and regular, retaining such stones as agree thereunto,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 28:17
Judgment 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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; I will execute just judgment, as it were by a line and plummet annexed to it, i.e. with exactness and care. And this may be understood either, 1. That God would so order and settle things in his church, that justice and judgment should prevail, and not iniquity, as hitherto it had done; or rather, 2. That as God would build up and preserve all believers upon that Foundation-stone, so he would severely punish and utterly destroy all those unbelieving Jews who should reject that Stone. For the line and plummet, or the plumb-line, was not only used in erecting buildings, but also in pulling them down; those parts of the building being thus marked out which were to be demolished; and therefore is used in Scripture to signify the destruction of a place or people, as is evident from ,8. And this sense agrees best with the following clause and verse. The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place; my judgments, which in Scripture are compared to a storm of hail or rain, shall discover the vanity of all your crafty and wicked devices, and shall sweep you away with the besom of destruction in spite of them.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
Isaiah 28:17 Judgment 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.Ver. 17. Judgment also will I lay to the line.] Or, I will set out judgment by line, and justice by plummet; that is, I will proportion your punishments to your offences, as it were by line and by level, that the wicked may have their due, and the godly sustain no damage. See 2 Kings 21:12-13 Amos 7:8. Calvin saith that by this expression, borrowed from builders, the Lord here showeth that when the corner stone before spoken of shall be laid, the Church of the faithful built thereupon shall rise up to a fair and uniform built temple in the Lord, according to Ephesians 2:20. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies.] Or, Shovel away, or, quasi furcillis extrudet, shall fork away, or burn up your vain confidences, as he destroyed the Egyptians by hail mingled with fire. And the waters.] See Isaiah 28:15 Matthew 7:27.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
(17) Judgment also will I lay to the line . . .—Rather, I make judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet. The architectural imagery is continued. The “elect corner stone” shall come up to the standard of perfection, laid four-square (Revelation 21:16); and, therefore, should be the true place of refuge; while? the boast of the scorners, which the prophet repeats in the words that follow, should prove a false one. They would see their place of refuge swept away by the great waters. (Comp. Matthew 7:26-27.) Their treaty with death and Hades should be treated as null and void, They should be trampled under foot by the invading armies.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 28:17
17. Thé first half of the verse continues Isaiah 28:16. In order to build on this foundation, it is necessary that political conduct be conformed to the eternal principles of the Divine government; these are “judgment” and “righteousness” (see on Isaiah 1:21), which are here compared to the builder’s line and plummet. Render as in R.V. I will make judgment the line and righteousness the plummet. Cf. ch. Isaiah 34:11. and the hail …] Every course of action not based on faith in Jehovah, and not in accordance with the strict rule of the Divine righteousness will prove a false refuge in the day of judgment, see Isaiah 28:15 and cf. Isaiah 28:2. Comp. also Matthew 7:24-27. The verb “sweep away” is not found elsewhere.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 28:17
Judgment also will I lay to the line - The sense of this is, I will judge them according to the exact rule of law, as an architect frames everything according to the rule which he uses.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 28:17
17. Judgment… line… righteousness… plummet — This means that the rule of God’s dealings is one of the strictest justice.
Sermons on Isaiah 28:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Attributes of God (Series 1): The Justice of God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of a judge being caught between mercy and justice. He uses the example of a man torn between his love for a woman and his sense o |
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Attributes of God (Series 2): God's Perfect Justice by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of atonement for our sins. He explains that every moral inequity will be judged unless covered by sufficient atonement. He hi |
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To God Be Glory in the Church by Art Katz | In this sermon entitled "To God Be Glory In The Church," Arthur Katz emphasizes the importance of aligning ourselves with the perfect standard that comes from heaven. He encourages |
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The Holiness and Righteousness of God by Richard Langworthy | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of using Jesus Christ as the measuring line and plum line for justice and righteousness. He references Isaiah 28 to support t |
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Attributes of God #4 "God's Justice" by A.W. Tozer | A.W. Tozer emphasizes the essential nature of God's justice, asserting that it is not merely an attribute but the very essence of God Himself. He explains that God's justice is per |
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Epistle 200 by George Fox | George Fox preaches about the importance of conducting business and trade with righteousness, justice, and honesty in the sight of God and man. He emphasizes the need for using jus |
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The Death of the Flesh the Life of the Spirit by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches about the spiritual journey of King Hezekiah, emphasizing the deep work of God in the heart to bring believers to a true understanding of their own sinfulness |