Isaiah 28:18

Death and loss

¹⁶ So 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.

¹⁷ 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.

Your 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.

¹⁹ As 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.

²⁰ Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Your 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.
KJV: And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
WEB: Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.
ASV: And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
DARBY: And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, ye shall be trodden down by it.
BLB: And your⁺ covenant with death will be dissolved, and your⁺ agreement with Sheol will not stand; the overwhelming scourge, when it passes over, then you⁺ will be trampled by it.

ÅB: Og deres pakt med døden skal slettes ut, og deres forbund med dødsriket skal ikke stå fast; når den susende svepe farer fram, da skal dere bli trådt ned.
OTB: Deres pakt med døden vil bli annullert, og deres avtale med Sheol vil ikke stå; når den overveldende svøpen går gjennom, vil dere bli trampet av den.
B1930: Og eders pakt med døden skal slettes ut, og eders forbund med dødsriket skal ikke stå fast; når den susende svepe farer frem, da skal I bli trådt ned.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 7:7
But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.
Read in context
Isaiah 8:10
Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
Read in context
Isaiah 28:15
For 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.”
Read in context
Malachi 4:1–3
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”
Read in context
Isaiah 28:3
The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
Read in context
Daniel 11:40
At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood.
Read in context
Daniel 8:9–13
From one of these horns a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
Read in context
Daniel 9:26–27
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.
Read in context