Isaiah 28:20
18 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.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
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
- Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.
- KJV
- For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
- WEB
- For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
- ASV
- For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
- DARBY
- For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it.
- BLB
- For the bed is too short for stretching out, and the covering too narrow for wrapping oneself.
- ÅB
- for sengen er for kort til å strekke seg ut i, og teppet for smalt til å svøpe seg i.
- OTB
- Sengen er for kort til å strekke seg ut på, og teppet for smalt til å vikle seg inn i.
- B1930
- for sengen er for kort til å strekke sig ut i, og teppet for smalt til å svøpe sig i.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Read in contextIsaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Read in contextRomans 9:30–32
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Read in contextJeremiah 7:8–10
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Read in contextIsaiah 59:5–6
They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Read in contextIsaiah 66:3–6
He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Read in contextIsaiah 57:12–13
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
Read in context