Isaiah 28 19

Isaiah 28:19 kjv

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.

Isaiah 28:19 nkjv

As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report."

Isaiah 28:19 niv

As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.

Isaiah 28:19 esv

As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.

Isaiah 28:19 nlt

Again and again that flood will come,
morning after morning,
day and night,
until you are carried away."
This message will bring terror to your people.

Isaiah 28 verses

Isaiah 28 19 Meaning

Isaiah 28:19 vividly describes the relentless and terrifying nature of the impending divine judgment that would descend upon the disobedient and scornful leaders and people of Jerusalem. The "scourge" or "overwhelming flood" of judgment is personified as a force that will repeatedly pass through, day and night, offering no respite. The ultimate horror for the inhabitants will be the clear, inescapable understanding of this calamitous message, turning clarity into sheer dread and paralysis.

Isaiah 28 19 Context

Isaiah 28 forms part of a series of "woe oracles" delivered by the prophet against both the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah. The immediate preceding verses (28:14-15) highlight the specific target of this oracle: the scornful and complacent leaders of Jerusalem who boasted of a "covenant with death" and a "pact with Sheol," believing they were immune to the coming "overwhelming scourge." They had rejected the simple, clear, and repetitive teachings of the prophet, which they dismissed as childish babbling (Isa 28:9-10). Verse 19 directly continues the theme from 28:18, emphasizing the unavoidable impact of the very judgment they scoffed at. Historically, this "scourge" primarily referred to the approaching Assyrian invasion under Sennacherib (around 701 BC), though its prophetic language also suggests broader and eschatological implications of divine judgment.

Isaiah 28 19 Word analysis

• As often as it passes through (כְּדֵי עָבְרָה - kedei 'avrah):
  • kedei: "As often as," "whenever," "in accordance with its passing." Signifies repeated occurrence, inevitability, and consistency.
  • 'avrah: "It passes," "it comes over." Refers to the "scourge" (verse 15, 18), indicating a continuous, non-stop progression. Its grammatical form suggests ongoing movement.
  • Significance: This phrase establishes the relentless, frequent, and inescapable nature of the judgment. It won't be a one-time event but a recurring wave of calamity.
• it will take you (תִּקָּחֶנָּהּ - tiqqakhennah):
  • tiqqakhennah: "It will seize them," "it will snatch them away," "it will carry them off." The verb "to take" (לָקַח - laqach) here carries connotations of seizing, overpowering, and making captives. The suffix "-nah" (הּ) refers back to "them," i.e., the people of Jerusalem.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the overwhelming power and effective impact of the scourge. It won't just pass by, but will directly affect and devastate the scorners.
• for morning by morning (כִּי בַבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר - ki vabboqer babboqer):
  • ki: "For," "indeed." Introduces the reason or amplification.
  • babboqer babboqer: The repetition of "in the morning" stresses ceaseless regularity, persistence, and lack of relief. It's a daily, unrelenting visitation.
  • Significance: Underscores the constant, persistent, and unyielding nature of the judgment. Like a haunting presence or a daily ritual, the terror will be renewed each day. It directly mirrors the simple, repetitive instruction the scorners rejected in Isa 28:9-10, now turned into a relentless, terrifying reality.
• it will pass through (תַּעֲבֹר - ta'avor):
  • ta'avor: "It will pass," "it will cross over." Continues the theme of the advancing scourge, reiterating its continuous progression.
  • Significance: Reemphasizes the inexorable march of the judgment.
• by day and by night (וּבַיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה - uvayyom uvalleilah):
  • uvayyom uvalleilah: "And by day and by night." Expands on the idea of "morning by morning" to encompass all hours, indicating continuous torment without any period of peace or escape.
  • Significance: The judgment will be pervasive and incessant, denying any moment of rest or security. It symbolizes a state of perpetual fear and anxiety.
• and it will be sheer terror (וְהָיָה רַק בְּעָה - vehayah raq be'ah):
  • vehayah: "And it will be."
  • raq: "Only," "merely," "sheer," "nothing but." An intensifier, suggesting the absolute and unadulterated nature of what follows.
  • be'ah: "Terror," "dread," "trembling," "horror," "distress." A strong term indicating deep psychological and physical anguish, shuddering.
  • Significance: The outcome will be pure, unmitigated terror. The relentless judgment will break down all resistance and false bravado, replacing it with paralyzing dread.
• to understand the message (שְׁמוּעָה וְהָבֵן מֻבָן - shemu'ah vehaven muvan):
  • shemu'ah: "Report," "tidings," "message," "hearing." Refers to the prophetic word or the report of the calamitous events.
  • vehaben: "And to understand," "to grasp." From the verb בִּין (bin), meaning "to discern," "to perceive."
  • muvan: "What is understood," "what is made clear" (passive participle). This emphasizes that the understanding is explicit, manifest, undeniable.
  • Significance: This is a crucial paradox. The very act of comprehending the prophetic warnings they once mocked, or fully grasping the reality of the disaster befalling them, will be the source of their deepest terror. The clearer God's message and judgment become, the more profound their horror. It’s not vague fear but fear born of clarity.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "As often as it passes through, it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night": This extended phrase powerfully conveys the relentless, cyclical, and comprehensive nature of the judgment. It highlights inevitability and ceaselessness, emphasizing that no time or circumstance will offer relief. The repetition ("morning by morning," "day and by night") underlines the absolute lack of escape, much like a tide that never recedes.
• "and it will be sheer terror to understand the message": This culminates the passage by defining the emotional and psychological impact. The terror is not merely from physical destruction but from the crushing realization and full comprehension of the dire message that has come to fruition. The irony is poignant: the simple, despised message (28:9-10) now brings overwhelming, sophisticated terror when its full meaning is unmistakably revealed by the unfolding events.

Isaiah 28 19 Bonus section

This verse offers a profound spiritual lesson: rejecting divine warnings, however simple or repetitive, eventually leads to a terrifying, undeniable encounter with the consequences. The "terror" (בְּעָה - be'ah) is a consequence of revelation, not obscurity. The greater the understanding, the deeper the dread, particularly for those who previously believed they had secured themselves from all such outcomes through false covenants (Isa 28:15). It shows God's patience in giving repeated warnings, which then transforms into an unrelenting presence of judgment when ignored. The paradox is that the light of understanding, usually associated with wisdom and comfort, here casts a shadow of overwhelming fear because it reveals a rejected path.

Isaiah 28 19 Commentary

Isaiah 28:19 powerfully describes the inescapable nature of God's judgment against those who scorn His word. The constant "passing through" of the "scourge," likened to a ceaseless visitation from "morning by morning, by day and by night," depicts a terrifying lack of respite. This imagery would have been particularly chilling to a people accustomed to regular invasions, portraying judgment not as a one-time event, but as an oppressive, recurring reality. The ultimate dread expressed in the verse lies not just in the physical calamities but in the profound, dawning understanding that accompanies them. The very prophetic message they once scoffed at, finding it simplistic (28:9-10), now becomes brutally clear, and its terrifying reality brings an unadulterated "sheer terror." This highlights divine justice where the consequence perfectly matches the contempt: their rejection of plain truth leads to an unbearable clarity of truth in judgment. The message becomes plain by painful experience.