Isaiah 28 8

Isaiah 28:8 kjv

For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

Isaiah 28:8 nkjv

For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.

Isaiah 28:8 niv

All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

Isaiah 28:8 esv

For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left.

Isaiah 28:8 nlt

Their tables are covered with vomit;
filth is everywhere.

Isaiah 28 verses

Isaiah 28 8 Meaning

Isaiah 28:8 graphically portrays the profound moral and spiritual degradation of Judah's (and formerly, Israel's) spiritual leaders—the priests and prophets (as identified in verse 7). Due to their pervasive gluttony and drunkenness, their gathering places, possibly even their altars or teaching pulpits metaphorically, are depicted as being completely saturated with vomit and excrement. This imagery signifies their utter defilement, spiritual blindness, and unfitness to lead God's people or handle sacred things. The verse conveys a scene of repulsive spiritual corruption where every aspect of their sphere of influence is polluted, leaving no purity or sanctity.

Isaiah 28 8 Context

Isaiah chapter 28 is part of a series of "woe" oracles. It primarily targets the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), especially their arrogant and self-indulgent leaders, before shifting focus to address the leaders of Judah. Verse 8 comes after Isaiah has sharply rebuked the "drunkards of Ephraim" (v. 1) and specifically indicted the priests and prophets of Jerusalem (v. 7). These spiritual leaders, meant to guide the people in truth and righteousness, have instead become so consumed by wine and strong drink that they "err in vision" and "stumble in judgment." The context paints a picture of societal decay starting from the top—those who should be holy and discerning are utterly debauched. Their tables, symbolizing their banquets, feasting, or even their official settings, become the very picture of their internal depravity made manifest.

Isaiah 28 8 Word analysis

• For all tables (כִּ֤י כָּל־ שֻׁלְחָנֹ֖ות, kî khol- shulḥānōṯ):
  • "tables" (שֻׁלְחָנֹ֖ות, shulḥānōṯ): This Hebrew term refers to flat surfaces used for meals, banquets, or offerings. In the context of Isaiah 28, especially following the indictment of priests and prophets in verse 7, "tables" likely signifies their banqueting places where their drunkenness takes place, but also metaphorically their spheres of influence, their places of spiritual sustenance or instruction. It could allude to the tables where sacred meals or offerings might have taken place, now defiled. The image points to the desecration of even nominally "holy" spaces by their conduct.
• are full (מָלְא֖וּ, māl'û):
  • "full": This word implies complete saturation, a state of being completely inundated. It highlights the pervasive and inescapable nature of the defilement; there is no corner or space left untouched. The sin is not superficial but deep-seated and overflowing.
• of vomit (קִיא, qî’):
  • "vomit": The literal physical ejection of contents from the stomach, primarily due to excessive consumption. It is inherently disgusting, repulsive, and associated with debauchery and illness. In a spiritual sense, it represents the corrupted outflow of their inner being, their teaching, or their very spiritual presence—everything they produce is foul and repulsive to God.
• and filthiness (וְצֹאָֽה׃, vətsōʾâ):
  • "filthiness" (צֹאָה, tsōʾâ): This term specifically refers to excrement or refuse, an even more profound level of uncleanness than vomit. It implies extreme biological waste and total putrefaction. Its inclusion signifies the absolute and repugnant nature of their spiritual corruption, a pervasive moral impurity that makes them an abomination.
• so that there is no place clean (אֵין מָקוֹם נָקִֽי, ʾên māqôm nāqî):
  • "no place clean": This phrase emphasizes the totality of the defilement. It underscores the complete absence of purity, holiness, or separation from corruption. Not a single corner of their conduct, their influence, or their purported holy duties remains untainted. This reflects an ultimate spiritual pollution that nullifies their capacity for pure service.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness": This powerful and grotesque image paints a scene of total and extreme defilement. It highlights the consequence of unrestrained indulgence (drunkenness) leading to absolute physical and spiritual degradation. The "tables" which should perhaps signify places of communion, sustenance, or teaching, are instead filled with repugnance, reflecting the moral state of those using them. This is not merely accidental dirt but the overflow of corrupted beings.
• "so that there is no place clean": This phrase emphasizes the overwhelming and pervasive nature of the corruption described. The defilement is so absolute that purity has been utterly eradicated. It signifies a point of no return for the spiritual leaders—their sin has saturated their entire being and environment, leaving no possibility of integrity or holiness. This implies a spiritual inability to discern truth or perform righteous acts due to total internal impurity.

Isaiah 28 8 Bonus section

The intensely sensory and repugnant imagery of Isaiah 28:8 is deliberately designed to evoke disgust and condemnation. This specific prophetic style is known as hyperbole and grotesque imagery, which Isaiah often employs to shake his audience out of their complacency. It targets the "watchmen" and "shepherds" (as they are sometimes called in prophetic literature), emphasizing that their outward appearance of religious office is completely negated by their inner and outward spiritual rot. The defilement is not something external applied to them but is internal, bubbling forth from their own debauched lives. This profound state of defilement means they are unable to differentiate between the clean and the unclean (Lev 10:10), a foundational priestly duty, hence fulfilling their complete spiritual incapacitation. The "tables" might also indirectly hint at altars where offerings were made or communal feasts were held, implying a desecration of the entire sacred system by those entrusted to uphold it.

Isaiah 28 8 Commentary

Isaiah 28:8 is a shocking and deeply impactful visual metaphor for the spiritual and moral bankruptcy of the religious leadership in Judah. By presenting tables (symbolic of their daily lives, their feasting, and even their positions of authority) as completely covered in vomit and excrement, Isaiah communicates a profound sense of defilement. This is not mere outward ritual impurity but a pervasive inner corruption, directly linked to the widespread drunkenness described in the preceding verses, especially verse 7 concerning priests and prophets. Their physical excess spills over into a spiritual state where discernment (vision and judgment) is lost, and their ability to serve God or teach His Word is utterly compromised. The extreme imagery forces the audience to confront the revolting reality of sin's consequences, highlighting that their leaders, far from being pure, have become agents of spiritual contagion, making "no place clean." The passage serves as a severe warning against leaders who succumb to gluttony, indulgence, and worldly pleasures, losing their spiritual anointing and desecrating their holy calling. It challenges the people to recognize that if those who teach and lead are so defiled, their guidance is dangerous and leading to destruction.