Isaiah 57:20 kjv
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
Isaiah 57:20 nkjv
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
Isaiah 57:20 niv
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.
Isaiah 57:20 esv
But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
Isaiah 57:20 nlt
"But those who still reject me are like the restless sea,
which is never still
but continually churns up mud and dirt.
Isaiah 57 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 48:22 | "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." | Directly parallels the theme of lack of peace for the wicked. |
| Psalm 7:11 | God is a righteous judge, and a God who expresses wrath every day. | Underscores God's judgment on the wicked, contributing to their lack of peace. |
| Proverbs 4:16 | For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are robbed of sleep and found to stumble. | Echoes the restless nature of those who practice evil. |
| Jeremiah 6:13 | "From the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely." | Depicts a society characterized by greed and deceit, leading to internal strife. |
| Romans 2:8-9 | But to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But to those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. | Contrasts the outcomes of obedience and disobedience, mirroring the peace/restlessness divide. |
| James 3:16 | For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. | Directly links selfish ambition and envy to disorder, aligning with the "troubled sea" imagery. |
| Matthew 11:28 | "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." | Offers the antidote to the unrest described in Isaiah 57:20 by finding rest in Christ. |
| John 14:27 | "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." | Christ offers a true peace distinct from the world's transient states. |
| Galatians 5:17 | "For the flesh wages war against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." | Explains the internal conflict that can lead to spiritual unrest. |
| Philippians 4:7 | "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." | Highlights the protective and profound peace that believers can experience. |
| Hebrews 4:9-10 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works as God did from his." | Points to the ultimate spiritual rest available through faith. |
| Psalm 37:2 | For they will soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. | Short-lived prosperity of the wicked compared to enduring righteousness. |
| Ecclesiastes 1:3 | What do people gain from all their hard work and striving beneath the sun? | Questioning the ultimate worth of earthly pursuits without God. |
| Isaiah 5:12 | Trumpets and harps, tambourines and flutes and wine are at their feasts, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, noMsee the works of his hands. | Similar to the unrest, these descriptions depict revelry without true spiritual substance or purpose. |
| Isaiah 10:2 | To turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make plunder of orphans! | Describes specific wicked acts that disrupt societal peace and create suffering. |
| Isaiah 28:7 | They too reel from wine and stagger from strong drink, the priest and the prophet reel from strong drink, they are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink, they are mistaken, they stagger and err in vision, they stumble in judgment. | Similar imagery of confusion and stumbling caused by indulgence and spiritual immaturity. |
| Isaiah 48:18 | If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. | Direct contrast, illustrating the peace that is lost by not following God's ways. |
| Jeremiah 9:1 | Oh, that my head were springs of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! That I might weep day and night for the slain of my people. | Expresses sorrow over the condition of people who are far from God. |
| Ezekiel 13:10 | "Because, yes because they have led my people astray, saying 'Peace,' when there is no peace..." | Condemnation of false prophets who offer superficial peace. |
| Romans 6:21 | "But what fruit were you bearing then? Things that you are now ashamed of. The end of those ways is death." | The ultimate consequence of pursuing unrighteousness. |
Isaiah 57 verses
Isaiah 57 20 Meaning
The wicked are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. This verse contrasts the restless, agitated state of the unrighteous with the peace found in God's presence. Their turmoil stems from their ungodly actions, which yield no true rest or satisfaction, only futility.
Isaiah 57 20 Context
Isaiah 57 focuses on God's response to Judah's spiritual infidelity. The people had turned to idolatry, syncretism, and corrupt practices, despite prophetic warnings. This chapter contrasts the divine judgment that falls upon the wicked with the eternal rest promised to the faithful. Verse 20 serves as a stark illustration of the inherent consequence of ungodliness: perpetual inner turmoil and outward unreliability, unlike the enduring peace found in righteousness. The surrounding verses (57:14-21) further emphasize God's call to repentance and the restoration available to those who turn from their sin, highlighting the persistent call to peace from God that the wicked reject.
Isaiah 57 20 Word Analysis
"But": (Hebrew: וְ - və) - A conjunctive particle, linking this verse to what precedes and contrasting it. It signals a turn in thought or consequence.
"the wicked": (Hebrew: רְשָׁעִים - rəšā‘îm) - Plural noun, meaning "wicked," "ungodly," "evil." Refers to those who are actively opposed to God and His ways.
"are like": (Hebrew: כְּ - kə) - A preposition meaning "like," "as." Introduces a simile.
"the troubled": (Hebrew: מְרַגְּשָׁה - məraggəšāh) - This verb form, related to the root "to move," "to stir up," "to agitate." It describes something in constant, unsettled motion.
"sea": (Hebrew: יָם - yām) - A body of saltwater. In the Bible, the sea can symbolize chaos, disorder, or untamed forces.
"whose": (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - ’ăšer) - A relative pronoun, connecting the following clause to "the sea."
"waters": (Hebrew: מֵימָיו - mêymāw) - "waters of it" (masculine plural). Refers to the waters of the sea.
"cast up": (Hebrew: תַּשְׁלִיכְנָה - tašlîḵnāh) - Future tense verb, feminine plural, meaning "throw," "cast," "fling." The subject is "waters," hence feminine plural.
"mire": (Hebrew: מְצֵילָה - məṣêylāh) - This noun signifies "froth," "scum," "mire," or " filth" that rises to the surface and is thrown out.
"and": (Hebrew: וְ - və) - Conjunction.
"dirt": (Hebrew: רֶפֶשׁ - rōp̄eš) - Signifies "feculence," "impurity," "refuse," "mire," often referring to thick mud or dirt.
Phrase Analysis:
- "troubled sea": Evokes a picture of constant churning, unable to find stability or calm. This is a metaphor for the internal disquiet and moral impurity of the wicked.
- "cast up mire and dirt": Implies that from this restless churning, only filth and waste are produced. Their actions and lives are inherently unproductive and offensive to God, a continuous outflow of their sinful nature.
Isaiah 57 20 Bonus Section
The imagery of the "troubled sea" has been understood by various commentators and teachings as representing a state of persistent guilt and unrest that often accompanies a life of sin, where one cannot find peace because their conscience is troubled and their actions bring no true fulfillment. The unceasing agitation is a consequence of living against the natural order God established. The output of mire and dirt suggests that all their efforts and turmoil produce nothing of value in God's sight, only defilement. This state is ultimately a separation from the divine source of peace and rest, which is intimately connected to living righteously.
Isaiah 57 20 Commentary
This verse paints a vivid picture of spiritual destitution. The wicked, unlike the people of God who find rest in Him, are compared to a perpetually agitated sea. Their unceasing movement and internal chaos are not signs of productivity but rather of moral pollution. The "mire and dirt" represent the harmful, offensive byproducts of their lives—sinful actions, corrupted thoughts, and destructive words that are constantly expelled, impacting themselves and those around them. True peace, according to scripture, is a gift from God, found through faith and obedience, a stark contrast to the outward agitation and inner emptiness of those who live apart from Him.