Isaiah 28:16-18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
16 Therefore, thus says the Lord God:
See, I am laying a stone in Zion,[a]
a stone that has been tested,
A precious cornerstone as a sure foundation;
whoever puts faith in it will not waver.(A)
17 I will make judgment a measuring line,
and justice a level.—[b]
Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters shall flood the hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death shall be canceled
and your pact with Sheol shall not stand.
When the raging flood passes through,
you shall be beaten down by it.(B)
Footnotes
- 28:16 A stone in Zion: the true and sure foundation of salvation, i.e., the presence of God, who had chosen and founded Zion as his city (Ps 78:68–69; Is 14:32) and had chosen the Davidic dynasty to rule over his people (Ps 78:70–72; Is 9:1–6; 11:1–10). Cornerstone: the assurance of salvation, rejected by the people of Judah in the prophet’s time, is picked up in Ps 118:22 and later applied to Christ; cf. Mt 21:42; Lk 20:17; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33; 1 Pt 2:7. Chapters 28–31 alternate between threats of the danger of rebelling against Assyria (with implied trust in Egypt) with assurances of the power and protection of the Lord.
- 28:17 Line…level: instruments used in constructing a building, to keep it true. They are used metaphorically here to refer to the qualities that Zion, the city of God, must manifest, judgment and justice, not bloodshed (Mi 3:10), nor deceit and violence, which would result in a bulging unstable wall doomed to destruction (Is 30:12–14). Cf. 1 Cor 3:10–17.
Isaiah 28:16-18
New International Version
16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,(A) a tested stone,(B)
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;(C)
the one who relies on it
will never be stricken with panic.(D)
17 I will make justice(E) the measuring line
and righteousness the plumb line;(F)
hail(G) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
and water will overflow(H) your hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death will be annulled;
your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.(I)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(J)
you will be beaten down(K) by it.
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