Isaiah 28:13

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 28:13 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isaiah 28:13 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 28

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, &c.] Was despised and derided by them; they took the prophet’s words out of his mouth, and in a scoffing manner repeated them; which, in the Hebrew text, is in a rhyming form, and were sung and drawled out by them, “Tsau lotsau, Tsau lotsau, Kau lakau, Kau lakau”: this is all he can say to us, and we have from him: precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; or the words may be rendered, “and the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept”, &c.; as it had been, so it still was; the same method was continued to be taken with them, and they still treated as children; and it is…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“But--rather, "Therefore," namely, because "they would not hear" (Isa 28:12). that they might go--the designed result to those who, from a defect of the will, so far from profiting by God's mode of instructing, "precept upon precept," &c., made it into a stumbling-block (Hos 6:5; Hos 8:12; Mat 13:14). go, and fall--image appropriately from "drunkards" (Isa 28:7-8, which they were) who in trying to "go forward fall backward."”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Here a little - As this method has been used and was altogether necessary for them; so it still is, and for the future shall be. As they were children in understanding, they shall still continue to be such; they shall be ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. That - This will be the event, or consequence of their sin: they will fall backward, which is the worst, and most dangerous way of falling; and so be broken to pieces. Isaiah 28:15”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“28:13 one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there: The Hebrew here is difficult to understand. The words might be intentional nonsense to illustrate the point that the people were so spiritually blind that God’s clearest revelation was nonsense to them (see 6:9-10).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“precept upon precept: Isa 28:10; Jer 23:36-38; Hos 6:5, Hos 8:12 that: Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10, Isa 8:14, Isa 8:15; Psa 69:22; Mat 13:14, Mat 21:44; Rom 11:9; Co2 2:16; Pe1 2:7, Pe1 2:8; Pe2 3:16 Isaiah 28:14”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification