Isaiah 28:12
ESV
to whom he has said, "This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose"; yet they would not hear.
NIV
to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"— but they would not listen.
NASB
He who said to them, 'This is the place of quiet, give rest to the weary,' And, 'This is the resting place,' but they would not listen.
CSB
He had said to them: "This is the place of rest; let the weary rest; this is the place of repose." But they would not listen.
NLT
God has told his people, 'Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.' But they would not listen.
KJV
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
NKJV
To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.
What does Isaiah 28:12 mean?
God's intended message for Israel would have been different than the one they will receive from Assyrian invaders (Isaiah 28:3–4, 11). These enemies will soon conquer and exile them. Receiving the Lord's message would have given relief from their hardships. God wanted His people to trust Him, to rest in Him. This meant not trying to solve fears about security by making alliances with other nations. It certainly did not mean worshipping false gods or escaping into drunkenness. If they would trust and obey Him, He would make good on all He had promised before they entered the land (Deuteronomy 28:1–14)Jesus said something similar to those exhausted by the oppressions of Romans and Pharisees: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28–30). It's when we pull away from the Lord that life ultimately becomes burdensome.
In Isaiah's time, Israel would not accept this message of trust and peace from the Lord. They would not hear. In fact, they mocked Isaiah for trying to teach it to them (Isaiah 28:10). As a result, they would "hear" the Lord's anger in the brutal defeat and exile of the Assyrians.
