Isaiah 28:19
ESV
As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
NIV
As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
NASB
As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.'
CSB
Every time it passes through, it will carry you away; it will pass through every morning— every day and every night. Only terror will cause you to understand the message.
NLT
Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away.' This message will bring terror to your people.
KJV
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
NKJV
As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report.”
What does Isaiah 28:19 mean?
Why didn't we trust the Lord instead of making a foolish alliance with Egypt? That's what Jerusalem's leaders will be asking when the Assyrian army comes pouring through Judah, destroying families and homes and entire villages. They have put their hopes in the wrong thing.Isaiah has described Assyria's ravenous armies as a hailstorm and flood (Isaiah 28:17). These destructive events are infamous for eradicating everything they touch. But this flood won't come through just one time. It will return repeatedly, bringing more destruction. A common Assyrian practice was to return to previously conquered regions and terrorize them again. This would more thoroughly destroy any hope among the people that they might revolt or fight back.
The true terror will strike when survivors come to fully understand Isaiah's message as it plays out in real time. Only then will they be fully convinced that the Lord was right. Everything He said through Isaiah was true. But it will be too late to avoid the carnage.
