For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Parallel translations
- WEB For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
- BSB For they hear: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there.”
- NKJV For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
- NASB “For He says, ‘Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.’ ”
- NLT He tells us everything over and over— one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The scoffers mimic Isaiah's teaching as tedious, repetitive babble: 'precept upon precept, line upon line.'
Overview
The mockers caricature God's instruction as monotonous, fragmented nonsense. Their derision exposes their refusal to heed even patient, careful teaching. Ironically, the very 'little by little' method they scorn reflects God's gracious, persistent dealing with stubborn hearts.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 28:13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
- 2 Tim 3:7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Jer 11:7For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
- Jer 25:3–7From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.
- Heb 5:12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
- Neh 9:29–30And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
- Deut 6:1–6Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
- Matt 21:34–41And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
- Isa 5:4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
- 2 Chr 36:15–16And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
- Phil 3:1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 28:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.