Limitless Word
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isaiah 28:9 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
  • BSB Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
  • NKJV “Whomwill he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?
  • NASB ¶“To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
  • NLT “Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?

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 mock Isaiah's teaching as fit only for infants just weaned from milk.

Overview

The drunken leaders sneer at the prophet's instruction as childish and beneath them. Their contempt for God's plain word reveals their pride and hardness of heart. This warns against despising God's truth, which the proud reject but the humble receive as life.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Ps 131:2Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
  • Jer 6:10To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
  • John 12:38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
  • Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
  • Matt 21:15–16And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
  • Isa 53:1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
  • John 3:19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
  • Jer 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
  • 1 Pet 2:2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
  • Isa 54:13And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
  • Isa 50:4The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
  • John 12:47–48And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
  • Ps 50:17Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.
  • Isa 30:10–12Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
  • Mark 10:15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
  • Prov 1:29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
  • Isa 48:17Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
  • Isa 30:20And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
  • Isa 28:26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Isaiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Isaiah 28:9YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on IsaiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 28:9 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.