“Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?
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?
- KJV 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.
- 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?
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 stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
- Jer 6:10To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, Yahweh’s word has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.
- John 12:38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
- Matt 11:25At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- Matt 21:15–16But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant,
- Isa 53:1Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- John 3:19This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
- Jer 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?
- 1 Pet 2:2as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,
- Isa 54:13All your children will be taught by Yahweh; and your children’s peace will be great.
- Isa 50:4The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
- John 12:47–48If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
- Ps 50:17since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?
- Isa 30:10–12who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and to the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.
- Mark 10:15Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
- Prov 1:29because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
- Isa 48:17Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
- Isa 30:20Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers won’t be hidden any more, but your eyes will see your teachers;
- Isa 28:26For his God instructs him in right judgment, and teaches him.
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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 28:9 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
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