King James Version
What Does Isaiah 28:11 Mean?
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. stammering: Heb. stammerings of lip will: or, he hath spoken”
Context
9
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. doctrine: Heb. the hearing?
10
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: must be: or, hath been
11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. stammering: Heb. stammerings of lip will: or, he hath spoken
12
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.
13
But 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.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(11) **With stammering lips and another tongue . . .**—The “stammering lips” are those of the Assyrian conquerors, whose speech would seem to the men of Judah as a barbarous *patois. *They, with their short sharp commands, would be the next utterers of Jehovah’s will to the people who would not listen to the prophet’s teaching. The description of the “stammering tongue” re-appears in Isaiah 33:19. (Comp. Deuteronomy 28:49.) In 1Corinthians 14:21, the words are applied to the gift of “tongues,” which, in its ecstatic utterances, was unintelligible to those who heard it, and was therefore, as the speech of the barbarian conquerors was in Isaiah’s thoughts, the antithesis of true prophetic teaching.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Isaiah 28:11 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Isaiah 28:11
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge