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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Isaiah 28:20

For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Infidelity;   Isaiah;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Self-Righteousness;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Social Duties;   Temperance;   Temperance-Intemperance;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Beds;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Veil, Vail;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jacob;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bed, Bedroom;   Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Untoward;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Vagabond;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Bed;   Narrow (and forms);   Stretch;   Wrap;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bed;   Hezekiah (2);   Isaiah;   Veil (1);   Wisdom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bed;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on,and its cover too small to wrap up in.
Hebrew Names Version
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
King James Version
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
English Standard Version
For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.
New American Standard Bible
The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in.
New Century Version
You will be like the person who tried to sleep on a bed that was too short and with a blanket that was too narrow to wrap around himself.
Amplified Bible
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself [and likewise all their preparations are inadequate].
World English Bible
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For the bed is streight that it can not suffice, and the couering narowe that one can not wrappe himselfe.
Legacy Standard Bible
The bed is too short on which to stretch out,And the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.
Contemporary English Version
Your bed is too short, your blanket too skimpy.
Complete Jewish Bible
For, [as the saying goes,] "The bed is too short for a person to stretch, and the blanket too narrow [to protect him from cold] even if he crams himself in."
Darby Translation
For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it.
Easy-to-Read Version
A man tried to sleep on a bed that was too short for him. He had a blanket that was not wide enough to cover him. The bed and blanket were useless, and so were your agreements. "
George Lamsa Translation
For the cloth is too short, and the warp grows weak and is insufficient for a garment.
Good News Translation
You will be like the person in the proverb, who tries to sleep in a bed too short to stretch out on, with a blanket too narrow to wrap himself in.
Lexham English Bible
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering is too narrow when wrapping oneself.
Literal Translation
For the bed is shorter than one can stretch himself on; and the cover is narrower than one can wrap himself in.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For ye bedde shalbe so narow yt a ma ca not lye vpon it. And the coueringe to small, that a ma maye not wynde him self therin.
American Standard Version
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
Bible in Basic English
For the bed is not long enough for a man to be stretched out on: and the cover is not wide enough for him to be covered with.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself; and the covering too narrow when he gathereth himself up.
King James Version (1611)
For the bed is shorter, then that a man can stretch himselfe on it: and the couering narrower, then that he can wrap himselfe in it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For the bed is narrowe and not large, and the couering so small that a man can not winde him selfe [vnder it.]
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
ye that are distressed; we cannot fight, but we are ourselves too weak for you to be gathered.
English Revised Version
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the bed is streit, so that the tother falle doun; and a schort mentil schal not hile euer either.
Update Bible Version
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
Webster's Bible Translation
For the bed is shorter than that [a man] can stretch himself [on it]: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it].
New English Translation
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself.
New Living Translation
The bed you have made is too short to lie on. The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
New Life Bible
The bed is too short to lie on in comfort. And the covering is too small to put around yourself.
New Revised Standard
For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For too short is the couch to stretch oneself out, - And, the coverlet, too narrow, when one draweth up his feet.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For the bed is straitened, so that one must fall out, and a short covering cannot cover both.
Revised Standard Version
For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it.
Young's Literal Translation
For shorter hath been the bed Than to stretch one's self out in, And the covering hath been narrower Than to wrap one's self up in.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in.

Contextual Overview

14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves." 16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it. 19 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." 20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. 21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon-- That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. 22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the bed: Isaiah 57:12, Isaiah 57:13, Isaiah 59:5, Isaiah 59:6, Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 66:3-6, Jeremiah 7:8-10, Romans 9:30-32, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:7 - and they Isaiah 8:8 - Immanuel Isaiah 30:1 - cover Malachi 2:16 - covereth

Cross-References

Genesis 28:1
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
Genesis 28:2
Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother.
Genesis 28:3
"May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;
Genesis 28:7
and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram.
Genesis 28:10
Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
Genesis 28:12
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
Genesis 28:20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family."'
1 Samuel 1:11
Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the bed is shorter than that [a man] can stretch himself [on it],.... When a bed is short, a man cannot lie at his full length, and at ease:

and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it]; when the bedclothes are narrow a man cannot cover himself with them, so as to be warm and comfortable. These proverbial expressions are interpreted by Kimchi of Jerusalem, when besieged by the Assyrian army, when the inhabitants of it were much straitened, distressed, and made uncomfortable; perhaps it may be better understood of the same city when besieged by the Romans, to which the Jews flocked from all parts, in such numbers, for shelter, that there was not room enough for them, at least not provision, and which was the cause of that great distress and miserable condition they were reduced to: in general, the design of the words may be to show that all refuges and shelters, all means made use of for safety and protection, by which they endeavoured to cover and secure themselves, would be insufficient; and particularly such that laid themselves at ease on the bed of their own righteousness, not submitting to Christ and his righteousness, and covered themselves with the rags of their own doings, and not with the garments of his salvation, would find themselves in a very uncomfortable and unsafe state.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the bed is shorter ... - This is evidently a proverbial saying, and means that they would find all their places of defense insufficient to secure them. They seek repose and security - as a man lies down to rest at night. But they find neither. His bed furnishes no rest; his scanty covering furnishes no security from the chills of the night. So it would be with those who sought protection in idols, in the promises of false prophets, and in the aid which might be obtained from Egypt. So it is with sinners. Their vain refuges shall not shield them. The bed on which they seek rest shall give them no repose; the covering with which they seek to clothe themselves shall not defend them from the wrath of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 28:20. For the bed is shorter — A mashal or proverbial saying, the meaning of which is, that they will find all means of defence and protection insufficient to secure them, and cover them from the evils coming upon them. מסך massek, Isaiah 22:8, the covering, is used for the outworks of defense, the barrier of the country; and here, in the allegorical sense, it means much the same thing. Their beds were only mattresses laid on the floor; and the coverlet a sheet, or in the winter a carpet, laid over it, in which the person wrapped himself. For כהתכנס kehithcannes, it ought probably to be מהתכנס mehithcannes. Houbigant, Secker.


 
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