Isaiah 28:15-16
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These leaders are so confident in their deceitful "covenant" with death and Sheol that they believe no disaster, however overwhelming, can touch them. They've convinced themselves that their lies and falsehoods are an impenetrable shield, utterly missing that they've chosen a refuge that will ultimately fail them.
Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”; therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this passage, Isaiah is addressing the leaders of Jerusalem, who, despite facing imminent judgment, are arrogantly confident in their own wisdom and security. They mock God's warnings and believe they've secured protection through their deceptive political alliances and false sense of righteousness. The prophet reveals that these "covenants with death" are actually built on lies and will offer no real shelter when God's judgment arrives like an overwhelming flood.
Imagine boasting that you've struck a deal with the ultimate enemy – death itself. What does it say about people who feel so secure, they think they can outsmart the inevitable?
Isaiah calls out the people of Judah for their incredible arrogance. They declared, 'We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement.' This wasn't a literal contract, but a deep-seated attitude of false security.
A Bold, Blind Confidence
Their actions spoke louder than words. They lived as if death and the grave (Sheol) had promised to leave them alone. This profound sense of safety came from a place of delusion, not reality. They believed they could avoid God's coming judgment, the 'overwhelming whip,' by relying on their own schemes and deceptions.
Lies as a Lifeline
Isaiah identifies their 'refuge' and 'shelter' as 'lies' and 'falsehood.' This likely refers to their misplaced trust in political alliances, false religious practices, or a general denial of God's authority and coming judgment. They built their security on sand, ignoring the solid rock of God's truth and justice.
The prophets often used vivid imagery to describe God's judgment. What was this 'overwhelming whip' that the people thought they could escape?
Isaiah uses the powerful image of an 'overwhelming whip' (or scourge) to describe the impending judgment from God. This wasn't just a minor inconvenience; it was a force so potent it would sweep through the land like an unstoppable flood.
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A Warning Ignored
The people's arrogance led them to believe this 'scourge' would pass them by. They thought their false alliances and deceptive practices would somehow shield them. They essentially mocked God's warnings, believing their cleverness or their agreements could nullify His justice.
The Inevitability of Consequence
But the 'whip' represents the inescapable consequences of turning away from God. Whether it's personal sin, societal corruption, or misplaced trust, God's justice eventually addresses these issues. The people’s misplaced confidence blinded them to the reality that no 'covenant with death' could truly protect them from the judgment that was coming.
Understand the original words
bərîth · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement or treaty, often established by God with His people, characterized by mutual obligations or divine promises of faithfulness.
she’ôl · Hebrew Noun
The realm of the dead or the underworld in the Old Testament, representing the grave or the place where human existence apart from God's presence continues in a shadowy state.
machseh · Hebrew Noun
A place of protection or safety, often used metaphorically for trust in God, but here used ironically to describe the false security found in deceit.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Intentional deception, untruth, or vanity; that which is not real or lasting and stands in opposition to the truth of God.
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title for God emphasizing His absolute sovereignty, authority, and covenantal relationship with His people; it combines the personal name of God (Yahweh) with the title of Ruler/Master (Adonai).
musad · Hebrew Noun
Metaphorical term representing the foundational support or basis of a structure; in biblical typology, it refers to the stability of God's plan or the promised Messiah upon whom the faith of the people rests.
Tsiyyon · Hebrew Noun
A symbolic term used for God's presence, the site of the Temple, and the center of God's redemptive work; it represents the gathering place of God's people and the seat of His throne.
bachan · Hebrew Adjective
A term denoting a reliable, trustworthy, and proven object; it signifies that God's work is established and capable of sustaining the weight placed upon it.
pinnah · Hebrew Noun
A stone placed at the intersection of two walls to provide stability; theologically, it refers to the indispensable, foundational element or Person (Christ) that supports the entire structure of God's kingdom.
aman · Hebrew Verb
To put trust in, rely upon, or hold fast to; in a biblical context, it signifies a settled confidence in God's promises that produces stability of soul, preventing panicked or rash behavior.
The 'covenant with death' and 'agreement with Sheol' were not literal pacts, but a sarcastic description of the Judean leadership's arrogant confidence in their flawed political alliances, particularly with Egypt, as a defense against the overwhelming Assyrian threat.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Influence on Judah
Assyria exerts significant political and military pressure on Judah, leading some Judean leaders to seek alliances and security measures, sometimes through questionable means.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting its population. This event serves as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of Assyrian aggression and faithlessness.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This invasion highlights the vulnerability of Judah and the failure of its political and military strategies.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Reliance on Egypt
King Hezekiah of Judah, advised by his officials, seeks an alliance with Egypt against the Assyrians, a strategy that Isaiah denounces as a reliance on 'lies' and 'falsehood'.
This passage describes a similar 'league' with the natural world as a sign of security, highlighting the proverbial nature of the phrase used by Isaiah's audience.
Hosea 2:18Here, God promises to make a covenant for His people with the wild beasts, signifying peace and security, which contrasts sharply with the false 'covenant with death' spoken of in Isaiah.
Isaiah 30:7This verse directly addresses the 'refuge of lies' and the misplaced trust in Egypt, explaining that Isaiah's audience is relying on false assurances rather than God's protection.
Matthew 7:24-27Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders powerfully illustrates the consequence of building one's life on a false foundation ('lies and falsehood') versus solid ground ('hearing and doing God's words').
Romans 9:33Quoting Isaiah 8:14, this passage speaks of Christ as a 'stone of stumbling' for those who do not believe, connecting the idea of a dangerous foundation with the 'lies' and 'falsehood' that Isaiah condemns.
barnesIsaiah 28:15: "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:"
We have made a covenant with death - We are not to suppose that they had formally said this, but that their conduct was as if they had said it; they lived as securely as if they had entered into a compact with death not to destroy them,…
clarkeIsaiah 28:15: "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:"
A covenant with death - To be in covenant with, is a kind of proverbial expression to denote perfect security from evil and mischief of any sort: - "For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field sh…
These leaders are so confident in their deceitful "covenant" with death and Sheol that they believe no disaster, however overwhelming, can touch them. They've convinced themselves that their lies and falsehoods are an impenetrable shield, utterly missing that they've chosen a refuge that will ultimately fail them.
In this passage, Isaiah is addressing the leaders of Jerusalem, who, despite facing imminent judgment, are arrogantly confident in their own wisdom and security. They mock God's warnings and believe they've secured protection through their deceptive political alliances and false sense of righteousness. The prophet reveals that these "covenants with death" are actually built on lies and will offer no real shelter when God's judgment arrives like an overwhelming flood.
In this passage, Isaiah is addressing the leaders of Jerusalem, who, despite facing imminent judgment, are arrogantly confident in their own wisdom and security. They mock God's warnings and believe they've secured protection through their deceptive political alliances and false sense of righteousness. The prophet reveals that these "covenants with death" are actually built on lies and will offer no real shelter when God's judgment arrives like an overwhelming flood.
"Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in fal…" — These leaders are so confident in their deceitful "covenant" with death and Sheol that they believe no disaster, however overwhelming, can touch them. They've convinced themselves that their lies and…
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Last reviewed October 2026
