Isaiah 57:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְהָרְשָׁעִ֖ים כַּיָּ֣ם נִגְרָ֑שׁ כִּ֤י הַשְׁקֵט֙ לֹ֣א יוּכָ֔ל וַיִּגְרְשׁ֥וּ מֵימָ֖יו רֶ֥פֶשׁ וָטִֽיט׃

Transliteration

wə-hārəšāʿîm kayyām nigrāš kî hašqēṭ lōʾ yûḵāl wayyigrəšû mêmāyw repeš wāṭîṭ.

Grammar Details

• *wə-hārəšāʿîm*: conjunctive waw + definite article + adjective, masculine, plural - and the wicked ones
• *kayyām*: preposition + definite article + noun, masculine, singular - like the sea
• *nigrāš*: niphal participle, masculine, singular - driven/tossed
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *hašqēṭ*: hiphil infinitive absolute - to be quiet/rest
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *yûḵāl*: qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - it is able
• *wayyigrəšû*: conjunctive waw + qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural with waw consecutive - and they cast up
• *mêmāyw*: noun, masculine, plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - its waters
• *repeš*: noun, masculine, singular - mire/mud
• *wāṭîṭ*: conjunctive waw + noun, masculine, singular - and dirt/clay

Word Meanings

• *rəšāʿîm*: wicked ones/evil people/unrighteous
• *nigrāš*: tossed/driven/troubled/agitated
• *hašqēṭ*: to be quiet/to rest/to be still
• *yûḵāl*: it is able/can/is capable
• *wayyigrəšû*: they cast up/throw up/expel
• *repeš*: mire/mud/dirt
• *ṭîṭ*: dirt/clay/mire

Referenced Verses

• Job 18:5-9 : 5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, And the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tent, And his lamp above him shall be put out. 7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, And his own counsel shall cast him down. 8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, And he walketh upon the toils. 9 A gin shall take [him] by the heel, [And] a snare shall lay hold on him. 10 A noose is hid for him in the ground, And a trap for him in the way. 11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, And shall chase him at his heels. 12 His strength shall be hunger-bitten, And calamity shall be ready at his side. 13 The members of his body shall be devoured, [Yea], the first-born of death shall devour his members. 14 He shall be rooted out of his tent where he trusteth; And he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
• Isa 3:11 : 11 Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]; for what his hands have done shall be done unto him.
• Jude 1:12 : 12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
• Job 15:20-24 : 20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. 21 A sound of terrors is in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. 22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, And he is waited for of the sword. 23 He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying], Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 24 Distress and anguish make him afraid; They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
• Job 20:11-29 : 11 His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust. 12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue, 13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth; 14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him. 15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly. 16 He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him. 17 He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter. 18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice. 19 For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up. 20 Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth. 21 There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure. 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him. 23 When he is about to fill his belly, [God] will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating. 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through. 25 He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him. 26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown [by man] shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent. 27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart; [His goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath. 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
• Ps 73:18-20 : 18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction. 19 How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.
• Prov 4:16-17 : 16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.