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the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Isaiah 57:20

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Remorse;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Rest-Unrest;   Righteous-Wicked;   Unrest;   Wicked, the;   Wickedness;   The Topic Concordance - Peace;   Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Sea, the;   Wicked, the, Are Compared to;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Poverty;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Clay;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dove;   Noah;   Raven;   Satan;   Sin (2);   Thousand Years;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Micah, Book of;   Rest;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sea ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rest;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Clay;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Mire;   Sea;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Judaism;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 2;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea,For it cannot be quiet,And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
Bible in Basic English
But the evil-doers are like the troubled sea, for which there is no rest, and its waters send up earth and waste.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the wicked are lyke the raging sea that can not rest, whose water fometh with the mire and grauell.
Darby Translation
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, and whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
New King James Version
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
Literal Translation
But the wicked are like the driven sea, which cannot be quiet, and its waves cast up mire and dirt.
Easy-to-Read Version
But evil people are like the angry ocean. They cannot be quiet and peaceful. They are angry, and like the ocean, they stir up mud.
World English Bible
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
King James Version (1611)
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast vp myre and dirt.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the wicked are like the raginge see, that ca not rest, whose water fometh with the myre & grauel.
Amplified Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up mire and mud.
American Standard Version
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
Update Bible Version
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
Webster's Bible Translation
But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
New Century Version
But evil people are like the angry sea, which cannot rest, whose waves toss up waste and mud.
New English Translation
But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand.
Contemporary English Version
The wicked are a restless sea tossing up mud.
Complete Jewish Bible
But the wicked are like the restless sea — unable to be still, its waters toss up mud and dirt.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But the wicked are like the raging sea, that can not rest, whose waters cast vp myre and dirt.
George Lamsa Translation
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, its waters cast up creeping things and mire.
Hebrew Names Version
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
New Living Translation
"But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.
New Life Bible
But the sinful are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest. Its waters throw up mud and dirt.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest.
English Revised Version
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
Berean Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
New Revised Standard
But the wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, the lawless, are like the sea when tossed, - For, rest, it cannot! But its waters toss out mire and dirt.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the wicked are like the raging sea, which cannot rest, and the waves thereof cast up dirt and mire.
Lexham English Bible
But the wicked are like the churning sea, that is not able to keep quiet, and its waters toss up mire and mud.
English Standard Version
But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
New American Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
Good News Translation
But evil people are like the restless sea, whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing filth and muck.
Christian Standard Bible®
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waters churn up mire and muck.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But wickid men ben as the buyling see, that may not reste; and the wawis therof fleten ayen in to defoulyng, and fen.
Revised Standard Version
But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
Young's Literal Translation
And the wicked [are] as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire.

Contextual Overview

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. 19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord ; and I will heal him. 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

like: Isaiah 3:11, Job 15:20-24, Job 18:5-14, Job 20:11-29, Psalms 73:18-20, Proverbs 4:16, Proverbs 4:17, Jude 1:12

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 28:5 - he was afraid 1 Kings 21:4 - heavy 2 Kings 6:11 - Therefore Job 20:20 - Surely Proverbs 6:14 - he deviseth Isaiah 59:8 - whosoever Jeremiah 6:7 - a fountain Jeremiah 49:23 - sorrow Ezekiel 13:16 - and there Luke 11:24 - seeking Revelation 14:11 - no Revelation 21:1 - and there

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,.... Disturbed by winds, storms, and hurricanes, when its waves rise, rage, and tumble about, and beat against the shore and sand, threatening to pass the bounds fixed for it. In such like agitations will the minds of wicked men be, through the terrors of conscience for their sins; or through the malice and envy in them at the happiness and prosperity of the righteous, now enjoyed, upon the downfall of antichrist; and through the judgments of God upon them, gnawing their tongues for pain, and blaspheming the God of heaven, because of their plagues and pains, Revelation 16:9:

whose waters cast up mire and dirt; from the bottom of the sea upon the shore; so the hearts of wicked men, having nothing but the mire and dirt of sin in them, cast out nothing else but the froth and foam of their own shame, blasphemy against God, and malice against his people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the wicked - All who are transgressors of the law and who remain unpardoned. The design of this is to contrast their condition with that of those who should enjoy peace. The proposition is, therefore, of the most general character. All the wicked are like the troubled sea. Whether prosperous or otherwise; rich or poor; bond or free; old or young; whether in Christian, in civilized, or in barbarous lands; whether living in palaces, in caves, or in tents; whether in the splendor of cities, or in the solitude of deserts; All are like the troubled sea.

Are like the troubled sea - The agitated (נגרשׁ nigrâsh), ever-moving and restless sea. The sea is always in motion, and never entirely calm. Often also it lashes into foam, and heaves with wild commotion.

When it cannot rest - Lowth renders this, ‘For it never can be at rest.’ The Hebrew is stronger than our translation. It means that there is no possibility of its being at rest; it is unable to be still (יוּכל לא השׁקט כי kı̂y hasheqēṭ lo' yûkal). The Septuagint renders it, ‘But the wicked are tossed like waves (κλυδωνισθήσονται kludōnisthēsontai), and are not able to be at rest.’ The idea, as it seems to me, is not exactly that which seems to be conveyed by our translation, that the wicked are like the sea, occasionally agitated by a storm and driven by wild commotion, but that, like the ocean, there is never any peace, as there is no peace to the restless waters of the mighty deep.

Whose waters - They who have stood on the shores of the ocean and seen the waves - especially in a storm - foam, and roll, and dash on the beach, will be able to appreciate the force of this beautiful figure, and cannot but have a vivid image before them of the unsettled and agitated bosoms of the guilty. The figure which is used here to denote the want of peace in the bosom of a wicked man, is likewise beautifully employed by Ovid:

Cumque sit hibernis agitatum fluctibus aequor,

Pectora sunt ipso turbidiora mari.

Trist. i. x. 33

The agitation and commotion of the sinner here referred to, relates to such things as the following:

1. There is no permanent happiness or enjoyment. There is no calmness of soul in the contemplation of the divine perfections, and of the glories of the future world. There is no substantial and permanent peace furnished by wealth, business, pleasure; by the pride, pomp, and flattery of the world. All leave the soul unsatisfied, or dissatisfied; all leave is unprotected against the rebukes of conscience, and the fear of hell.

2. Raging passions. The sinner is under their influence. and they may be compared to the wild and tumultuous waves of the ocean. Thus the bosoms of the wicked are agitated with the conflicting passions of pride, envy, malice, lust, ambition, and revenge. These leave no peace in the soul; they make peace impossible. People may learn in some degree to control them by the influence of philosophy; or a pride of character and respect to their reputation may enable them in some degree to restrain them; but they are like the smothered fires of the volcano, or like the momentary calm of the ocean that a gust of wind may soon lash into foam. To restrain them is not to subdue them, for no man can tell how soon he may be excited by anger, or how soon the smothered fires of lus may burn.

3. Conscience. Nothing more resembles an agitated ocean casting up mire and dirt, than a soul agitated by the recollections of past guilt. A deep dark cloud in a tempest overhangs the deep; the lightnings play and the thunder rolls along the sky, and the waves heave with wild commotion. So it is with the bosom of the sinner. Though there may be a temporary suspension of the rebukes of conscience, yet there is no permanent peace. The soul cannot rest; and in some way or other the recollections of guilt will be excited, and the bosom thrown into turbid and wild agitation.

4. The fear of judgment and of hell. Many a sinner has no rest, day or night, from the fear of future wrath. His troubled mind looks onward, and he sees nothing to anticipate but the wrath of God, and the horrors of an eternal hell. How invaluable then is religion! All these commotions are stilled by the voice of pardoning mercy, as the billows of the deep were hushed by the voice of Jesus. How much do we owe to religion! Had it not been for this, there had been no peace in this world. Every bosom would have been agitated with tumultuous passion; every heart would have quailed with the fear of hell. How diligently should we seek the influence of religion! We all have raging passions to be subdued. We all have consciences that may be troubled with the recollections of past guilt. We are all traveling to the bar of God, and have reason to apprehend the storms of vengeance. We all must soon lie down on beds of death, and in all these scenes there is nothing that can give permanent and solid peace but the religion of the Redeemer. Oh! that stills all the agitation of a troubled soul; lays every billow of tumultuous passion to rest; calms the conflicts of a guilty bosom; reveals God reconciled through a Redeemer to our souls, and removes all the anticipated terrors of a bed of death and of the approach to the judgment bar. Peacefully the Christian can die - not as the troubled sinner, who leaves the world with a bosom agitated like the stormy ocean but as peacefully as the gentle ripple dies away on the beach.

How blest the righteous when they die,

When holy souls retire to rest I

How mildly beams the closing eye,

How gently heaves the expiring breast!

So fades a summer cloud away;

So sinks the gale when storms are o’er;

So gently shuts the eve of day;

So dies a wave along the shore.

- Barbauld


 
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