ISAIAH 28:10-13: PRECEPTS UPON PRECEPTS

 A friend cornered me one day before Sunday school and asked if I knew where Kay Arthur had come up with the name “Precept Upon Precept” for her study series and ministries. I didn't know and so I did a little research. It is based on a common English translation of a passage in Isaiah (28:10,13). On the surface, it does sound like a great motto for how we should conduct an inductive Bible study and build up our understanding of the truth step by step, line by line, precept by precept. However, there are two basic problems in using the passage in this manner. First, it is not at all clear how to translate the Hebrew. Here is another possible translation, which isn't nearly as positive in tone. “For it is do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that...” I have actually seen six different ways of rendering this verse including “the law is the law is the law.”

The original sounds like this: “sav lasav sav lasav, kav lakav kav lakav.” which actually makes no sense in Hebrew as it stands. That is why the Jerusalem Bible footnote and the NIV Study Bible state that the words were probably never meant to be translated at all. Those who do attempt to translate the words admit that it is not that obvious what the words mean and any translation is largely guesswork. Probably these singsong words are the equivalent of saying, “blah, blah, blah,” “la-di-dah” or “twiddle-dee-dee.” In any case, the traditional translation has largely fallen out of favor today.

The second problem is that it is not clear who is speaking these words. It is probably the drunken false teachers making fun of Isaiah's teaching or speech defect or speaking in tongues by turning it into nonsense words, babbling baby talk, a sort of nursery rhyme. 

On the other hand this verse may be Isaiah himself making fun of the drunken teachers' ramblings. In which case, two commentators have pointed out that the consonants in this verse happen to be the initial letters in the Hebrew words for excrement and vomit; Isaiah is saying that is all the drunken leaders are capable of producing. Of course, a Bible study entitled “excrement and vomit” would probably not attract very many people. 

In any case, the context (especially v. 13) shows that God will only speak to the false leaders using those same nonsense words and it's going to lead to their destruction. So even if these are “precepts upon precepts,” following them will certainly not lead to the truth.