Isaiah 57:20
New International Version
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.

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.

English Standard Version
But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss 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.

King James Bible
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, 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.

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.

NASB 1995
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

NASB 1977
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

Amplified Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up mire and mud.

Christian Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its water churns up mire and muck.

Holman 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.

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

Contemporary English Version
The wicked are a restless sea tossing up mud.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But the wicked are like the churning sea. It isn't quiet, and its water throws up mud and slime.

Good News Translation
But evil people are like the restless sea, whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing filth and muck.

International Standard Version
But the wicked are tossed like the sea; for it is not able to keep still, and its waters toss up mire and mud.

Majority Standard Bible
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

NET Bible
But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand.

New Heart English Bible
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.

World English Bible
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the wicked [are] as the driven out sea, "" For it is not able to rest, "" And its waters cast out filth and mire.

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the unjust as the tossed sea when it shall not be able to rest, and its waters will toss up mud and mire;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the wicked are like the raging sea, which cannot rest, and the waves thereof cast up dirt and mire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.

New American Bible
But the wicked are like the tossing sea which cannot be still, Its waters cast up mire and mud.

New Revised Standard Version
But the wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, its waters cast up creeping things and mire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the wicked are agitated like the sea, because they cannot rest, and its waters are turning up creeping things and mire
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; For it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Healing for the Repentant
19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.” 20But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. 21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”…

Cross References
James 1:6
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Jude 1:13
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Psalm 107:29
He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.

Jeremiah 49:23
Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed.

Matthew 8:24-26
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” / “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.

Mark 4:37-39
Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. / But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” / Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

Luke 8:23-24
As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.

Psalm 89:9
You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them.

Isaiah 17:12-13
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. / The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale.

Job 18:11
Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.

Proverbs 4:16
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Psalm 46:3
though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah

Isaiah 8:7-8
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks. / It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!


Treasury of Scripture

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

like

Isaiah 3:11
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Job 15:20-24
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor…

Job 18:5-14
Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine…

Jump to Previous
Able Cast Dirt Driven Earth Evil-Doers Filth Mire Mud Quiet Refuse Rest Sea Toss Tossing Troubled Waste Waters Waves Wicked
Jump to Next
Able Cast Dirt Driven Earth Evil-Doers Filth Mire Mud Quiet Refuse Rest Sea Toss Tossing Troubled Waste Waters Waves Wicked
Isaiah 57
1. The blessed death of the righteous
3. God reproves the People for their idolatry
13. He gives promises of mercy to the penitent














But the wicked
The term "wicked" in Hebrew is "רְשָׁעִים" (resha'im), which refers to those who are morally wrong, guilty, or hostile towards God. In the biblical context, the wicked are often contrasted with the righteous, highlighting a life lived in opposition to God's laws and principles. This phrase sets the stage for a vivid metaphor, emphasizing the inherent unrest and turmoil in the lives of those who reject divine guidance.

are like the storm-tossed sea
The imagery of the "storm-tossed sea" evokes a sense of chaos and instability. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the sea was often seen as a symbol of chaos and disorder, a place where human control was impossible. The Hebrew word for sea, "יָם" (yam), is used here to illustrate the inner turmoil and lack of peace experienced by the wicked. Just as the sea is restless and unpredictable, so too are the lives of those who live in rebellion against God.

which cannot rest
The phrase "which cannot rest" underscores the perpetual state of unrest experienced by the wicked. The Hebrew root "נוח" (nuach) means to rest or settle down, and its negation here highlights the absence of peace. This lack of rest is not merely physical but spiritual and emotional, reflecting a life devoid of the tranquility that comes from a relationship with God. It serves as a stark contrast to the peace promised to the righteous.

whose waves cast up mire and muck
The "waves" symbolize the actions and consequences of the wicked, constantly churning and producing "mire and muck." The Hebrew words "רֶפֶשׁ" (refesh) and "טִיט" (tit) refer to mud and dirt, representing the moral filth and corruption that result from a life of sin. This imagery suggests that the wicked not only experience internal chaos but also spread impurity and disorder in their surroundings. The relentless casting up of mire and muck signifies the inevitable outcome of a life lived apart from God's righteousness.

(20) The wicked are like the troubled sea . . .--The promise of healing is, however, not unconditional. The acceptance of peace requires calmness; but for the wicked, whose thoughts are restlessly seething with evil ripening into act, this true peace is, in the nature of the case, impossible. We note the recurrence of the watchword of Isaiah 48:22, as indicating the close of another section of the prophecy. The MSS. and versions present a curious variation in Isaiah 57:21 : some "saith Jehovah," some "God," some "the Lord God." It would almost seem as if transcribers and translators had shrunk from the prophet's boldness in claiming God as in some special sense his God. It has a parallel, however, in Isaiah 7:13, and may be noted, accordingly, as one of the characteristic touches common to the two parts of Isaiah. The "Sea" of which Isaiah speaks may possibly have been the Dead Sea, casting up its salt bituminous deposits.

Verse 20. - The wicked are like the troubled sea. A striking metaphor, but one which occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament, and once only in the New (Jude 1:13). The sea's restless action well expresses the unquiet of the wicked; and the mud and mire that it casts up resembles their evil thoughts and evil deeds. "There is no peace" for such persons, either bodily or spiritual, either in this world or the world to come.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But the wicked
וְהָרְשָׁעִ֖ים (wə·hā·rə·šā·‘îm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

are like the storm-tossed
נִגְרָ֑שׁ (niḡ·rāš)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1644: To drive out from a, possession, to expatriate, divorce

sea,
כַּיָּ֣ם (kay·yām)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

for
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it cannot
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be still,
הַשְׁקֵט֙ (haš·qêṭ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 8252: To be quiet or undisturbed

and its waves
מֵימָ֖יו (mê·māw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

churn up
וַיִּגְרְשׁ֥וּ (way·yiḡ·rə·šū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1644: To drive out from a, possession, to expatriate, divorce

mire
רֶ֥פֶשׁ (re·p̄eš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7516: Mire

and muck.
וָטִֽיט׃ (wā·ṭîṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2916: Mud, clay, calamity


Links
Isaiah 57:20 NIV
Isaiah 57:20 NLT
Isaiah 57:20 ESV
Isaiah 57:20 NASB
Isaiah 57:20 KJV

Isaiah 57:20 BibleApps.com
Isaiah 57:20 Biblia Paralela
Isaiah 57:20 Chinese Bible
Isaiah 57:20 French Bible
Isaiah 57:20 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 57:19
Top of Page
Top of Page