Isaiah 28:8

KJV

For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean].

KJV (with Strong's)

For all tables {H7979} are full {H4390} of vomit {H6892} and filthiness {H6675}, so that there is no place {H4725} clean.

Complete Jewish Bible

All tables are covered with vomit and feces, not a single place is clean.

Berean Standard Bible

For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth.

American Standard Version

For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 28:8 presents a shockingly vivid and repulsive image, concluding a prophetic indictment against the corrupt leadership of Ephraim and Judah. This verse graphically portrays a society, particularly its spiritual and political guides, so utterly permeated by moral degradation and spiritual uncleanness that every sphere of life, symbolized by "tables," is defiled by the "vomit and filthiness" of their sin, leaving no remnant of purity or sacred space.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the culmination of a severe "woe" oracle delivered by Isaiah against the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically Ephraim, and by extension, the southern kingdom of Judah. The preceding verses, particularly [Isaiah 28:7](/isaiah/28-7 "Isaiah 28:7 - Drunken Priests and Prophets"), detail the spiritual drunkenness and moral blindness of the priests and prophets. They are described as reeling from wine and strong drink, stumbling in judgment, and unable to discern divine vision or render accurate decisions. This spiritual stupor directly leads to the graphic defilement depicted in verse 8, illustrating the pervasive corruption that stems from leadership abandoning its sacred duties. The "tables" mentioned here can refer to literal feasting tables, but also symbolically to altars, places of instruction, or even courts of justice, all of which had become contaminated by their unholy practices and perverted judgments.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Isaiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Israel's history, primarily in the 8th century BCE. The northern kingdom (Ephraim) was on the brink of Assyrian conquest, largely due to its idolatry and political instability. Judah, while not yet fallen, was facing similar spiritual decay and external threats. The cultural context of feasting was significant; meals often had religious or covenantal implications. The imagery of vomit and filth on tables would have been profoundly offensive, especially in a society with strict purity laws. It speaks to a complete breakdown of social and religious order, where even sacred spaces and communal gatherings were desecrated by the debauchery and moral corruption of those meant to uphold righteousness.
* **Key Themes:** Isaiah 28:8 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Isaiah. It underscores the theme of **Profound Defilement**, where the imagery of "vomit and filthiness" vividly communicates an extreme level of moral and spiritual uncleanness, leaving "no place clean" and signifying the pervasive spiritual pollution of a nation and its leaders. This directly highlights the **Consequences of Sinful Leadership**, demonstrating the tragic outcome when those in positions of authority—especially spiritual authority—abandon righteousness and succumb to indulgence and spiritual blindness, as seen in the description of priests and prophets staggering from drink in [Isaiah 28:7](/isaiah/28-7 "Isaiah 28:7 - Priests and Prophets Staggering"). The verse also serves as a stark prophetic warning of **Divine Judgment**, emphasizing that God's holiness cannot tolerate such widespread and egregious defilement, and His justice demands a response. Finally, it illustrates the **Loss of Discernment**, as the spiritual drunkenness leads directly to this state of defilement, rendering leaders unable to discern God's truth, making their actions repugnant and their influence polluting the very spaces they occupy, a theme echoed in [Isaiah 5:20](/isaiah/5-20 "Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to those who call evil good").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **tables (Hebrew, _shulchân'_):** From the root meaning "to send" or "spread out," referring to a table as something spread out, typically for eating or for sacred offerings. In this context, it signifies not just dining tables but also potentially altars or places where justice and instruction were dispensed, emphasizing the widespread nature of the defilement across all societal functions.
* **full (Hebrew, _mâlêʼ'_):** A primitive root meaning "to fill" or "be full of," used here to convey a complete saturation. The tables are not merely soiled but entirely overwhelmed, indicating the absolute and pervasive nature of the corruption. There is no empty space, no room for purity.
* **vomit (Hebrew, _qêʼ'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to vomit," this word is a direct and visceral term for regurgitated food. Its use here is intensely graphic, emphasizing the repulsive and utterly disgusting nature of the spiritual and moral state of the leaders, a physical manifestation of their internal corruption.
* **filthiness (Hebrew, _tsôwʼâh'_):** A feminine noun referring to excrement or dirt, and figuratively, pollution. This term reinforces the extreme uncleanness and moral degradation. Paired with "vomit," it creates an image of absolute abomination, underscoring the spiritual pollution that had rendered everything unclean in God's sight.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For all tables are full of vomit":** This clause immediately establishes the horrific scene. The "tables" (Hebrew: _shulchân_) likely refer to places of feasting, but also symbolically to altars, places of teaching, or courts of justice. The word "full" (Hebrew: _mâlêʼ_) emphasizes the complete saturation of these spaces, leaving no room for anything else. The "vomit" (Hebrew: _qêʼ_) is a graphic and repulsive image, directly linking the physical consequences of drunkenness (as described in the preceding verses) to the spiritual and moral defilement of the leadership.
* **"and filthiness":** This phrase intensifies the imagery of defilement. "Filthiness" (Hebrew: _tsôwʼâh_) refers to excrement or general dirt, further emphasizing the extreme uncleanness and moral degradation. The combination of "vomit and filthiness" creates a picture of utter abomination, signifying that the spiritual state of the leaders was as repugnant to God as literal human waste.
* **"so that there is no place clean.":** This concluding clause underscores the totality and pervasiveness of the corruption. The defilement is not localized but has spread everywhere, leaving no corner of society, no aspect of life, and no individual untouched by the pervasive spiritual pollution. It signifies a complete absence of purity, holiness, or righteousness within the nation's leadership and, by extension, its society.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 28:8 employs powerful **Imagery** to convey its message, painting a repulsive picture of "vomit and filthiness" on "all tables." This visceral imagery is designed to shock the audience and communicate the profound disgust God has for the spiritual and moral degradation of His people's leaders. The prophet also uses **Hyperbole** by stating "no place clean," which, while perhaps not literally true of every single spot in the land, effectively emphasizes the overwhelming and pervasive nature of the corruption. This exaggerated statement highlights the extent to which defilement had saturated society. Furthermore, the "tables" serve as **Symbolism**, representing not just literal dining tables but also places of religious instruction, worship, and judgment, thereby indicating that all aspects of public and spiritual life had become corrupted.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 28:8 serves as a chilling testament to the profound consequences of spiritual apostasy, particularly among those entrusted with leadership. The graphic imagery of defilement underscores the repulsive nature of sin in God's eyes, especially when it emanates from those meant to embody holiness and guide others in righteousness. This verse highlights the interconnectedness of spiritual health and societal well-being; when leadership becomes morally bankrupt and spiritually blind, the entire fabric of society becomes contaminated, leading to a state where purity and truth are utterly eradicated. It is a prophetic warning that divine judgment inevitably follows such widespread and egregious defilement, as God's holiness demands a response to unrepentant sin.

* [Leviticus 18:25](/leviticus/18-25 "Leviticus 18:25 - Land Vomits Out Inhabitants")
* [Jeremiah 23:11](/jeremiah/23-11 "Jeremiah 23:11 - Prophets and Priests Profane")
* [Malachi 2:8-9](/malachi/2-8-9 "Malachi 2:8-9 - Priests Despise the Covenant")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 28:8 stands as a timeless and sobering warning for all generations, particularly for those in positions of influence, whether in the church, government, or any sphere of society. The graphic depiction of defilement serves as a powerful reminder of the insidious nature of sin and its capacity to corrupt every aspect of life when left unchecked. It challenges us to examine our own lives and the institutions we are part of, asking whether our "tables"—our places of influence, our homes, our churches—are truly clean and consecrated to God, or if they have become saturated with spiritual "vomit and filthiness" through compromise, complacency, or outright rebellion. This verse calls us to a radical commitment to purity, integrity, and discerning truth, recognizing that the spiritual health of a community is inextricably linked to the moral and spiritual integrity of its leaders and members. It compels us to pray for and hold accountable those in leadership, while also diligently guarding our own hearts and minds against the defiling effects of sin.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my personal life or the communities I belong to might spiritual "vomit and filthiness" be present, hindering true worship or righteous living?**
* **How does the spiritual integrity of leaders (in church, government, or family) impact the purity and health of the wider community, according to this verse?**
* **What practical steps can I take to ensure my "table"—my sphere of influence or personal space—remains clean and consecrated to God, resisting the defiling effects of sin and compromise?**
* **How does the imagery of "no place clean" challenge my understanding of God's holiness and His intolerance for sin, prompting a deeper desire for personal and corporate repentance?**

### FAQ
**What does "tables" refer to in this verse?**

Answer: While "tables" (Hebrew: _shulchân_) could literally refer to dining tables where feasting and drunkenness occurred, in the broader prophetic context of Isaiah 28, it carries significant symbolic weight. It likely refers to places of religious instruction, such as the tables where priests taught the law, or even altars where sacrifices were made. It could also extend to places of judgment and governance. The imagery suggests that every sphere of public and spiritual life, where purity and righteousness should have been upheld, had become utterly defiled by the leaders' corruption and spiritual drunkenness, as described in [Isaiah 28:7](/isaiah/28-7 "Isaiah 28:7 - Drunken Priests and Prophets").

**What is the significance of the graphic imagery of "vomit and filthiness"?**

Answer: The imagery of "vomit" (Hebrew: _qêʼ_) and "filthiness" (Hebrew: _tsôwʼâh_, meaning excrement or dirt) is intensely visceral and shocking. Its significance lies in its power to convey extreme disgust and revulsion. In a culture with strict purity laws, such imagery would have been profoundly offensive and indicative of ultimate defilement. Theologically, it represents the utter spiritual and moral degradation of the leaders and, by extension, the nation. It illustrates how their sin, particularly their spiritual drunkenness and perversion of justice, was as repulsive to God as literal physical waste, rendering "no place clean" in His sight. This imagery underscores the depth of their apostasy and the severity of the impending divine judgment.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 28:8, with its stark depiction of pervasive defilement and the absence of any "clean place," powerfully foreshadows the desperate need for a perfect and ultimate cleansing. The prophet's lament over a world saturated with the "vomit and filthiness" of sin finds its ultimate answer not in human reform, but in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the leaders of Israel defiled every "table" and sacred space with their corruption, Jesus, the true [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), came to take away the sin of the world, offering a cleansing that reaches the deepest parts of human depravity. He became the "clean place" in a defiled world, the one who bore the filth of humanity's sin upon Himself on the cross, as [2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us") declares. Through His sacrifice, He purifies not just tables or temples, but the very hearts of men, creating a new humanity that is holy and blameless before God ([Ephesians 5:27](/ephesians/5-27 "Ephesians 5:27 - Christ Presents the Church Holy")). The "no place clean" of Isaiah's prophecy is overcome by the all-encompassing purity found in Christ, who makes all things new and offers true cleansing to all who believe, ushering in a new covenant where sins are remembered no more ([Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - God Remembers Sins No More")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 48:26

Make ye him drunken: for he magnified [himself] against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

Proverbs 26:11

¶ As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.

Habakkuk 2:15

¶ Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to [him], and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Habakkuk 2:16

Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing [shall be] on thy glory.