en_tn/isa/28/17.md

# General Information:

Yahweh continues to compare what he will do for the people in Jerusalem to a builder setting up a building ([Isaiah 28:16](../28/16.md)).

# I will make justice the measuring stick, and righteousness the plumbline

Yahweh testing according to his justice and righteousness to determine if the people are just and righteous is spoken of as if he were a builder using tools to determine that something is the correct length and perfectly level. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# the measuring stick

A builder uses a measuring stick to determine if something is the correct length.

# the plumbline

A builder uses a plumbline to determine if something is straight and level.

# Hail will sweep away

Yahweh causing a large amount of hail to fall is spoken of as if it would be an overwhelming flood. Alternate translation: "Hailstorms will destroy" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# Hail ... the floodwaters

Possible meanings are 1) these are a synecdoche representing anything in general that will cause destruction or 2) these are a metaphor referring to the enemy army that Yahweh will send to destroy the people of Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# Hail

hard pieces of ice that fall from the sky

# the refuge of lies ... the hiding place

This speaks about "lies" as if they were a place a person could go to hide. They represent what the leaders of Jerusalem trusted in to keep them safe from Yahweh's punishment. Possible meanings are 1) the leaders trust in their own lies that they have said in order to protect themselves or 2) the leaders trust that the covenant they have made with the false gods of the place of the dead will keep them safe or 3) the leaders trust that the agreement they have made with the Egyptians will keep them safe. See how you translated a similar phrase in [Isaiah 28:15](../28/15.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])