Isaiah 28
1 Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.
3 The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot.
4 The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
5 On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,
In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people,
6 a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7 These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
8 For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth.
For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.
9 Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
10 For they hear: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there.”
For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
11 Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people
But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language,
12 to whom He has said: “This is the place of rest, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen.
to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary,” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not hear.
13 Then the word of the LORD to them will become: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there,” so that they will go stumbling backward and will be injured, ensnared, and captured.
Therefore the LORD’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.
14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
Therefore hear the LORD’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:
15 For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” (Sheol h7585)
“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.’” (Sheol h7585)
16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
Therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.
17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it. (Sheol h7585)
Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)
19 As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.”
20 Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task.
For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.
22 So now, do not mock, or your shackles will become heavier. Indeed, I have heard from the Lord GOD of Hosts a decree of destruction against the whole land.
Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, GOD of Armies, on the whole earth.
23 Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say.
Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!
24 Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?
Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?
25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border.
When he has leveled its surface, doesn’t he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?
26 For his God instructs and teaches him properly.
For his God instructs him in right judgment and teaches him.
27 Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin. But caraway is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
For the dill isn’t threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
28 Grain for bread must be ground, but it is not endlessly threshed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it, the horses do not crush it.
Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it.
29 This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
This also comes out from the LORD of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
