The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 28 -

Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s (a) drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.

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.

The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.

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.

On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,

a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.

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.

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

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?

For they hear:(b) “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line;(c) a little here, a little there.”

Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people

(d)

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.

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.

A Cornerstone in Zion

(1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)

Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.

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

(e)

our hiding place.”

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.(f)

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.

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.

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.

Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.

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.

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.

Listen and Hear

Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say.

Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?

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.

For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

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.

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.

This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

Footnotes

(a)28:1 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verse 3

(b)28:10 Or For He says; or For it is; literally For

(c)28:10 Or Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; Hebrew sav lasav sav lasav kav lakav kav lakav (possibly meaningless sounds to demonstrate an inability to understand); also in verse 13

(d)28:11 Cited in 1 Corinthians 14:21

(e)28:15 Or false gods

(f)28:16 LXX will never be put to shame; cited in Romans 9:33, Romans 10:11, and 1 Peter 2:6

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!

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.

The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot.

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.

In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people,

and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

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.

For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.

Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?

For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.

But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language,

to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary,” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not hear.

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.

A Cornerstone in Zion

(1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)

Therefore hear the LORD’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:

“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol.(a) 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.’”

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.

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.

Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol

(b)

shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.

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.”

For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.

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.

Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, the LORD of Armies, on the whole earth.

Listen and Hear

Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!

Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?

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?

For his God instructs him in right judgment and teaches him.

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.

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.

This also comes out from the LORD of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

Footnotes

(a)28:15 Sheol is the place of the dead.

(b)28:18 Sheol is the place of the dead.