Isaiah 28
28
XXVIII
1Wo to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,
Even the fading flower, their glorious beauty,
Which is at the head of the rich valley of the men that are stupified with wine.
2Behold the strong and mighty one of the Lord!
Like a storm of hail, a destructive tempest;
Like a flood of mighty and overflowing waters,
Shall he dash it to the ground with his mighty hand.
3Under foot shall it be trodden down,
The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim.
4The fading flower, their glorious beauty,
Which is at the head of the rich valley,
Shall be as an early fig before summer;
Which a man seeth, and while it is yet scarcely in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
5In that day shall Jehovah of hosts become a beauteous crown,
And glorious diadem, to the residue of his people;
6And a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment;
And strength to them that turn back the battle to the gate.
7But even these have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled:
The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink;
They are overcome by wine, they have reeled through strong drink;
They have erred in vision, they have stumbled in judgment
8For all tables are full of filthy vomit;
So that no place is free.
9Whom, say they, would he teach knowledge?
And to whom would he impart instruction?
Are we infants weaned from the milk?
Scarcely removed from the breasts?
10For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept;
Line upon line, line upon line;
Here a little, and there a little.
11Yea verily, by speakers of a strange language, and in a foreign tongue,
Will He speak to this people.
12For when He said unto them:
This is the true rest; give ye rest unto the weary;
And this is the place of happiness; they would not hear.
13But the word of Jehovah was unto them,
Precept upon precept, precept upon precept;
Line upon line, line upon line;
Here a little, and there a little:
That they should go on, and fall backward, and be broken;
And be snared, and taken.
14Wherefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers;
Ye rulers of this people which is in Jerusalem.
15Because ye have said: We have made a covenant with death,
And with the grave we have made an agreement:
The overflowing scourge, when it passeth through, shall not reach us:
For we have made lying our refuge;
And under falsehood have we hid ourselves.
16Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah:
Behold! I have laid in Zion for a foundation a stone,
A tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation:
He that confideth in it shall not make haste.
17And I will set judgment for a line,
And righteousness for a plummet;
And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lying,
And the hiding place the waters shall overwhelm.
18And your covenant with death shall be annulled;
And your agreement with the grave shall not stand:
When the overflowing scourge posseth through,
By it shall ye be trodden down.
19As oft as it passeth through, shall it seize you;
For morning after morning shall it pass through,
By day and by night:
And even the report alone shall cause terror.
20For the bed is too short, for one to stretch himself out at length;
And the covering too narrow, for one to wrap himself therein.
21For as in mount Perazim, Jehovah will arise;
As in the valley of Gibeon, shall he be moved with anger;
That he may perform his work, his strange work;
And to bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22Now therefore give not up yourselves to scoffing,
Lest your bands be tightened:
For the havock, even the judgment decreed have I heard
From the Lord Jehovah of hosts, upon the whole land.
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice;
Attend, and hearken unto my words.
24Doth the ploughman plough all day long that he may sow?
Doth he always open and break the clods of his ground!
25Doth he not also, when he hath levelled the surface thereof,
Cast abroad the dill, and scatter the cummin;
And set the wheat in rows,
And the barley in its appointed place,
And the spelt in its proper border?
26For He instructeth him as to the right way,
His God it is that teacheth him.
27For the dill is not threshed with the threshing sledge,
Nor is the wheel of the wain made to roll over the cummin:
But the dill is beaten out with a staff,
And the cummin with a rod.
28Bread-corn is threshed:
But not for ever will he continue thus to thresh it;
Though he driveth along the wheels of his wain,
And his horses, he will not bruise it to dust.
29This also cometh from Jehovah of hosts,
Who is wonderful in counsel, great in wisdom.
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Isaiah 28: TEG
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Translated by Rev John Jones (Ioan Tegid).Published at Oxford in 1830, second edition 1842.
Isaiah 28
28
Ephraim’s False Hope
1Woe to the pride of Israel’s # 28:1 Or “Ephraim,” a likely metonymy for the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria). Read through this chapter to see the vivid contrast between the fading glory of mankind and the greater glory of God. drunkards,
worn like a garland on their heads!
Their glory is but wilted flowers,
worn like a crown on the heads of those
bloated with rich food and overcome by wine.
2Behold! The Lord has one who is strong and mighty,
and he will come like a hailstorm and like a destroying wind!
With a storm of massive, flooding waters,
his mighty power will knock it to the ground. # 28:2 There are three fulfillments to this prophecy: (1) The immediate fulfillment of this was the Assyrian army beginning to invade the northern kingdom of Israel in 740 BC (see 1 Chron. 5:26). The tribes located east of the Jordan River were the first ones conquered by Assyria. (2) The distant fulfillment was the advent of Jesus, the Mighty One, whom the Father sent with the sword of truth to demolish the lies and pride of man. (3) The future fulfillment will be the appearing of the overcomers (see Rev. 2–3) who follow the Lamb as dread champions and who overturn the tables of religion and the arrogance of man.
3That proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim
will be trampled underfoot,
4and the glory of these proud leaders will fade and disappear
like the first figs of the season, which are picked and eaten
as soon as they are ripe.
5In that day, Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies,
will be a crown of glory # 28:5 God himself is to be our “crown,” not human pride. See Heb. 2:9. and a diadem of beauty
for the remnant of his people.
6He will be a Spirit of justice
for judges to render right decisions.
And he will be strength and bravery
for those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Judah’s Drunken Prophets
7Moreover, the prophets and priests are drunk.
They stagger because of wine
and stumble around because of strong drink.
They are confused with wine, # 28:7 This is a play on words, for the word bala’ is a homophone for “confused” and “to swallow [wine].” It could be translated “The wine they swallow swallows them.”
stumbling because of strong drink.
They’re too drunk to understand their prophetic visions.
They’re too drunk to render right decisions in judgment.
8All of their banqueting tables are covered with filthy vomit;
vomit is everywhere!
9They say,
“Who does this prophet # 28:9 Or “he.” think he is to try to teach us?
Who really cares about his message?
It’s only good for babies just learning to talk. # 28:9 Or “babies just weaned.”
10Do, do this, and do, do that,
a rule about this and a rule about that,
here a little, there a little.” # 28:10 The meaning of the Hebrew text of this verse is uncertain. The Septuagint reads “You expect trouble upon trouble, hope upon hope; yet a little and yet a little.”
11Since they won’t listen to me,
God # 28:11 Or “he.” will use another mouthpiece to speak to them.
With stammering lips
and in a foreign language, # 28:11 That is, the foreign language of the Assyrians, which was Aramaic. See Deut. 28:49; 1 Cor. 14:21–22. he will speak to this people.
12For he has said to them,
“This is your rest, so let the weary rest; # 28:12 See Matt. 11:28–30; Heb. 4:9.
this is your comfort”—but they would not listen.
13Therefore, the word of Yahweh will be to them
“Do, do this, and do, do that,
a rule about this and a rule about that,
here a little, there a little,” # 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew text of this verse is uncertain. The Septuagint reads “You expect trouble upon trouble, hope upon hope; yet a little and yet a little.”
in order that they will stumble backward
and be broken and captured.
A False Covenant with Death
14Therefore, listen to the word of Yahweh,
you scornful jesters—rulers of Jerusalem. # 28:14 Starting with this verse and going through Isa. 31:9, Isaiah spoke warnings to Judah and Jerusalem.
15For you have said,
“We have made a covenant with death
and a pact with the underworld, # 28:15 Or “Sheol.” Some scholars conclude that death and the underworld are metaphors for an alliance with Egypt and its false gods. However, it is more likely that they had made an actual pact with evil spirits, such as Death (Mot) and the Underworld (Resheph), to protect them from the plague. Christ has broken the covenant with death, for we are crucified with him (see Gal. 2:20). Now death “belongs” to the believer, for we have been given a life that triumphs over man’s covenant with death (see Rom. 8:38–39; 1 Cor. 3:21–22).
so when the overwhelming scourge sweeps over us,
it will not harm us.
For we have made lies our refuge # 28:15 Many today still hide behind lies, refusing to come to the truth in Christ.
and found our shelter in falsehood.” # 28:15 Or “false gods.”
Zion’s Foundation Stone
16Here’s what the Lord God says:
“Behold, I set in place in Zion a Foundation Stone, # 28:16 The “Foundation Stone” is Christ, set in place in the councils of eternity. The Hebrew word for “stone” is taken from the root word for “son” (ben). God’s Foundation Stone is his Son, Jesus Christ. See Rom. 9:33. Now the Son/Stone has become many (see 1 Peter 2:5–7). From these stones/sons, the Father is building us into his holy temple.
fully tested and proven to be faithful and secure. # 28:16 The promised one, Jesus Christ, is the chief cornerstone on which we rest our faith, because we are those who dwell in the Zion-realm (see Heb. 12:22). Believers throughout all time have proven that he is faithful. See Ps. 118:22; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:19–20.
And written upon this precious cornerstone is this:
‘Those who trust in him will not act in haste.’ # 28:16 Or “will never run away [in fear].” Faith, firmly set upon Christ, is patient and never rushes, for faith leaves the timing of all things in God’s hands. Peter quotes this verse, saying, “Whoever believes in him will certainly not be disappointed” (1 Peter 2:6).
17I will set justice as the true measurement
and integrity as its plumb line.
My hailstorm # 28:17 Hail is a biblical metaphor for divine judgment. See v. 2; Ex. 9:13–35; Josh. 10:11; Pss. 18:12–13; 148:8; Isa. 32:19; Rev. 8:7; 11:19; 16:21. will sweep away your refuge of lies,
and my floodwaters will overwhelm your hiding place.
18Then your covenant with death will be annulled
and your pact with the underworld will not stand.
And when the overwhelming scourge sweeps over you,
it will sweep you away! # 28:18 Or “it will trample you down.”
19As often as disaster passes by, it will carry you away;
morning by morning, day after day, it will sweep you away!”
When you fully understand this message,
it will bring nothing but terror to you!
20Your bed is too short to stretch yourself out on,
and your covering is too narrow to wrap yourself in. # 28:20 The bed is a metaphor for their confidence in lies—resting in illusions, not the truth. Those who trust in lies will not be comfortable. The covering being too narrow means their nakedness will still be exposed (like Adam’s and Eve’s hiding behind fig leaves). They will be too cramped and too cold. Every resting place and shelter will fail them.
21The Lord Yahweh will suddenly arise
as on Mount Perazim # 28:21 This mountain is also called Baal-Perazim (“lord of the breakthrough”), the place where the Lord broke through, enabling David to conquer the Philistines. See 2 Sam. 5:20. and in the valley of Gibeon. # 28:21 In this valley, Yahweh rained down hailstones on the Amorites. See Josh. 10:8–14.
He arises to accomplish his strange work—peculiar as it is—
his strange work of judgment. # 28:21 The prophet described God’s work of judgment as strange or foreign to what he delights in doing. God is love and longs to pour out his love upon his people, those he has chosen and established as his own. Yet God is holy, and although in mercy he may delay judgment, he will judge his people. To see God’s work of judgment as strange (alien) is to understand that heaven’s default is always mercy. See James 2:13.
22So do not mock, or your bonds will grow tighter.
For I have heard the decree from my Lord Yahweh,
Commander of Angel Armies.
He spoke a decree of destruction against the whole land.
The Wonderful Ways of God
23Hear my voice, listen to my words,
and pay close attention to my parable. # 28:23 Or “to my speech.” Isaiah used the parable of a farmer preparing his field to sow seed as a description of God’s ways within us. He begins by essentially saying, “If your ears are opened by my Spirit, then hear what I have to say.”
24Does a farmer plow continually at planting time
and never plant a crop? # 28:24 The sharp teeth and cutting edge of God’s Word as it plows through the soil of our hearts will result in his planting the life and glory of Jesus within us. God knows the purpose of his painful plowing in our hearts is to prepare them for the beautiful Jesus to come forth from within. The outward shell, the hardened clods of soil, must be broken open so that Christ may be our true life. See Hos. 10:12.
Does he continually break open the clods of the ground # 28:24 “The clods of the ground” are an apt metaphor for human nature, for we have been taken from the dust of the ground.
and never sow his seed?
25Once he has leveled its surface, does he not sow dill and cumin,
planting his wheat in rows, his barley in its proper place,
and his rye in a patch?
26Yes, his God has instructed him
and taught him the right way of farming the land.
27Dill, a small seed, is not threshed with a threshing sledge,
nor is a wagon wheel rolled over cumin. # 28:27 God knows how fragile we are as “seeds” of the kingdom. He will thresh us, but only according to what is needed to lay bare our hearts and cause the seed to grow. See 1 Cor. 10:13.
Dill is beaten with a rod and cumin with a stick.
28Grain is crushed # 28:28 God does not crush the grain but only frees it from the chaff. and milled for bread,
but it is not threshed endlessly.
One drives the wagon’s wheels over it,
but his horses’ hooves do not pulverize it.
29This counsel also comes from Lord Yahweh,
Commander of Angel Armies.
For his guidance is unfathomable,
and the heavenly wisdom he imparts is magnificent. # 28:29 Or “He makes counsel wonderful; he makes wisdom great.” See Rom. 11:33.
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