Isaiah 28

1 How terrible it will be for that arrogant garland— the drunks of Ephraim! How terrible it will be for that fading flower of his glorious beauty, which sits on the heads of people bloated with food, ^{a28:1 Lit. the valley of those grown fat} of people overcome with wine!ISV — Isaiah 28:1

2 Look! The LORD ^{b28:2 So 1QIsaa; MT reads Lord} has one who is mighty and strong, like a hailstorm and destructive tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing water— and ^{c28:2 So 1QIsaa; the Heb. lacks and} he will give rest to the land.ISV — Isaiah 28:2

3 With hands ^{d28:3 So 1QIsaa; cf. LXX; or He will throw them forcefully down to the ground; cf. MT} and feet, that proud garland ^{e28:3 So 1QIsaa LXX; or Underfoot that proud garland; cf. MT} — those drunks of Ephraim—will be trampled.ISV — Isaiah 28:3

4 And that fading flower, his glorious beauty, which sits on the heads of people bloated with food, will be like an early fig before summer— whenever someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it’s in his hand.ISV — Isaiah 28:4

5 At that time, ^{f28:5 Lit. On that day} the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will become a glorious crown, a beautiful diadem for the remnant of his people,ISV — Isaiah 28:5

6 and a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.ISV — Isaiah 28:6

7 These people also ^{g28:7 1QIsaa lacks people also; MT lacks people} stagger from wine and reel from strong drink. Priests and prophets stagger from strong drink; they’re drunk from ^{h28:7 Lit. are devoured by} wine; they reel from strong drink, waver when seeing visions, and stumble when rendering decisions.ISV — Isaiah 28:7

8 For all the tables are covered in vomit and filth, with no clean ^{i28:8 1QIsaa MT lack clean} space left.ISV — Isaiah 28:8

9 To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? To children just weaned from milk? To those just taken from the breast?ISV — Isaiah 28:9

10 For it is: “Do this and do that, do this and do that, Line upon line, line upon line, a little here, a little there.”ISV — Isaiah 28:10

11 Very well, then, through the mouths of foreigners ^{j28:11 Or through foreign lips} and foreign languages the LORD will speak to this peopleISV — Isaiah 28:11

12 to whom he said, “This is the resting place, so give rest to the weary”’ and, “This is the place of repose”— but they would not listen.ISV — Isaiah 28:12

13 So, then, the message from the LORD to them will become: “Do this and do that, do this and do that, line upon line, line upon line, a little here, a little there,” so that they will go, but fall backward, and be injured, snared, and captured.ISV — Isaiah 28:13

14 “Therefore hear ^{k28:14 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsac MT LXX read hear (pl.)} the message from the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people that are in Jerusalem.ISV — Isaiah 28:14

15 Because you said: ‘We have entered into a covenant with death, and we have an agreement with Sheol, ^{l28:15 i.e. the place where the dead dwell in the afterlife} so when the overwhelming scourge makes its choice, ^{m28:15 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read sweeps by} it cannot reach us, since we have made lies our refuge and have concealed ourselves inside falsehood’ISV — Isaiah 28:15

16 therefore this is what the LORD God ^{n28:16 So 1QIsaa corrector} says: “Look! I am laying ^{o28:16 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT reads I have laid} a foundation stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure ^{p28:16 So 1QIsaa MT; MTmss LXX lack sure} foundation: Whoever believes firmly will not act hastily.ISV — Isaiah 28:16

17 And I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and floods ^{q28:17 Lit. waters} will overflow your hiding place.ISV — Isaiah 28:17

18 “Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol ^{r28:18 i.e. the place where the dead dwell in the afterlife} will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be trampled by it.ISV — Isaiah 28:18

19 As often as it sweeps through, it will carry you away, for it will sweep by morning after morning in the day; but understanding this message will bring sheer terror at night, ^{s28:19 So 1QIsaa; MT reads by day and by night; and there will be sheer terror.}ISV — Isaiah 28:19

20 because the bed is too short to stretch out on, and its blankets too narrow to wrap around oneself!ISV — Isaiah 28:20

21 For the LORD will stand upon ^{t28:21 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads as} Mount Perazim, ^{u28:21 i.e. a mountain near Jerusalem, perhaps the Mount of Olives; cf. 2Sam 6:8} he will rouse himself in ^{v28:21 So 1QIsaa; MT reads as} the Valley of Gibeon; to carry out his work— his strange deed, and to perform his task— his alien task!ISV — Isaiah 28:21

22 But as for you, ^{w28:22 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads So now} don’t start mocking, or your chains will become tighter; for I have heard from the LORD ^{x28:22 So 1QIsaa MTmss LXX Syr; MT reads the LORD God} of the Heavenly Armies about destruction, and it is decreed against the whole land.ISV — Isaiah 28:22

23 “Pay attention! Listen to what I have to say; Pay attention, and hear my speech.ISV — Isaiah 28:23

24 Does he who plows for sowing plow all the time? Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing his field?ISV — Isaiah 28:24

25 When he has leveled its surface, he scatters caraway ^{y28:25 Or scatters black cumin} and sows cumin, doesn’t he? He plants wheat in rows, barley in its designated place, and feed for livestock ^{z28:25 Lit. and spelt; i.e. a grass grown and used as fodder} around its borders, ^{aa28:25 So 1QIsaa; MT reads its border; LXX reads your borders} doesn’t he?ISV — Isaiah 28:25

26 His God instructs him regarding the correct way, directing him how to plant. ^{bb28:26 DSS MT lack how to plant}ISV — Isaiah 28:26

27 For caraway is not threshed with a sharp sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin. Instead, caraway is winnowed with a stick, and cumin with a rod.ISV — Isaiah 28:27

28 It ^{cc28:28 i.e. grain; so 1QIsaa MT; 4QIsak reads And it} must be ground; ^{dd28:28 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsak MT read must be ground for bread} one cannot keep threshing it forever. Even if he drives his cart ^{ee8:28 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsaa corrector MT read the wheel of his cart} and horses over it, he cannot crush it.ISV — Isaiah 28:28

29 This insight also comes from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, who is distinguished ^{ff28:29 So 1QIsaa; MT reads wonderful} in practical advice and ^{gg28:29 So 1QIsaa; the Heb. lacks and} magnificent in sound wisdom.”ISV — Isaiah 28:29