Berean Standard Bible

Isaiah 28

The Captivity of Ephraim

1WoeH1945 to the majesticH1348 crownH5850 of Ephraim’sH669 1 drunkardsH7910, to the fadingH5034 flowerH6731 of his gloriousH6643 splendorH8597, setH834 onH5921 the summitH7218 above the fertileH8081 valleyH1516, the pride of those overcomeH1986 by wineH3196.2BeholdH2009, the LordH136 has one who is strongH2389 and mightyH533. Like a hailstormH2230 H1259 or destructiveH6986 tempestH8178, like a driving rainH2230 H4325 or flooding downpourH3524 H7857, he will smashH5117 H3027 that crown to the groundH776.3The majesticH1348 crownH5850 of Ephraim’sH669 drunkardsH7910 will be trampled underfootH7429 H7272.4The fadingH5034 flowerH6733 of his beautifulH6643 splendorH8597, set onH5921 the summitH7218 above the fertileH8081 valleyH1516, will beH1961 like a ripe figH1063 beforeH2962 the summer harvestH7019 : WhoeverH7200 sees itH7200 will take itH5750 in his handH3709 and swallow itH1104.

5On thatH1931 dayH3117 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 will beH1961 a crownH5850 of gloryH6643,a diademH6843 of splendorH8597 to the remnantH7605 of His peopleH5971,6a spiritH7307 of justiceH4941 to him who sitsH3427 inH5921 judgmentH4941,and a strengthH1369 to those who repelH7725 the onslaughtH4421 at the gateH8179.

7TheseH428 alsoH1571 staggerH7686 from wineH3196and stumbleH8582 from strong drinkH7941:PriestsH3548 and prophetsH5030 reelH7686 from strong drinkH7941and are befuddledH1104 byH4480 wineH3196.They stumbleH8582 because ofH4480 strong drinkH7941,muddledH7686 in their visionsH7203 and stumblingH6328 in their judgmentsH6417.8ForH3588 allH3605 their tablesH7979 are coveredH4390 with vomitH6892;there is not a placeH4725 withoutH1097 filthH6675.

9 WhomH4310 is He trying to teachH3384 H1844 ?To whomH4310 is He explainingH995 His messageH8052?To infants just weanedH1580 from milkH2461?To babies removedH6267 from the breastH7699?10ForH3588 they hear:2“OrderH6673 on orderH6673, orderH6673 on orderH6673,lineH6957 on lineH6957, lineH6957 on lineH6957;3a littleH2191 hereH8033, a littleH2191 thereH8033.”11IndeedH3588, with mockingH3934 lipsH8193 and foreignH312 tonguesH3956,He will speakH1696 toH413 thisH2088 peopleH5971 4 12to whomH834 He has saidH559 :“ThisH2063 is the place of restH4496, let the wearyH5889 restH5117;thisH2063 is the place of reposeH4774.”

But they wouldH14 notH3808 listenH8085.

13Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 to them will becomeH1961: “OrderH6673 on orderH6673, orderH6673 on orderH6673, lineH6957 on lineH6957, lineH6957 on lineH6957; a littleH2191 hereH8033, a littleH2191 thereH8033,” so thatH4616 they will goH1980 stumblingH3782 backwardH268 and will be injuredH7665, ensnaredH3369, and capturedH3920.

14ThereforeH3651 hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, OH582 scoffersH3944who ruleH4910 thisH2088 peopleH5971 in JerusalemH3389.15ForH3588 you saidH559, “We have madeH3772 a covenantH1285 withH854 deathH4194;we have fashionedH6213 an agreementH2374 H7885 withH5973 SheolH7585.WhenH3588 the overwhelming scourgeH7857 passes throughH5674it will notH3808 touch usH935,becauseH3588 we have madeH7760 liesH3577 our refugeH4268and falsehoodH8267 5 our hiding placeH5641.”

16SoH3651 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559:

“SeeH2005, I layH3245 a stoneH68 in ZionH6726,a testedH976 stoneH68,a preciousH3368 cornerstoneH6438, a sureH3245 foundationH4143;the one who believesH539 will neverH3808 be shakenH2363.617I will makeH7760 justiceH4941 the measuring lineH6957and righteousnessH6666 the levelH4949.HailH1259 will sweep awayH3261 your refugeH4268 of liesH3577,and waterH4325 will floodH7857 your hiding placeH5643.18Your covenantH1285 withH854 deathH4194 will be dissolvedH3722,and your agreementH2380 withH854 SheolH7585 will notH3808 standH6965.WhenH3588 the overwhelmingH7857 scourgeH7752 passes throughH5674,you will beH1961 trampled by itH4823.19As often asH1767 it passes throughH5674,it will carry you awayH3947 ;it will sweep throughH5674 morningH1242 after morningH1242,by dayH3117 and by nightH3915 H1961.”

The understandingH995 of this messageH8052will bring sheerH7535 terrorH2113.20IndeedH3588, the bedH4702 is too shortH7114 to stretch out onH8311,and the blanketH4541 too smallH6887 to wrap around youH3664.21ForH3588 the LORDH3068 will rise upH6965 as at MountH2022 PerazimH6559.He will rouse HimselfH7264 as in the ValleyH6010 of GibeonH1391,to doH6213 His workH4639, His strangeH2114 workH4639,and to performH5647 His taskH5656, His disturbingH5237 taskH5656.

22So nowH6258, do notH408 mockH3887, orH6435 your shacklesH4147 will become heavierH2388. IndeedH3588, I have heardH8085 from the LordH136 GODH3069 of HostsH6635 a decreeH2782 of destructionH3617 againstH5921 the wholeH3605 landH776.

23ListenH238 and hearH8085 my voiceH6963.Pay attentionH7181 and hearH8085 what I sayH565.24Does the plowmanH2790 plowH2790 for plantingH2232 everyH3605 dayH3117?Does he continuously loosenH6605 and harrowH7702 the soilH127?25WhenH518 he has leveledH7737 its surfaceH6440,does he notH3808 sowH2236 carawayH7100 and scatterH6327 cuminH3646?He plantsH7760 wheatH2406 in rowsH7795 and barleyH8184 in plotsH5567,and ryeH3698 within its borderH1367.

26For his GodH430 instructsH3256and teaches himH3384 properlyH4941.27SurelyH3588 carawayH7100 is notH3808 threshedH1758 with a sledgeH2742,and the wheelH212 of a cartH5699 is not rolledH5437 overH5921 the cuminH3646.ButH3588 carawayH7100 is beaten outH2251 with a stickH4294,and cuminH3646 with a rodH7626.28Grain for breadH3899 must be groundH1854,butH3588 it is notH3808 endlessly threshedH1758 H5331 H156.Though the wheelsH1536 of the cartH5699 roll over itH2000,the horsesH6571 do notH3808 crush itH1854.29ThisH2063 alsoH1571 comesH3318 fromH5973 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635,who is wonderfulH6381 in counselH6098and excellentH1431 in wisdomH8454.

1. Isaiah 28:1 That is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verse 3 ↩
2. Isaiah 28:10 Or For He says or For it is; literally For ↩
3. Isaiah 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 ↩
4. Isaiah 28:11 Cited in 1 Corinthians 14:21 ↩
5. Isaiah 28:15 Or false gods ↩
6. Isaiah 28:16 LXX will never be put to shame; cited in Romans 9:33, Romans 10:11, and 1 Peter 2:6 ↩