Isaiah 28:4

Isaiah 28:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
• New International Version (NIV)That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valley, Like the first fruit before the summer, Which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand.

Context of Isaiah 28:4

2Look, the Lord has a strong and mighty one — like a devastating hail storm, like a storm with strong flooding water. He will bring it across the land with his hand. 3The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot. The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, which is on the summit above the rich valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest. Whoever sees it will swallow it while it is still in his hand. 5On that day the Lord of Armies will become a crown of beauty and a diadem of splendor to the remnant of his people, 6a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, and strength to those who repel attacks at the city gate.

Isaiah 28:4 word by word

וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה צִיצַ֤ת נֹבֵל֙ צְבִ֣י תִפְאַרְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹ֖אשׁ גֵּ֣יא שְׁמָנִ֑ים כְּבִכּוּרָהּ֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם קַ֔יִץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְאֶ֤ה הָֽרֹאֶה֙ אוֹתָ֔הּ בְּעוֹדָ֥הּ בְּכַפּ֖וֹ יִבְלָעֶֽנָּה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the gloriousצְבִיtsebîy · beautyH6643
• beautyתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
• on the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• of the fatשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• valleyגַּיְאgay' gay · valleyH1516
• shall be a fadingנָבֵלnâbêl · to witherH5034
• flowerצִיצָהtsîytsâh · flowerH6733
• as the hasty fruitבִּכּוּרִיםbikkûr · firstfruitH1061
• before the summerקַ֫יִץqayits · summerH7019
• he that lookethרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• while it is yet in his handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• he eateth it upבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104

Cross-references for Isaiah 28:4

• Isaiah 28:1Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor, which is on the summit above the rich valley. Woe to those overcome with wine.
• Psalms 73:19How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors.
• Hosea 6:4What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist and like the early dew that vanishes.
• Hosea 9:10I discovered Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like the first fruit of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, consecrated themselves to Shame, and became abhorrent, like the thing they loved.
• Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.
• James 1:10but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.
• Micah 7:1How sad for me! For I am like one who — when the summer fruit has been gathered after the gleaning of the grape harvest — finds no grape cluster to eat, no early fig, which I crave.
• Nahum 3:12All your fortresses are fig trees with figs that ripened first; when shaken, they fall — right into the mouth of the eater!
• Revelation 6:13the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind;

Commentaries on Isaiah 28:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The hasty fruit before the summer "The early fruit before the summer" - "No sooner doth the boccore, (the early fig), draw near to perfection in the middle or latter end of June, than the kermez or summer fig begins to be formed, though it rarely ripens before August; about which time the same tree frequently throws out a third crop, or the winter fig, as we may call it. This is usually of a much longer shape and darker complexion than the kermez, hanging…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4As the hasty fruit before the summer - The word rendered hasty fruit‘ (בכוּרה bikûrâh ); in Arabic, bokkore in Spanish, albacore ), denotes the “early fig.” this ripens in June; the common fig does not ripen until August. Shaw, in his “Travels,” p. 370, says: No sooner does the “boccore” (the early fig) draw near to perfection in the middle or latter end of June, than the “kermez” or summer fig begins to be formed, though it rarely ripens before August…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-29The glory of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, is here contrasted with the glory of the Lord. This section represents the first of the six woes (Woe to...).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Rather, "the fading flower, their glorious beauty (Is 28:1), which is on the head of the fat (fertile) valley, shall be as the early fig" [G. V. Smith]. Figs usually ripened in August; but earlier ones (Hebrew bikkurah, Spanish bokkore) in June, and were regarded as a delicacy (Jr 24:2; Ho 9:10; Mi 7:1). while it is yet--that is, immediately, without delay; describing the eagerness of the Assyrian Shalmaneser, not merely to conquer, but to destroy…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 28:4

• Isaiah
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Summer
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Battle
• Diadem
• Doctrine
• Fig
• Foundation
• Harrow
• Hasty
• Refuge
• Rod
• Short

Commentaries on Isaiah 28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings