Isaiah 28:1-7

1It will be very bad for Ephraim's beautiful city, Samaria! The people who live there drink too much wine and they become drunk. They are proud of their great city. It is on a hill above a valley where many good things grow. It is like a beautiful flower, but it will be beautiful no more and it will die.

2Look! The Lord God is sending a strong and powerful army to attack it. It comes like a strong storm of ice. Its wind destroys everything. It is like rain that pours down and causes a flood. He will knock down Ephraim's great city to the ground with his great power!

3The drunk people of Samaria think that their city is great. But their enemies will knock it down and walk all over it.

4The city is like a beautiful flower that will soon die. It is on a hill above a valley where many good things grow. But it will be like a fig on a tree. It is ready to eat before the harvest time. When someone sees it, he will quickly pick it. And he will eat it!

5At that time. the Lord Almighty will be a great leader of his people. He will be like a beautiful crown for his people who still remain alive.

6He will help judges to decide what is right. He will give strength to the people who keep the city safe from those who attack it.

7But now wine causes the leaders in Ephraim to become drunk. They cannot walk in a straight line because they drink too much beer. Beer causes the priests and the prophets to fall over. Wine confuses their minds. When they see visions, they cannot understand them. When they judge people, they cannot decide what is right.