God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 28:1
1How horrible it will be for the arrogant drunks of Ephraim. Their glorious beauty is ⌞like⌟ a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley where they lie drunk from wine.
Isaiah 28:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
- New International Version (NIV)Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, To those who are overcome with wine!
Context of Isaiah 28:1
How horrible it will be for the arrogant drunks of Ephraim. Their glorious beauty is ⌞like⌟ a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley where they lie drunk from wine. 2The Lord has one who is strong and powerful. He is like a hailstorm, a destructive wind. He is like a thunderstorm, an overwhelming flood. He will throw them to the ground forcefully. 3The arrogant drunks of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.
Read all of Isaiah 28Isaiah 28:1 word by word
ה֗וֹי עֲטֶ֤רֶת גֵּאוּת֙ שִׁכֹּרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְצִ֥יץ נֹבֵ֖ל צְבִ֣י תִפְאַרְתּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֛ר עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ גֵּֽיא־שְׁמָנִ֖ים הֲל֥וּמֵי יָֽיִן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- to the crownעֲטָרָה‛ăţârâh · crownH5850
- of prideגֵּאוּתgê'ûth · majestyH1348
- to the drunkardsשִׁכֹּרshikkôr shikkôr · drunkenH7910
- of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- whose gloriousצְבִיtsebîy · beautyH6643
- beautyתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
- a fadingנָבֵלnâbêl · to witherH5034
- flowerצִיץtsîyts tsits · flowerH6731
- on the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of the fatשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- valleysגַּיְאgay' gay · valleyH1516
- of them that are overcomeהָלַםhâlam · to smiteH1986
- with wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
Cross-references for Isaiah 28:1
- Isaiah 28:3The arrogant drunks of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.
- Hosea 5:5The people of Israel’s arrogance testifies against them. Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their sins, and Judah stumbles with them.
- Hosea 6:10“I have seen horrible things in the nation of Israel. Ephraim is acting like a prostitute, and Israel is unclean.
- Isaiah 28:7Priests and prophets stagger from wine and wobble from too much liquor. They stagger from too much liquor and become confused from too much wine. They wobble because of their liquor. They stagger when they see visions. They swerve as they judge.
- Isaiah 5:11How horrible it will be for those who get up early to look for a drink, who sit up late until they are drunk from wine.
- Proverbs 23:29Who has trouble? Who has misery? Who has quarrels? Who has a complaint? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
- Hosea 4:11Prostitutes, old wine, and new wine have robbed them of their senses.
- Hosea 7:5On the day of the king’s celebration, the officials become drunk from wine, and the king joins mockers.
- Amos 2:8Beside every altar, they spread themselves out on clothes taken as security. In the temples of their gods, they drink the wine that they bought with fines.
- Amos 6:6How horrible it will be for those who drink wine by the jugful. They rub the finest oils all over themselves and are not sorry for the ruin ⌞of the descendants⌟ of Joseph.
- Isaiah 28:4Their glorious beauty is ⌞like⌟ a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley. They will be like figs that ripened early. As soon as someone sees them, they will be taken and eaten.
- Isaiah 7:8The capital of Aram is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Ephraim will be shattered within 65 years so that it will no longer be a nation.
- Isaiah 8:4Before the boy knows how to say ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mommy,’ the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria.”
- 2 Kings 14:25He restored Israel’s boundaries from the border of Hamath to the Dead Sea as the Lord God of Israel predicted through his servant Jonah, the prophet from Gath Hepher and the son of Amittai.
- 2 Kings 15:29In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and the entire territory of Naphtali. He also took the people away to Assyria as captives.
- 2 Kings 18:10and captured it at the end of three years. Samaria was taken in Hezekiah’s sixth year as king (which was Hoshea’s ninth year as king of Israel).
Commentaries on Isaiah 28:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Wo to the crown of pride - By the crown of pride, etc., Samaria is primarily understood. "Sebaste, the ancient Samaria, is situated on a long mount of an oval figure, having first a fruitful valley, and then a ring of hills running round about it;" Maundrell, p. 58. "E regione horum ruderum mons est peramoenus, planitie admodum frugifera circumseptus, super quem olim Samaria urbs condita fuit;" Fureri Itinerarium, p. 93. The city, beautifully situated on…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Wo - (see the note at Isaiah 18:1). The word here is used to denounce impending judgment. To the crown of pride - This is a Hebrew mode of expression, denoting the proud or haughty crown. There can be no doubt that it refers to the capital of the kingdom of Ephraim; that is, to Samaria. This city was built by Omri, who purchased the hill Samaria‘ of Shemer, for two talents of silver, equal in value to 792British pounds, 11 shillings, 8d., and built the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The desolations of Samaria. (Is. 28:1-4) The prosperity of Judah; with reproofs for sinfulness and unbelief. (Is. 28:5-15) Christ is pointed out as the sure Foundation for all believers. (Is. 28:16-22) God's dealings with his people. (Is. 28:23-29) Verses 1-4 What men are proud of, be it ever so mean, is to them as a crown; but pride is the forerunner of destruction. How foolishly drunkards act! Those who are overcome with wine are overcome by Satan; and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1This section is connected by a series of six threats of judgment or woes (compare Isaiah 5:8–23). After the initial address to Samaria in Isaiah 28:1–13, the rest of the section addresses Judah. This is mainly because Judah tends to trust Egypt to save them from Assyria (Isaiah 30:2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-29Is 28:1-29. The twenty-eighth through thirty-third chapters form almost one continuous prophecy concerning the destruction of Ephraim, the impiety and folly of Judah, the danger of their league with Egypt, the straits they would be reduced to by Assyria, from which Jehovah would deliver them on their turning to Him; the twenty-eighth chapter refers to the time just before the sixth year of Hezekiak's reign, the rest not very long before his fourteenth…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 28:1
In the dictionaries
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
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