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

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. Their 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. 5When that day comes, the Lord of Armies will be like a glorious crown for his few remaining people. 6He will give a spirit of justice to those who judge. He will give strength to those who defend the city gates in battle.

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 28:1How 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.
• Psalms 73:19They are suddenly destroyed. They are completely swept away by terror!
• Hosea 6:4“What should I do with you, Ephraim? What should I do with you, Judah? Your love is like fog in the morning. It disappears as quickly as the morning dew.
• Hosea 9:10⌞The Lord said,⌟ “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest. But they went to Baal Peor and worshiped shameful idols. They became as disgusting as the things they worshiped.
• Hosea 13:1When the tribe of Ephraim spoke, people trembled. The people of Ephraim were important in Israel. Then they became guilty of worshiping Baal, so they must die.
• James 1:10Rich believers should be proud because being rich should make them humble. Rich people will wither like flowers.
• Micah 7:1Poor me! I am like those gathering summer fruit, like those picking grapes. But there aren’t any grapes to eat or any ripened figs that I crave.
• Nahum 3:12All your defenses will be like fig trees with the earliest figs. When shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
• Revelation 6:13The stars fell from the sky to the earth like figs dropping from a fig tree when it is shaken by a strong 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