New English Translation
Isaiah 28:1
1The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with 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
The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine. 2Look, the sovereign master sends a strong, powerful one. With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, he will knock that crown to the ground with his hand. 3The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards 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 splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
- Hosea 5:5The arrogance of Israel testifies against it; Israel and Ephraim will be overthrown because of their iniquity. Even Judah will be brought down with them.
- Hosea 6:10I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself.
- Isaiah 28:7Even these men stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer – priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions.
- Isaiah 5:11Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, those who keep drinking long after dark until they are intoxicated with wine.
- Proverbs 23:29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?
- Hosea 4:11Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people.
- Hosea 7:5At the celebration of their king, his princes become inflamed with wine; they conspire with evildoers.
- Amos 2:8They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple of their God!
- Amos 6:6They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, and pour the very best oils on themselves. Yet they are not concerned over the ruin of Joseph.
- Isaiah 28:4The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest – as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.
- Isaiah 7:8For Syria’s leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.
- Isaiah 8:4for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
- 2 Kings 14:25He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the Arabah in the south, in accordance with the word of the Lord God of Israel announced through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.
- 2 Kings 15:29During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 18:10After three years he captured it (in the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign); in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign over Israel Samaria was captured.
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries