Isaiah 28:1-13

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.

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.

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.

5At that time the Lord who commands armies will become a beautiful crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.

6He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers.

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.

8Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit; no place is untouched.

9Who is the Lord trying to teach? To whom is he explaining a message? Those just weaned from milk! Those just taken from their mother’s breast!

10Indeed, they will hear meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there.

11For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.

12In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.

13So the Lord’s word to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.