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

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. The 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.

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 28:1The 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.
• Psalms 73:19How desolate they become in a mere moment! Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!
• Hosea 6:4What am I going to do with you, O Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, O Judah? For your faithfulness is as fleeting as the morning mist; it disappears as quickly as dawn’s dew!
• Hosea 9:10When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame – they became as detestable as what they loved.
• Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.
• James 1:10But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.
• Micah 7:1I am depressed! Indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered, and the grapes have been harvested. There is no grape cluster to eat, no fresh figs that I crave so much.
• Nahum 3:12All your fortifications will be like fig trees with first-ripe fruit: If they are shaken, their figs will fall into the mouth of the eater!
• Revelation 6:13and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce 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