Isaiah 28:1

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

What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria— the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel. It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower. It is the pride of a people brought down by wine. 2For the Lord will send a mighty army against it. Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain, they will burst upon it like a surging flood and smash it to the ground. 3The proud city of Samaria— the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel— will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.

Isaiah 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 proud city of Samaria— the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel— will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.
• Hosea 5:5“The arrogance of Israel testifies against her; Israel and Ephraim will stumble under their load of guilt. Judah, too, will fall with them.
• Hosea 6:10Yes, I have seen something horrible in Ephraim and Israel: My people are defiled by prostituting themselves with other gods!
• Isaiah 28:7Now, however, Israel is led by drunks who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol. The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine. They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions.
• Isaiah 5:11What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.
• Proverbs 23:29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
• Hosea 4:11to worship other gods. “Wine has robbed my people of their understanding.
• Hosea 7:5On royal holidays, the princes get drunk with wine, carousing with those who mock them.
• Amos 2:8At their religious festivals, they lounge in clothing their debtors put up as security. In the house of their gods, they drink wine bought with unjust fines.
• Amos 6:6You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.
• Isaiah 28:4It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower. Whoever sees it will snatch it up, as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.
• Isaiah 7:8for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
• Isaiah 8:4For before this child is old enough to say ‘Papa’ or ‘Mama,’ the king of Assyria will carry away both the abundance of Damascus and the riches of Samaria.”
• 2 Kings 14:25Jeroboam II recovered the territories of Israel between Lebo-hamath and the Dead Sea, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had promised through Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.
• 2 Kings 15:29During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.
• 2 Kings 18:10Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah’s reign and the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, Samaria fell.

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

• Drunkard
• Drunkenness
• Ephraim
• Isaiah
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Wine

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Battle
• Diadem
• Doctrine
• Flowers
• Foundation
• Hasty
• Refuge
• Rod

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