Revised Literal Translation

Isaiah 28

1Woeה֗וֹיHoH1945to the crownעֲטֶ֤רֶת'a.Te.retH5850of prideגֵּאוּת֙ge.'UtH1348,to the drunkardsשִׁכֹּרֵ֣יshi.ko.ReiH7910of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֔יִם'ef.Ra.yimH669,whose gloriousצְבִ֣יtze.ViH6643beautyתִפְאַרְתּ֑וֹtif.'ar.ToH8597isa fadingנֹבֵ֖לno.VelH5034flowerוְצִ֥יץve.TzitzH6731, which areon the headרֹ֥אשׁroshH7218of the fatשְׁמָנִ֖יםshe.ma.NimH8081valleysגֵּֽיא־gei'-H1516of them that are overcomeהֲל֥וּמֵיha.Lu.meiH1986with wineיָֽיִן׃Ya.yinH3196!

2Behold, the Lordלַֽאדֹנָ֔יla.do.NaiH136hath a mightyחָזָ֤קcha.ZakH2389and strong oneוְאַמִּץ֙ve.'a.MitzH533, whichas a tempestכְּזֶ֥רֶםke.Ze.remH2230of hailבָּרָ֖דba.RadH1259anda destroyingקָ֑טֶבKa.tevH6986stormשַׂ֣עַרSa.'arH8178,as a floodכְּ֠זֶרֶםKe.ze.remH2230of mightyכַּבִּירִ֥יםka.bi.RimH3524watersמַ֣יִםMa.yimH4325overflowingשֹׁטְפִ֛יםsho.te.FimH7857,shall cast downH3240to the earthלָאָ֖רֶץla.'A.retzH776with the handבְּיָֽד׃be.YadH3027.

3The crownעֲטֶ֥רֶת'a.Te.retH5850of prideגֵּא֖וּתge.'UtH1348,the drunkardsשִׁכּוֹרֵ֥יshi.ko.ReiH7910of Ephraimאֶפְרָֽיִם׃'ef.Ra.yimH669,shall be troddenתֵּֽרָמַ֑סְנָהte.ra.Mas.nahH7429under feetבְּרַגְלַ֖יִםbe.rag.La.yimH7272:

4And the gloriousצְבִ֣יtze.ViH6643beautyתִפְאַרְתּ֔וֹtif.'ar.ToH8597, which ison the headרֹ֖אשׁroshH7218of the fatשְׁמָנִ֑יםshe.ma.NimH8081valleyגֵּ֣יאgei'H1516,shall be a fadingנֹבֵל֙no.VelH5034flowerצִיצַ֤תtzi.TzatH6733, andas the hasty fruitH1061before the summerקַ֔יִץKa.yitzH7019; which whenhe that lookethיִרְאֶ֤הyir.'EhH7200upon it seethהָֽרֹאֶה֙ha.ro.'EhH7200,while it is yet in his handבְּכַפּ֖וֹbe.kha.PoH3709he eateth it upיִבְלָעֶֽנָּה׃ סyiv.la.'E.nahH1104.

5In that dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117shall Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635be for a crownלַעֲטֶ֣רֶתla.'a.Te.retH5850of gloryצְבִ֔יtze.ViH6643,and for a diademוְלִצְפִירַ֖תve.litz.fi.RatH6843of beautyתִּפְאָרָ֑הtif.'a.RahH8597,unto the residueלִשְׁאָ֖רlish.'ArH7605of his peopleעַמּֽוֹ׃a.MoH5971,

6And for a spiritוּלְר֖וּחַu.le.Ru.achH7307of judgmentמִשְׁפָּ֑טmish.PatH4941to him that sittethלַיּוֹשֵׁב֙lai.yo.ShevH3427in judgmentהַמִּשְׁפָּ֔טha.mish.PatH4941,and for strengthוְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔הve.Lig.vu.RahH1369to them that turnמְשִׁיבֵ֥יme.shi.VeiH7725the battleמִלְחָמָ֖הmil.cha.MahH4421to the gateשָֽׁעְרָה׃ סSha.'e.rahH8179.

7But theyאֵ֙לֶּה֙'e.lehH428also have erredשָׁג֔וּsha.GuH7686through wineבַּיַּ֣יִןbai.Ya.yinH3196,and through strong drinkוּבַשֵּׁכָ֖רu.va.she.KharH7941are out of the wayתָּע֑וּta.'UH8582;the priestכֹּהֵ֣ןko.HenH3548and the prophetוְנָבִיא֩ve.na.Vi'H5030have erredשָׁג֨וּsha.GuH7686through strong drinkבַשֵּׁכָ֜רva.she.KharH7941,they are swallowed upנִבְלְע֣וּniv.le.'UH1104ofH4480wineהַיַּ֗יִןhai.Ya.yinH3196,they are out of the wayתָּעוּ֙ta.'UH8582through strong drinkהַשֵּׁכָ֔רha.she.KharH7941;they errשָׁגוּ֙sha.GuH7686in visionבָּֽרֹאֶ֔הba.ro.'EhH7203,they stumbleפָּק֖וּpa.KuH6328injudgmentפְּלִילִיָּֽה׃pe.li.li.YahH6417.

8For all tablesשֻׁלְחָנ֔וֹתshul.cha.NotH7979are fullמָלְא֖וּmal.'UH4390of vomitקִ֣יאki'H6892andfilthinessצֹאָ֑הtzo.'AhH6675, so that there isno placeמָקֽוֹם׃ סma.KomH4725clean.

9Whom shall he teachיוֹרֶ֣הyo.RehH3384knowledgeדֵעָ֔הde.'AhH1844?and whom shall he make to understandיָבִ֣יןya.VinH995doctrineשְׁמוּעָ֑הshe.mu.'AhH8052? them that areweanedגְּמוּלֵי֙ge.mu.LeiH1580from the milkמֵֽחָלָ֔בme.cha.LavH2461, anddrawnעַתִּיקֵ֖י'a.ti.KeiH6267from the breastsמִשָּׁדָֽיִם׃mi.sha.Da.yimH7699.

10For preceptצַ֤וtzavH6673must beupon preceptלָצָו֙la.TzavH6673,preceptצַ֣וtzavH6673upon preceptלָצָ֔וla.TzavH6673;lineקַ֥וkavH6957upon lineלָקָ֖וla.KavH6957,lineקַ֣וkavH6957upon lineלָקָ֑וla.KavH6957;here a littleזְעֵ֥ירze.'EirH2191, andthere a littleזְעֵ֥ירze.'EirH2191:

11For with stammeringבְּלַעֲגֵ֣יbe.la.'a.GeiH3934lipsשָׂפָ֔הsa.FahH8193and anotherאַחֶ֑רֶת'a.Che.retH312tongueוּבְלָשׁ֖וֹןu.ve.la.ShonH3956will he speakיְדַבֵּ֖רye.da.BerH1696to this peopleהָעָ֥םha.'AmH5971.

12To whom he saidאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559, This isthe restהַמְּנוּחָה֙ha.me.nu.ChahH4496wherewithye may cause the wearyלֶֽעָיֵ֔ףle.'a.YefH5889to restהָנִ֣יחוּha.Ni.chuH5117; and this isthe refreshingהַמַּרְגֵּעָ֑הha.mar.ge.'AhH4774:yet they wouldאָב֖וּא'a.Vu'H14not hearשְׁמֽוֹעַ׃she.Mo.a'H8085.

13But the wordדְּבַר־de.var-H1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068was unto them preceptצַ֣וtzavH6673upon preceptלָצָ֞וla.TzavH6673,preceptצַ֤וtzavH6673upon preceptלָצָו֙la.TzavH6673;lineקַ֤וkavH6957upon lineלָקָו֙la.KavH6957,lineקַ֣וkavH6957upon lineלָקָ֔וla.KavH6957;here a littleזְעֵ֥ירze.'EirH2191, andthere a littleזְעֵ֣ירze.'EirH2191;that they might goH3212,and fallוְכָשְׁל֤וּve.kha.she.LuH3782backwardאָחוֹר֙'a.chOrH268,and be brokenוְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּve.nish.Ba.ruH7665,and snaredוְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּve.nok.ShuH3369,and takenוְנִלְכָּֽדוּ׃ פve.nil.Ka.duH3920.

14Wherefore hearשִׁמְע֥וּshim.'UH8085the wordדְבַר־de.var-H1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068,ye scornfulלָצ֑וֹןla.TzonH3944menאַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.SheiH582,that ruleמֹֽשְׁלֵי֙mo.she.LeiH4910this peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971which isin Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃bi.ru.sha.LimH3389.

15Because ye have saidאֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם'a.mar.TemH559,We have madeכָּרַ֤תְנֽוּka.Rat.nuH3772a covenantבְרִית֙ve.RitH1285with deathמָ֔וֶתMa.vetH4194,and with hellשְׁא֖וֹלshe.'olH7585are weעָשִׂ֣ינוּ'a.Si.nuH6213at agreementחֹזֶ֑הcho.ZehH2374;when the overflowingשׁוֹטֵ֤ףsho.TefH7857scourgeשׁ֣וֹטshitH7885 H7752shall pass throughיַֽעֲבֹר֙a.varH5674,it shall not comeיְבוֹאֵ֔נוּye.vo.'E.nuH935unto us: for we have madeשַׂ֧מְנוּSam.nuH7760liesכָזָ֛בkha.ZavH3577our refugeמַחְסֵ֖נוּmach.Se.nuH4268,and under falsehoodוּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶרu.va.She.kerH8267have we hidנִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃ סnis.Ta.re.nuH5641ourselves:

16Therefore thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559the Lordאֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.NaiH136Yhwhיְהוִ֔הYah.wehH3069,Behold, I layיִסַּ֥דyi.SadH3245in Zionבְּצִיּ֖וֹןbe.tzi.YonH6726for a foundation a stoneאָ֑בֶן'A.venH68,a triedבֹּ֜חַןBo.chanH976stoneאֶ֣בֶן'E.venH68,a preciousיִקְרַת֙yik.RatH3368cornerפִּנַּ֤תpi.NatH6438stone,a sureמוּסָּ֔דmu.SadH3245foundationמוּסָ֣דmu.SadH4143:he that believethהַֽמַּאֲמִ֖יןha.ma.'a.MinH539shall not make hasteיָחִֽישׁ׃ya.ChishH2363.

17Judgmentמִשְׁפָּט֙mish.PatH4941also will I layוְשַׂמְתִּ֤יve.sam.TiH7760to the lineלְקָ֔וle.KavH6957,and righteousnessוּצְדָקָ֖הu.tze.da.KahH6666to the plummetלְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶתle.mish.Ka.letH4949:and the hailבָרָד֙va.RadH1259shall sweep awayוְיָעָ֤הve.ya.'AhH3261the refugeמַחְסֵ֣הmach.SehH4268of liesכָזָ֔בkha.ZavH3577,and the watersמַ֖יִםMa.yimH4325shall overflowיִשְׁטֹֽפוּ׃yish.To.fuH7857the hiding placeוְסֵ֥תֶרve.Se.terH5643.

18And your covenantבְּרִֽיתְכֶם֙be.ri.te.KhemH1285with deathמָ֔וֶתMa.vetH4194shall be disannulledוְכֻפַּ֤רve.khu.ParH3722,and your agreementוְחָזוּתְכֶ֥םve.cha.zu.te.KhemH2380with hellשְׁא֖וֹלshe.'olH7585shall not standתָק֑וּםta.KumH6965;when the overflowingשׁוֹטֵף֙sho.TefH7857scourgeשׁ֤וֹטShotH7752shall pass throughיַֽעֲבֹ֔רya.'a.VorH5674,then ye shall be trodden downלְמִרְמָֽס׃le.mir.MasH4823by it.

19From the timeמִדֵּ֤יmi.DeiH1767that it goeth forthעָבְרוֹ֙a.ve.RoH5674it shall takeיִקַּ֣חyi.KachH3947you: for morningבַבֹּ֧קֶרva.Bo.kerH1242by morningבַּבֹּ֛קֶרba.Bo.kerH1242shall it pass overיַעֲבֹ֖רya.'a.VorH5674,by dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117and by nightוּבַלָּ֑יְלָהu.va.La.ye.lahH3915:and it shall be a vexationזְוָעָ֖הze.va.'AhH2113only tounderstandהָבִ֥יןha.VinH995the reportשְׁמוּעָֽה׃she.mu.'AhH8052.

20For the bedהַמַּצָּ֖עha.ma.Tza'H4702is shorterקָצַ֥רka.TzarH7114than that a mancan stretchמֵֽהִשְׂתָּרֵ֑עַme.his.ta.Re.a'H8311himself on it:and the coveringוְהַמַּסֵּכָ֥הve.ham.ma.se.KhahH4541narrowerצָ֖רָהTza.rahH6887than that he can wrapכְּהִתְכַּנֵּֽס׃ke.hit.ka.NesH3664himself in it.

21For Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068shall rise upיָק֣וּםya.KumH6965as inmountכְהַר־khe.har-H2022Perazimפְּרָצִים֙pe.ra.TzimH6559,he shall be wrothיִרְגָּ֑זyir.GazH7264as inthe valleyכְּעֵ֖מֶקke.'E.mekH6010of Gibeonבְּגִבְע֣וֹןbe.giv.'onH1391,that he may doלַעֲשׂ֤וֹתla.'a.SotH6213his workמַעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ma.'a.Se.huH4639,his strangeזָ֣רzarH2114workמַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּma.'a.Se.huH4639;and bring to passוְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ve.la.'a.VodH5647his actעֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹa.Vo.da.ToH5656,his strangeנָכְרִיָּ֖הna.khe.ri.YahH5237actעֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃a.vo.da.ToH5656.

22Now therefore be ye not mockersתִּתְלוֹצָ֔צוּtit.lo.Tza.tzuH3887,lest your bandsמֽוֹסְרֵיכֶ֑םmos.rei.KhemH4147be made strongיֶחְזְק֖וּyech.ze.KuH2388:for I have heardשָׁמַ֗עְתִּיsha.Ma'.tiH8085from the Lordאֲדֹנָ֧י'a.do.NaiH136Yhwhיְהוִ֛הYah.wehH3069of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635a consumptionכָלָ֨הkha.LahH3617,even determinedוְנֶחֱרָצָ֜הve.ne.che.ra.TzahH2782upon the whole earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776.

23Give ye earהַאֲזִ֥ינוּha.'a.Zi.nuH238,and hearוְשִׁמְע֖וּve.shim.'UH8085my voiceקוֹלִ֑יko.LiH6963;hearkenהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּhak.Shi.vuH7181,and hearוְשִׁמְע֖וּve.shim.'UH8085my speechאִמְרָתִֽי׃'im.ra.TiH565.

24Doth the plowmanיַחֲרֹ֥שׁya.cha.RoshH2790plowהַחֹרֵ֖שׁha.cho.ReshH2790all dayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117to sowלִזְרֹ֑עַliz.Ro.a'H2232?doth he openיְפַתַּ֥חye.fa.TachH6605and break the clodsוִֽישַׂדֵּ֖דvi.sa.DedH7702of his groundאַדְמָתֽוֹ׃'ad.ma.ToH127?

25When he hath made plainשִׁוָּ֣הshi.VahH7737the faceפָנֶ֔יהָfa.Nei.haH6440thereof, doth he not cast abroadוְהֵפִ֥יץve.he.FitzH6327the fitchesקֶ֖צַחKe.tzachH7100,and scatterיִזְרֹ֑קyiz.RokH2236the cumminוְכַמֹּ֣ןve.kha.MonH3646,and castוְשָׂ֨םve.SamH7760in the principalשׂוֹרָה֙so.RahH7795wheatחִטָּ֤הchi.TahH2406and the appointedנִסְמָ֔ןnis.ManH5567barleyוּשְׂעֹרָ֣הu.se.'o.RahH8184and the rieוְכֻסֶּ֖מֶתve.khu.Se.metH3698in their placeגְּבֻלָתֽוֹ׃ge.vu.la.ToH1367?

26For his Godאֱלֹהָ֥יו'e.lo.HavH430doth instructוְיִסְּר֥וֹve.yi.se.RoH3256him to discretionלַמִּשְׁפָּ֖טla.mish.PatH4941, anddoth teachיוֹרֶֽנּוּ׃yo.Re.nuH3384him.

27For the fitchesקֶ֔צַחKe.tzachH7100are not threshedי֣וּדַשׁYu.dashH1758with a threshing instrumentבֶֽחָרוּץ֙ve.cha.RutzH2742,neither is a cartעֲגָלָ֔ה'a.ga.LahH5699wheelוְאוֹפַ֣ןve.'o.FanH212turned aboutיוּסָּ֑בyu.SavH5437upon the cumminכַּמֹּ֖ןka.MonH3646;but the fitchesקֶ֖צַחKe.tzachH7100are beaten outיֵחָ֥בֶטye.Cha.vetH2251with a staffבַמַּטֶּ֛הva.ma.TehH4294,and the cumminוְכַמֹּ֥ןve.kha.MonH3646with a rodבַּשָּֽׁבֶט׃ba.Sha.vetH7626.

28Breadלֶ֣חֶםLe.chemH3899grainis bruisedיוּדָ֔קyu.DakH1854;because he will not everלָנֶ֖צַחla.Ne.tzachH5331be threshingH1758 H156it, nor breakוְ֠הָמַםVe.ha.mamH2000it withthe wheelגִּלְגַּ֧לgil.GalH1536of his cartעֶגְלָת֛וֹeg.la.ToH5699,nor bruiseיְדֻקֶּֽנּוּ׃ye.duk.Ke.nuH1854it withhis horsemenוּפָרָשָׁ֖יוu.fa.ra.ShavH6571.

29This also cometh forthיָצָ֑אָהya.Tza.'ahH3318from Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635, whichis wonderfulהִפְלִ֣יאhif.Li'H6381in counselעֵצָ֔ה'e.TzahH6098, andexcellentהִגְדִּ֖ילhig.DilH1431in workingתּוּשִׁיָּֽה׃ סtu.shi.YahH8454.

Commentaries on Isaiah 28