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

2Behold, Adonai is strong and mighty, like a hailstorm, a destructive tempest, like a downpour of overflowing water, He hurls it down to earth with His hand. 3The proud crown of Ephraim’s drunks will be trampled underfoot. The glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the fertile valley, like a first-ripe fig before summer— whoever sees it, swallows it up while it is still in his palm. 5In that day Adonai-Tzva’ot will be a crown of glory, a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, 6a spirit of judgment for him who sits on the judgment seat, and strength for those turning back the battle at the gate.

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 28:1Oy , the proud crown of Ephraim’s drunks! Its glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is at the head of the fertile valleys of those overcome with wine!
• Psalms 73:19How suddenly they became a ruin— terminated, consumed by terrors.
• Hosea 6:4“O Ephraim, what shall I do for you? O Judah, what will I do for you? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud or like dew rising early, vanishing.
• Hosea 9:10“Like grapes in the wilderness I found Israel. Like early fruit on a fig tree in its first season I saw your fathers. They came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame. So they became as detestable as the thing they loved.
• Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but he became guilty through Baal, and died.
• James 1:10and the rich person in his humble position, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
• Micah 7:1Woe is me! For I am like gatherings of produce in summer, like gleanings of a vineyard. There is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that I crave.
• Nahum 3:12All your fortifications will be fig trees with firstfruits— when shaken, they will fall, into an eater’s mouth.
• Revelation 6:13The stars of heaven fell to the earth like a fig tree drops unripe figs when shaken by a great 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