Isa.28.1
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!
Isa.28.1
Doom to the pretentious drunks of Ephraim, shabby and washed out and seedy--Tipsy, sloppy-fat, beer-bellied parodies of a proud and handsome past.
Isa.28.1
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!
Isa.28.1
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!
Isa.28.1
Destruction is certain for the city of Samaria--the pride and joy of the drunkards of Israel! It sits in a rich valley, but its glorious beauty will suddenly disappear. Destruction is certain for that city--the pride of a people brought low by wine.
Isa.28.2
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
Isa.28.2
Watch closely: GOD has someone picked out, someone tough and strong to flatten them. Like a hailstorm, like a hurricane, like a flash flood, one--handed he'll throw them to the ground.
Isa.28.2
See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
Isa.28.2
Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.
Isa.28.2
For the Lord will send the mighty Assyrian army against it. Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain, they will burst upon it and dash it to the ground.
Isa.28.3
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
Isa.28.3
Samaria, the party hat on Israel's head, will be knocked off with one blow.
Isa.28.3
That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.
Isa.28.3
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, Will be trampled underfoot;
Isa.28.3
The proud city of Samaria--the pride and joy of the drunkards of Israel--will be trampled beneath its enemies' feet.
Isa.28.4
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.
Isa.28.4
It will disappear quicker than a piece of meat tossed to a dog.
Isa.28.4
That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like a fig ripe before harvest- as soon as someone sees it and takes it in his hand, he swallows it.
Isa.28.4
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.
Isa.28.4
It sits in a fertile valley, but its glorious beauty will suddenly disappear. It will be greedily snatched up, as an early fig is hungrily picked and eaten.
Isa.28.5
In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
Isa.28.5
At that time, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies will be the beautiful crown on the head of what's left of his people:
Isa.28.5
In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.
Isa.28.5
In that day the LORD of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people,
Isa.28.5
Then at last the LORD Almighty will himself be Israel's crowning glory. He will be the pride and joy of the remnant of his people.
Isa.28.6
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
Isa.28.6
Energy and insights of justice to those who guide and decide, strength and prowess to those who guard and protect.
Isa.28.6
He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Isa.28.6
For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Isa.28.6
He will give a longing for justice to their judges. He will give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates.
Isa.28.7
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Isa.28.7
These also, the priest and prophet, stagger from drink, weaving, falling-down drunks, Besotted with wine and whiskey, can't see straight, can't talk sense.
Isa.28.7
And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.
Isa.28.7
But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Isa.28.7
Now, however, Israel is being led by drunks! The priests and prophets reel and stagger from beer and wine. They make stupid mistakes as they carry out their responsibilities.
Isa.28.8
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Isa.28.8
Every table is covered with vomit. They live in vomit.
Isa.28.8
All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.
Isa.28.8
For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.
Isa.28.8
Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.
Isa.28.9
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa.28.9
"Is that so? And who do you think you are to teach us? Who are you to lord it over us? We're not babies in diapers to be talked down to by such as you--
Isa.28.9
"Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
Isa.28.9
"Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?
Isa.28.9
They say, "Who does the LORD think we are? Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, barely old enough to talk?
Isa.28.10
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa.28.10
"Da, da, da, da, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a good little girl, that's a good little boy.'"
Isa.28.10
For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there."
Isa.28.10
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little."
Isa.28.10
He tells us everything over and over again, a line at a time, in very simple words! "
Isa.28.11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa.28.11
But that's exactly how you will be addressed. God will speak to this people In baby talk, one syllable at a time--
Isa.28.11
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
Isa.28.11
For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
Isa.28.11
Since they refuse to listen, God will speak to them through foreign oppressors who speak an unknown language!
Isa.28.12
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa.28.12
and he'll do it through foreign oppressors. He said before, "This is the time and place to rest, to give rest to the weary. This is the place to lay down your burden." But they won't listen.
Isa.28.12
to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"- but they would not listen.
Isa.28.12
To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest," And, "This is the refreshing"; Yet they would not hear.
Isa.28.12
God's people could have rest in their own land if they would only obey him, but they will not listen.
Isa.28.13
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isa.28.13
So GOD will start over with the simple basics and address them in baby talk, one syllable at a time--"Da, da, da, da, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a good little girl, that's a good little boy." And like toddlers, they will get up and fall down, get bruised and confused and lost.
Isa.28.13
So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.
Isa.28.13
But the word of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little," That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught.
Isa.28.13
So the LORD will spell out his message for them again, repeating it over and over, a line at a time, in very simple words. Yet they will stumble over this simple, straightforward message. They will be injured, trapped, and captured.
Isa.28.14
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Isa.28.14
Now listen to GOD's Message, you scoffers, you who rule this people in Jerusalem.
Isa.28.14
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
Isa.28.14
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
Isa.28.14
Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.
Isa.28.15
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Isa.28.15
You say, "We've taken out good life insurance. We've hedged all our bets, covered all our bases. No disaster can touch us. We've thought of everything. We're advised by the experts. We're set."
Isa.28.15
You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place."
Isa.28.15
Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves."
Isa.28.15
You boast that you have struck a bargain to avoid death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. You say, "The Assyrians can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception."
Isa.28.16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Isa.28.16
But the Master, GOD, has something to say to this: "Watch closely. I'm laying a foundation in Zion, a solid granite foundation, squared and true. And this is the meaning of the stone: A TRUSTING LIFE WON'T TOPPLE.
Isa.28.16
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
Isa.28.16
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.
Isa.28.16
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem. It is firm, a tested and precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never run away again.
Isa.28.17
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
Isa.28.17
I'll make justice the measuring stick and righteousness the plumb line for the building. A hailstorm will knock down the shantytown of lies, and a flash flood will wash out the rubble.
Isa.28.17
I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
Isa.28.17
Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place.
Isa.28.17
"I will take the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness to check the foundation wall you have built. Your refuge looks strong, but since it is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, the enemy will come like a flood to sweep it away.
Isa.28.18
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
Isa.28.18
"Then you'll see that your precious life insurance policy wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Your careful precautions against death were a pack of illusions and lies. When the disaster happens, you'll be crushed by it.
Isa.28.18
Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.
Isa.28.18
Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it.
Isa.28.18
I will cancel the bargain you made to avoid death, and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave. When the terrible enemy floods in, you will be trampled into the ground.
Isa.28.19
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
Isa.28.19
Every time disaster comes, you'll be in on it--disaster in the morning, disaster at night." Every report of disaster will send you cowering in terror.
Isa.28.19
As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
Isa.28.19
As often as it goes out it will take you; For morning by morning it will pass over, And by day and by night; It will be a terror just to understand the report."
Isa.28.19
Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away." This message will bring terror to your people.
Isa.28.20
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
Isa.28.20
There will be no place where you can rest, nothing to hide under.
Isa.28.20
The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
Isa.28.20
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, And the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.
Isa.28.20
For you have no place of refuge--the bed you have made is too short to lie on. The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
Isa.28.21
For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Isa.28.21
GOD will rise to full stature, raging as he did long ago on Mount Perazim And in the valley of Gibeon against the Philistines. But this time it's against you. Hard to believe, but true. Not what you'd expect, but it's coming.
Isa.28.21
The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon- to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.
Isa.28.21
For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon-- That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act.
Isa.28.21
The LORD will come suddenly and in anger, as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim and against the Amorites at Gibeon. He will come to do a strange, unusual thing: He will destroy his own people!
Isa.28.22
Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
Isa.28.22
Sober up, friends, and don't scoff. Scoffing will just make it worse. I've heard the orders issued for destruction, orders from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies--ending up in an international disaster. [JC]
Isa.28.22
Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.
Isa.28.22
Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.
Isa.28.22
So scoff no more, or your punishment will be even greater. For the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has plainly told me that he is determined to crush you.
Isa.28.23
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Isa.28.23
Listen to me now. Give me your closest attention.
Isa.28.23
Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.
Isa.28.23
Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech.
Isa.28.23
Listen to me; listen as I plead!
Isa.28.24
Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
Isa.28.24
Do farmers plow and plow and do nothing but plow? Or harrow and harrow and do nothing but harrow?
Isa.28.24
When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil?
Isa.28.24
Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?
Isa.28.24
Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting it?
Isa.28.25
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
Isa.28.25
After they've prepared the ground, don't they plant? Don't they scatter dill and spread cumin, Plant wheat and barley in the fields and raspberries along the borders?
Isa.28.25
When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cummin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field?
Isa.28.25
When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place?
Isa.28.25
Does he not finally plant his seeds for dill, cumin, wheat, barley, and spelt, each in its own section of his land?
Isa.28.26
For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
Isa.28.26
They know exactly what to do and when to do it. Their God is their teacher.
Isa.28.26
His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.
Isa.28.26
For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.
Isa.28.26
The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.
Isa.28.27
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Isa.28.27
And at the harvest, the delicate herbs and spices, the dill and cumin, are treated delicately.
Isa.28.27
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cummin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a stick.
Isa.28.27
For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod.
Isa.28.27
He doesn't thresh all his crops the same way. A heavy sledge is never used on dill; rather, it is beaten with a light stick. A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten softly with a flail.
Isa.28.28
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
Isa.28.28
On the other hand, wheat is threshed and milled, but still not endlessly. The farmer knows how to treat each kind of grain.
Isa.28.28
Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it, his horses do not grind it.
Isa.28.28
Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen.
Isa.28.28
Bread grain is easily crushed, so he doesn't keep on pounding it. He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he doesn't pulverize it.
Isa.28.29
This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
Isa.28.29
He's learned it all from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, who knows everything about when and how and where.
Isa.28.29
All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.
Isa.28.29
This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.
Isa.28.29
The LORD Almighty is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.
