Isaiah 28
The prophet threateneth Ephraim for thier pride and drunkenness.
Isaiah 28:1 Alas! for the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, And for his fading wreath of majestic beauty,—Which is on the head of the fertile valley, of them who are overcome with wine. Isaiah 28:2 Lo! My Lord hath one who is, strong and bold, Like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, Like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, Hath he thrust it down to the earth with force: Isaiah 28:3 With the feet, shall be trodden down, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim! Isaiah 28:4 So shall his fading wreath of majestic beauty, Which is on the head of the fertile valley, become,—Like the first-ripe fig before fruit-harvest, Which, when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
The residue shall be advanced in the Kingdom of Christ.
Isaiah 28:5 In that day, will Yahweh of hosts become, A crown of beauty, and, A diadem of majesty,—Unto the remnant of his people: Isaiah 28:6 Even a spirit of justice—to him that presideth over justice, And strength to them who would turn back the battle at the gate.
He rebuketh their error.
Isaiah 28:7 But, as for these, With wine, do they reel, and, With strong drink, do they stagger,—Priest and prophet, reel with strong drink, They are swallowed up through wine, They stagger through strong drink, They reel in prophetic vision, They totter in pronouncing judgment. Isaiah 28:8 For, all tables, are full of filthy vomit,—There is no place!
Their untowardness to learn,
Isaiah 28:9 Whom, would he teach knowledge? And, whom, would he cause to understand the message? Them who are, weaned from the milk? taken from the breasts? Isaiah 28:10 For it is—Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line,—A little here, a little there. Isaiah 28:11 For, with a jabbering lip, and with an alien tongue, must he speak unto this people! Isaiah 28:12 To whom he said—This, is the rest—give ye rest to the weary, and, This, is the quietness,—But they were unwilling to hear. Isaiah 28:13 So the word of Yahweh must be, to them—Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, A little here, a little there,—That they may go, and fall backward, and be torn, and snared, and captured.
and their security.
Isaiah 28:14 Wherefore, hear ye the word of Yahweh, Ye men who scoff,—Ye rulers of this people that is in Jerusalem. Isaiah 28:15 Because ye have said—We have solemnised a covenant with death, And, with hades, have we effected a vision,—The overflowing scourge, when it sweepeth by, shall not reach unto us, For we have made lying, our refuge, And, in falsehood, have we hid ourselves.
Christ the sure foundation is promised.
Isaiah 28:16 Therefore, Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, Behold me! founding in Zion, a stone, A stone of testing, The costly corner of a well-laid foundation, He that trusteth, shall not make haste! Isaiah 28:17 But I will make-Justice, the line, and, Righteousness, the plummet,—And the hail shall, sweep away, your refuge of lying, And, your hiding-place, the waters shall overflow;
Their security shall be tried.
Isaiah 28:18 So shall be wiped out your covenant with death, And, your vision with hades, not stand,—When, the overflowing scourge, sweepeth past, then shall ye be thereby beaten down: Isaiah 28:19 As often as it sweepeth past, it shall take you, away, For, morning by morning, shall it pass along, By day and by night,—And it shall be nothing less than a terror, to make out the message; Isaiah 28:20 For too short, is the couch to stretch oneself out,—And, the coverlet, too narrow, when one draweth up his feet. Isaiah 28:21 For, as in Mount Perazim, will Yahweh arise, As in the vale of Gibeon, will he be stirred,—To do his work-foreign, is his work, And to perform his task-strange, is his task. Isaiah 28:22 Now, therefore, do not show yourselves scoffers, Lest your fetters, be bound fast,—For, of a full end, and that a decreed one, have I heard from My Lord Yahweh of hosts, upon all the land.
They are incited to the consideration of God's discreet providence.
Isaiah 28:23 Give ear, and hear ye my voice,—Hearken, and hear ye my speech:— Isaiah 28:24 All day long, doth the plowman plow for sowing? Doth he continue laying open and harrowing his soil? Isaiah 28:25 Doth he not, when he hath levelled the face thereof, Cast abroad the fennel? And, the cummin, doth he not scatter? And plant wheat in rows, And barley in a lot, And spelt in the border thereof? Isaiah 28:26 Yea, One hath trained him to good judgment, His God, directeth him. Isaiah 28:27 For, not with a sledge, must, black coriander, be threshed, Nor must, the wheel of a cart, on cummin, be turned, But, with a staff, must, fennel, be beaten, And, cummin, with a rod: Isaiah 28:28 Bread-corn, must be crushed,—Yet would he not be evermore, threshing, it, So he hasteneth over it the wheel of his cart, with his horsemen, He crusheth it not! Isaiah 28:29 Even this, from Yahweh of hosts, cometh forth,—Who hath bestowed distinction upon counsel, And magnified sound wisdom.
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