Isaiah 28

1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of those who are overcome with wine!

Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim [Fruit], and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!

2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one. As a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast down to the earth with the hand.

Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.

3 The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot.

The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim [Fruit] will be trodden under foot.

4 And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, which, when he who looks upon it sees, while it is yet in his hand, he eats it up.

The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer; which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.

5 In that day Jehovah of hosts will become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people,

In that day, Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies] will become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people;

6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

and a spirit of mishpat ·justice· to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

7 And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up of wine. They stagger with strong drink; they err in vision; they stumble in judgment.

They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.

8 For all tables are full of vomit, filthiness, no place clean.

For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.

9 Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?

Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?

10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.

For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.

11 No, but by men of strange lips and with another tongue he will speak to this people,

But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language;

12 to whom he said, This is the rest. Give ye rest to him who is weary. And this is the refreshing. Yet they would not hear.

to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to weary;” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not sh'ma ·hear obey·.

13 Therefore the word of Jehovah shall be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Therefore Adonai’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.

14 Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers, who rule this people that is in Jerusalem.

Therefore sh'ma ·hear obey· Adonai’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem [City of peace]:

15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and we are at agreement with Sheol. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hid ourselves under falsehood. (Sheol h7585)

“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· with death, and with Sheol ·Place of the dead· are we in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.’” (Sheol h7585)

16 Therefore thus says the lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation. He who believes in him shall, no, not be shamed.

Therefore thus says the Lord Adonai, “Behold, I lay in Zion [Mountain ridge, Marking] for a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.

17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.

I will make mishpat ·justice· the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.

18 And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. (Sheol h7585)

Your covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol ·Place of the dead· shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)

19 As often as it passes though, it shall take you. For morning by morning it shall pass through, by day and by night. And it shall be nothing but terror to understand the report.

As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.”

20 For the bed is shorter than what a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than what he can wrap himself in it.

For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.

21 For Jehovah will rise up as in mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

For Adonai will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.

22 Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong. For I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, upon the whole earth.

Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have sh'ma ·heard obeyed· a decree of destruction from the Lord, Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies], on the whole earth.

23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice, hearken, and hear my speech.

Give ear, and sh'ma ·hear obey· my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!

24 Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground?

Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?

25 When he has leveled the face of it, does he not cast abroad the chick-peas, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border of it?

When he has leveled its surface, does not he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?

26 For his God instructs him aright, and teaches him.

For his God instructs him in right judgment, and teaches him.

27 For the chick-peas are not threshed with a sharp instrument, nor is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin, but the chick-peas are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

For the dill are not threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.

28 Bread grain is ground, for he will not be always threshing it. And though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he does not grind it.

Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it.

29 This also comes forth from Jehovah of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

This also comes out from Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies], who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.