Isaiah 28

1 Tragedy is coming to the city of Samaria, the crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks, to the fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, and beloved by those hammered by wine.

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 fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!

2 Watch out, for the Lord has someone who is strong and powerful! He is going to smash it to the ground like a hailstorm and a tornado, like a torrential rain and an overwhelming flood.

Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. 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 That crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks will be trampled underfoot.

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

4 That fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before the summer harvest—as soon as people discover them, they grab and eat them.

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 At that time the Lord Almighty will be a beautiful, glorious crown that brings pride to those of his people who are left.

In that day, the LORD of Hosts will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people,

6 He will be an inspiration to the judges to do what's right, and he will encourage those who fight off the attacks on the gate.

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

7 But these people also drink so much wine and beer that they sway from side to side and stumble over. Even priests and prophets stagger along, their minds muddled by beer and wine. Because of the drink they are confused about visions and make mistakes when they give decisions.

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 All their tables are full of vomit—filth is everywhere.

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

9 “Just who is he trying to teach knowledge to?” they ask. “Who is he explaining his message to? To children just weaned from milk, to babies just removed from the breast?

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 He tells us this blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah! It's a bit here and a bit there.”

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

11 Fine—so now the Lord will talk to this people in foreign languages that sound strange to them!

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

12 He had told them, “You can rest here. Let those who are tired rest. This is the place where you can safely relax.” But they refused to listen.

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

13 Therefore the Lord's message to them will become, “This blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah, a bit here and a bit there,” so that they'll fall over backwards, and they'll be wounded, trapped, and captured.

Therefore the LORD’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 So pay attention to the Lord's message, you scornful rulers who lead these people in Jerusalem.

Therefore hear the LORD’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:

15 You claim, “We've made an agreement with death; we've got a contract with the grave. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it won't affect us, because our lies protect us and we hide in our own deceptions.” (Sheol h7585)

“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol. 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 Consequently, listen to what the Lord God says, Look! I'm laying a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a strong, well-tested stone. It's a valuable cornerstone that provides a firm foundation. Anyone who trusts in it won't be shaken loose.

Therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.

17 I will make justice as straight as a measuring line, and doing what's right the standard rule. Hail will destroy the protection of your lies, and water will flood the place where you're hiding.

I will make 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 Your agreement with death will be canceled; your contract with the grave will be revoked. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it will trample you underfoot. (Sheol h7585)

Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)

19 It will rush by time after time, dragging you away morning upon morning, day and night, rushing on and on. Once you understand this message you will be absolutely terrified.

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 The bed is too short so you can't stretch out; the blanket is too narrow so you can't cover yourself.

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

21 The Lord will come on the attack like he did to the Philistines at Mount Perazim, like he shook them in the Valley of Gibeon, coming to do what he has to do, his strange work; coming to act as he must, his unusual action.

For the LORD 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 So don't mock, or your imprisonment will be even worse, for the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has explained to me his decision to destroy the whole country.

Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, GOD of Hosts, on the whole earth.

23 Listen to what I'm saying! Listen and pay attention! Hear what I have to say!

Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!

24 Does the farmer spend all his time ploughing? Does he spend all his time preparing the soil?

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

25 Once he has everything ready doesn't he sow seeds like dill and cumin, doesn't he plant wheat and barley in rows, with spelt grain as a border?

When he has leveled its surface, doesn’t 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 His God gives him instructions and teaches him the right thing to do.

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

27 You don't use a heavy tool to thresh dill! You don't use the wheel of a cart to thresh cumin! Instead you use a stick to beat out the dill, and a rod to beat out the cumin.

For the dill isn’t 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 Grain used for bread is easily damaged so you don't thresh it forever. When you drive your cart wheels over it with your horses, you don't crush 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 is also from the Lord Almighty who is very wise and gives great advice.

This also comes out from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.