Isaiah 28
1Woe to the proud garland crown that is worn by each of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, 1 the garland that is set on the head of the lush Valley of those who are overcome with wine! 1
2Behold, the Lord sends one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail and a destructive windstorm, 1 like a driving rain and overflowing waters; 1 and he will throw each garland crown down to the ground. 1
3The proud garland of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot. 1
4The fading flower of his glorious beauty, that is on the head of the rich valley, 1 will be as the first ripe fig before the summer, that, when someone sees it, 1 while it is yet in his hand, he gulps it down. 1
5In that day Yahweh of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a diadem of beauty for the remainder of his people, 1
6a spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, and strength for those who turn back their enemies at their gates. 1
7But even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. 1 The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, and they are swallowed up by wine. 1 They stagger with strong drink, staggering in vision and reeling in decision. 1
8Truly, all tables are covered with vomit, so that there is no clean place. 1
9To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? 1 To those who are weaned from milk or to those just taken from the breasts? 1
10For it is command upon command, command upon command; rule upon rule, rule upon rule; 1 here a little, there a little. 1
11Indeed, with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to this people. 1
12In the past he said to them “This is the rest, give rest to him who is weary; 1 and this is the refreshing,” but they would not listen. 1
13So the word of Yahweh will be to them 1 command upon command, command upon command; rule upon rule, rule upon rule; 1 here a little, there a little; 1 so that they may go and fall backward, and be broken, ensnared, and captured. 1
14So listen to the word of Yahweh, you who mock, 1 you who rule over this people who are in Jerusalem. 1
15This will happen because you said, “We have made a covenant with death, 1 and with Sheol we have reached an agreement. So when the overwhelming whip passes through, it will not reach us. 1 For we have made a lie our refuge, and taken shelter in falsehood.” 1
16Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, 1 “See, I will lay in Zion a foundation stone, a tried stone, 1 a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He who believes will not be ashamed. 1
17I will make justice the measuring stick, and righteousness the plumbline. 1 Hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place. 1
18Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. 1 When the raging flood passes through, you will be overwhelmed by it. 1
19Whenever it passes through, it will overwhelm you, 1 and morning by morning it will pass through and by day and night it will come. 1 When the message is understood, it will cause terror. 1
20For the bed is too short for a man to stretch out on, and the blanket too narrow for him to wrap himself in.” 1
21Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim; he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon 1 to do his work, his strange work, and perform his strange deed. 1
22Now therefore do not mock, or your bonds will be tightened. 1 I have heard from the Lord Yahweh of hosts, a decree of destruction on the earth. 1
23Pay attention and listen to my voice; be attentive and listen to my words. 1
24Does a farmer who plows all day to sow, only plow the ground? Does he continually break up and harrow the field? 1
25When he has prepared the ground, does he not scatter caraway seed, sow the cumin, 1 put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the right place, and the spelt at its edges? + 28:25 The identification of some of these spices is in doubt, so versions have a variety of translations. In addition, some versions give different interpretations to the expressions translated here as in rows and in the right place , because these expressions are uncertain in Hebrew. 1
26His God instructs him; he teaches him wisely. 1
27Moreover, the caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge, 1 nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cumin; 1 but caraway is beaten with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 1
28Grain is ground for bread but not too finely, 1 and though the wheels of his cart and his horses scatter it, his horses do not crush it. 1
29This too comes from Yahweh of hosts, 1 who is wonderful in instruction and excellent in wisdom.