Woe to Samaria
1
Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards,(A)
and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor,
which is on the summit above the rich valley.
Woe to those overcome with wine.
2 and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor,
which is on the summit above the rich valley.
Woe to those overcome with wine.
Look, the Lord has a strong and mighty one(B)—
like a devastating hail storm,
like a storm with strong flooding waters.
He will bring it across the land with His hand.
3 like a devastating hail storm,
like a storm with strong flooding waters.
He will bring it across the land with His hand.
The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards
will be trampled underfoot.
4 will be trampled underfoot.
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor,
which is on the summit above the rich valley,
will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest.(C)
Whoever sees it will swallow it
while it is still in his hand.
5 which is on the summit above the rich valley,
will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest.(C)
Whoever sees it will swallow it
while it is still in his hand.
On that day
the Lord of Hosts will become a crown of beauty
and a diadem of splendor(D)
to the remnant of His people,
6 the Lord of Hosts will become a crown of beauty
and a diadem of splendor(D)
to the remnant of His people,
a spirit of justice
to the one who sits in judgment,(E)
and strength
to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
to the one who sits in judgment,(E)
and strength
to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7
These also stagger because of wine
and stumble under the influence of beer:
priest and prophet stagger because of beer,
they are confused by wine.(F)
They stumble because of beer,
they are muddled in their visions,
they stumble in their judgments.
8 and stumble under the influence of beer:
priest and prophet stagger because of beer,
they are confused by wine.(F)
They stumble because of beer,
they are muddled in their visions,
they stumble in their judgments.
Indeed, all their tables are covered with vomit;
there is no place without a stench.
9
10
11
12 there is no place without a stench.
He had said to them:
“This is the place of rest,
let the weary rest;(H)
this is the place of repose.”
But they would not listen.
“This is the place of rest,
let the weary rest;(H)
this is the place of repose.”
But they would not listen.
A Deal with Death
14
15
For you said, “We have cut a deal with Death,
and we have made an agreement with Sheol;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,(L)
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”
16
17 and we have made an agreement with Sheol;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,(L)
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”
And I will make justice the measuring line
and righteousness the mason’s level.”(P)
Hail will sweep away the false refuge,
and water will flood your hiding place.
18 and righteousness the mason’s level.”(P)
Hail will sweep away the false refuge,
and water will flood your hiding place.
Your deal with Death will be dissolved,
and your agreement with Sheol will not last.
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be trampled.
19
20 and your agreement with Sheol will not last.
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be trampled.
Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on,
and its cover too small to wrap up in.
21
22 and its cover too small to wrap up in.
So now, do not mock,
or your shackles will become stronger.
Indeed, I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts
a decree of destruction for the whole land.(T)
or your shackles will become stronger.
Indeed, I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts
a decree of destruction for the whole land.(T)
God’s Wonderful Advice
23
Listen and hear my voice.
Pay attention and hear what I say.
24 Pay attention and hear what I say.
Does the plowman plow every day to plant seed?
Does he continuously break up and cultivate the soil?
25 Does he continuously break up and cultivate the soil?
When he has leveled its surface,
does he not then scatter black cumin and sow cumin?
He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots,
with spelt as their border.
26 does he not then scatter black cumin and sow cumin?
He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots,
with spelt as their border.
His God teaches him order;
He instructs him.
27 He instructs him.
Certainly black cumin is not threshed
with a threshing board,
and a cart wheel is not rolled over the cumin.
But black cumin is beaten out with a stick,
and cumin with a rod.
28 with a threshing board,
and a cart wheel is not rolled over the cumin.
But black cumin is beaten out with a stick,
and cumin with a rod.
Bread grain is crushed,
but is not threshed endlessly.
Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles,
his horses do not crush it.
29
but is not threshed endlessly.
Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles,
his horses do not crush it.
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 28:9: Or He
b.
Isaiah 28:9: Or He
c.
Isaiah 28:9: Lit Those
d.
Isaiah 28:9: Lit Those
e.
Isaiah 28:10: Hb obscure
f.
Isaiah 28:10: Perhaps the mockers of v. 9 are mimicking the prophet’s words as baby talk.
g.
Isaiah 28:13: Hb obscure
h.
Isaiah 28:13: The Lord quotes the mockers' words in v. 10 to represent the unintelligible language of the Assyrian invaders.
i.
Isaiah 28:16: Lit will not hurry
j.
Isaiah 28:19: Or The understanding of the message will cause sheer terror