Isaiah 28 :: New International Version (NIV)

Woe to the Leaders of Ephraim and Judah

Isa 28:1Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!

Isa 28:2

Isa 28:2See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

Isa 28:3

Isa 28:3That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.

Isa 28:4

Isa 28:4That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.

Isa 28:5

Isa 28:5In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.

Isa 28:6

Isa 28:6He will be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

Isa 28:7

Isa 28:7And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.

Isa 28:8

Isa 28:8All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

Isa 28:9

Isa 28:9“Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?

Isa 28:10

Isa 28:10For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that[fn]; a little here, a little there.”

Isa 28:11

Isa 28:11Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,

Isa 28:12

Isa 28:12to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”— but they would not listen.

Isa 28:13

Isa 28:13So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there— so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.

Isa 28:14

Isa 28:14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.

Isa 28:15

Isa 28:15You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood[fn] our hiding place.”

Isa 28:16

Isa 28:16So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.

Isa 28:17

Isa 28:17I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.

Isa 28:18

Isa 28:18Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.

Isa 28:19

Isa 28:19As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.

Isa 28:20

Isa 28:20The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.

Isa 28:21

Isa 28:21The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.

Isa 28:22

Isa 28:22Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.

Isa 28:23

Isa 28:23Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.

Isa 28:24

Isa 28:24When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?

Isa 28:25

Isa 28:25When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place,[fn] barley in its plot,[fn] and spelt in its field?

Isa 28:26

Isa 28:26His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.

Isa 28:27

Isa 28:27Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick.

Isa 28:28

Isa 28:28Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.

Isa 28:29

Isa 28:29All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.

See the NIV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NIV Footnotes

(28:10)

Hebrew / sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav (probably meaningless sounds mimicking the prophet’s words); also in verse 13

(28:15)

Or false gods

(28:25)

The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

(28:25)

The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

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