Isaiah 28:1-13 ▼

1 The splendid crown of Ephraim's drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine.

2 Look, the sovereign master sends a strong, powerful one. With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, he will knock that crown to the ground with his hand.

3 The splendid crown of Ephraim's drunkards will be trampled underfoot.

4 The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest--as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.

5 At that time the LORD who commands armies will become a beautiful crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.

6 He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers.

7 Even these men stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer--priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions.

8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit; no place is untouched.

9 Who is the LORD trying to teach? To whom is he explaining a message? Those just weaned from milk! Those just taken from their mother's breast!

10 Indeed, they will hear meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there.

11 For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.

12 In the past he said to them, |This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.| But they refused to listen.

13 So the LORD's word to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.