Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 28

1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

*Oh no, to the proud crown, to those who drink too much in Ephraim. Their beautiful glory fades like a wilting flower. They wear this crown while sitting in their rich valleys, getting overwhelmed by drinking too much wine.

2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.

*Look, the Lord has a powerful person who, like a huge hailstorm and a destructive storm, like a flood of strong water overflowing, will bring down people with their hand.

3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

*The prideful crown and those who drink too much in Ephraim will be stepped on by others.

4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

*The beautiful glory on the head of the rich valley will fade like a quickly ripening fruit in summer. When someone sees it, they enjoy it right away and it's gone.

5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

*On that day, the Lord of armies will be a glorious crown and a beautiful headpiece for the remaining people.

6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

*To the judge, give a wise mind, and to those defending, give strong power.

7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

*But they made mistakes because of alcohol and excessive drinking. The priest and the prophet also made mistakes due to alcohol, getting lost in it and making poor choices. They couldn't see clearly, and their judgement was off because of this drinking.

8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

*All the tables are filled with sickness and dirt; nowhere is anything clean.

9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

*Who will he teach wisdom? And who will he help understand lessons? Those who no longer need milk and have stopped nursing.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

*For teaching needs to build on teaching, with more teaching added; line by line, line by line; a bit at a time, and a bit more at a time:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

*For, having stuttering speech and a different language, he will talk to these people.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

*He said, "This is a place for rest so that you can help tired people feel better." But they didn't listen.

13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

*But God's message to them was like learning step by step, more and more details; bit by bit, piece by piece; a little at a time, then a little more; so they would go astray, stumble, break, get trapped, caught.

14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

*So listen to God's message, you mockers who lead the people in Jerusalem.

15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

*Because you said that you've made an agreement with death and hell, thinking you won't be affected by destruction. You rely on deceit and hide in falsehood.

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

*So, God says, "I'm placing a strong, valuable stone as the cornerstone in Zion. This stone is certain and won't let you down. If you believe in it, there's no need to rush."

17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

*I will judge with fairness and measure righteousness. The hail will destroy places of deceit, and floods will cover secret spots.

18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

*Your promise with death will be canceled, and your deal with hell won't work; when the massive punishment comes, you will be crushed by it.

19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

*Starting from when it begins, it will take you. Each morning, it will move on - during the day and at night. Understanding its message will only cause trouble.

20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

*The bed is too short for a person to fully stretch out on, and the blanket isn't wide enough to cover them completely.

21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

*The LORD will rise like in Mount Perazim and be angry like in the Valley of Gibeon. He will do his unusual work and complete his unexpected task.

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

*Don't mock or laugh, or else your bonds will become stronger. I have heard from the Lord, the God of all powerful armies, that he has planned a destruction affecting the entire world.

23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

*Listen carefully to my voice; pay attention and hear what I'm saying.

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

*Does the farmer plow all day to plant seeds? Does he loosen and break apart the chunks of his soil?

25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

*When he clarifies it, does he not spread the seeds, scatter the cumin, add the main wheat, and put the designated barley and rice where they belong?

26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

*God teaches him to be careful and gives him guidance.

27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

*Fitches aren't threshed with a threshing tool or wheels on a cart. Instead, they're beaten with a stick, and cumin is beaten with a rod.

28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

*The grain has been crushed; since he won't ever grind it, or roll it in a wagon, or crush it with his horse riders.

29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

*This comes from the Lord, who is amazing at giving advice and great at doing things.

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