Isaiah 28:4

4 And the dead flower of his glory, which is on the head of the fertile valley, will be like the first early fruit before the summer; which a man takes and puts in his mouth the minute he sees it.

Isaiah 28:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 28:4

And the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat
valley
Meaning the riches and fruitfulness of the ten tribes, and especially of Samaria the head of them: shall be a fading flower;
as before declared, ( Isaiah 28:1 ) and here repeated to show the certainty of it, and to awaken their attention to it: [and] as the hasty fruit before the summer;
the first ripe fruit, that which is ripe before the summer fruits in common are. The Septuagint render it the first ripe fig; and so the Targum and Aben Ezra: which [when] he that looketh upon it seeth it;
that it is goodly and desirable, and so gathers it, ( Micah 7:1 ) : while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up;
and as soon as he has got it into his hand, he cannot keep it there to look at, or forbear eating it, but greedily devours it, and swallows it down at once; denoting what a desirable prey the ten tribes would be to the Assyrian monarch, and how swift, sudden, and inevitable, would be their destruction.

Isaiah 28:4 In-Context

2 See, the Lord has a strong and cruel one; like a rain of ice, a storm of destruction, like the overflowing of a strong river, he will violently overcome them.

3 The crown of pride of those who are given up to wine in Ephraim will be crushed under foot;

4 And the dead flower of his glory, which is on the head of the fertile valley, will be like the first early fruit before the summer; which a man takes and puts in his mouth the minute he sees it.

5 In that day will the Lord of armies be a crown of glory, and a fair ornament, to the rest of his people;

6 And a spirit of wisdom to the judge, and strength to those who keep back the attackers at the door of the town.