Isaiah 28:2

2 The Lord has one who is strong and powerful. He is like a hailstorm, a destructive wind. He is like a thunderstorm, an overwhelming flood. He will throw them to the ground forcefully.

Isaiah 28:2 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 28:2

Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one
That is, a powerful king, with a mighty army, meaning Shalmaneser king of Assyria; whom the Lord had at his beck and command, and could use at his pleasure, as his instrument, to bring down the towering pride of Ephraim, and chastise him for his sensuality: [which] as a tempest of hail;
that beats down herbs and plants, and branches of trees, and men and beasts: [and] a destroying storm;
which carries all before it, blows down houses and trees, and makes terrible devastation wherever it comes: as a flood of mighty waters overflowing;
whose torrent is so strong there is no stopping it: so this mighty and powerful prince shall cast down to the earth with the hand;
the crown of pride, the people of Israel, and the king of it; he shall take the crown from his head, and cast it to the ground with a strong hand, as the Jews interpret it, with great violence; or very easily, with one hand, as it were, without any trouble at all. The Targum is,

``so shall people come against them, and remove them out of their own land into another land, because of the sins which were in their hands;''

see ( Isaiah 8:7 ) .

Isaiah 28:2 In-Context

1 How horrible it will be for the arrogant drunks of Ephraim. Their glorious beauty is [like] a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley where they lie drunk from wine.

2 The Lord has one who is strong and powerful. He is like a hailstorm, a destructive wind. He is like a thunderstorm, an overwhelming flood. He will throw them to the ground forcefully.

3 The arrogant drunks of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.

4 Their glorious beauty is [like] a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley. They will be like figs that ripened early. As soon as someone sees them, they will be taken and eaten.

5 When that day comes, the LORD of Armies will be like a glorious crown for his few remaining people.