Isaiah 28:4-14

4 and the flower of [the] glory of the full out joying of him, that is on the top of the valley of fat things, shall be falling down, as a timely thing before the ripeness of harvest; which when a man seeing beholdeth, anon as he taketh with hand, he shall devour it. (and the glory, or the beauty, of the flowers, that were on the fat, or on the proud, heads of the revellers, shall decline, or shall diminish, like a timely thing before the ripeness of the harvest, which when a person seeing beholdeth, as soon as he taketh hold of it with his hand, he shall devour it.)

5 In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory, and a garland of full out joying, to the residue of his people; (On that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory, and a beautiful garland, for the remnant of his people;)

6 and a spirit of doom to him that sitteth on the throne, and strength to them that turn again from [the] battle to the gate. (and a spirit of justice, or of judgement, for him who sitteth upon the throne, and strength to them who return from the battle at the gate.)

7 But also they knew not for wine, and erred for drunkenness; the priest and (the) prophet knew not for drunkenness; they were sopped up of wine, they erred in drunkenness; they knew not a prophet, they knew not doom. (But they also knew not because of the wine, and wandered about in drunkenness; yea, the priest and the prophet knew not because of drunkenness; they were swallowed up by wine, and so they wandered about in drunkenness, and they knew not prophecy, and they did not have good judgement.)

8 For why all (the) boards were filled with spewing and filths, so that there was no more place. (For all the tables were covered with vomit and filth, so that there was no clean place left.)

9 Whom shall he teach knowing, and whom shall he make to understand [the] hearing? Men weaned from milk, men drawn away from teats. (And so to whom shall he teach knowledge, and who shall he make understand the teaching? Those just weaned from milk, yea, those just drawn away from the breast!/?)

10 For why command thou, command thou again; command thou, command thou again; abide thou, abide thou again; abide thou, abide thou again; a little there, a little there (a little here, a little there).

11 For why in [the] speech of lip, and in other language, he shall speak to this people,

12 to which he said, This is my rest; refresh ye a weary man, and this is my refreshing; and they would not hear. (to whom he said, This is my rest; refresh ye all the weary, and this is my refreshing; but they would not listen to him.)

13 And the word of the Lord shall be to them, Send thou, send thou again; send thou, send thou again; abide thou, abide thou again; abide thou, abide thou again; a little there, a little there (a little here, a little there); (so) that they go, and fall backward, and be all-broken, and be snared, and be taken.

14 For this thing, ye men scorners, that be lords over my people which is in Jerusalem, hear the word of the Lord. (And so because of this, ye mockers, who be lords over my people who be in Jerusalem, hear the word of the Lord.)

Isaiah 28:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 28

In this chapter the ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, are threatened with divine judgments, because of their sins and iniquities mentioned. The ten tribes, under the name of Ephraim, for their pride and drunkenness, Isa 28:1 the means of their destruction, the Assyrian monarch, compared to a hail storm, and a flood of mighty waters, Isa 28:2 which destruction, for their sins, is repeated, and represented as sudden and swift; when they would be like a fading flower and hasty fruit, Isa 28:3,4 and then, as for the two tribes, though they had a glorious prince at the head of them, who had a spirit of wisdom and judgment for government, and of valour and courage for war, Isa 28:5,6 yet the generality of the people, led on by the example of priest and prophet, went into the same sensual gratifications as they of the ten tribes did, Isa 28:7,8 and became sottish and unteachable, and were like children just taken from the breast, and to be used as such, Isa 28:9-11 and though the doctrine proposed to be taught them was such as, if received, would be of the greatest advantage to them, for their comfort and refreshment, yet it was refused by them with the utmost contempt; which was to be their ruin, Isa 28:12,13, wherefore the rulers of Jerusalem are threatened with the judgments of God, which should come upon them night and day, the report of which would be a vexation to them; and from which they should not be screened by their covenant with death and hell, or by their shelters and coverings with lies and falsehood, in which they placed their confidence, Isa 28:14,15 Isa 28:17-22 in the midst of which account, for the comfort of the Lord's people, stands a glorious prophecy, concerning the sure foundation laid in Zion, on which all that are built are safe and happy, Isa 28:16 and the certainty of these judgments is illustrated by the method which the ploughman takes in sowing his corn, and threshing it out; for which he has instruction and direction from the Lord of hosts, Isa 28:23-29.