Woe to Samaria

28 Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards,(A)
and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor,
which is on the summit above the rich valley.
Woe to those overcome with wine.
Look, the Lord has a strong and mighty one(B)
like a devastating hail storm,
like a storm with strong flooding water.
He will bring it across the land with his hand.
The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards
will be trampled underfoot.
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor,
which is on the summit above the rich valley,
will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest.(C)
Whoever sees it will swallow it
while it is still in his hand.
On that day
the Lord of Armies will become a crown of beauty
and a diadem of splendor(D)
to the remnant of his people,
a spirit of justice
to the one who sits in judgment,(E)
and strength
to those who repel attacks at the city gate.

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The Captivity of Ephraim

28 How terrible it will be for that arrogant garland—
the drunks of Ephraim!
How terrible it will be for that fading flower of his glorious beauty,
    which sits on the heads of people bloated with food,[a]
        of people overcome with wine!
Look! The Lord[b] has one who is mighty and strong,
    like a hailstorm and destructive tempest,
like a storm of mighty, overflowing water—
    and[c] he will give rest to the land.
With hands[d] and feet, that proud garland[e]
    those drunks of Ephraim—will be trampled.
And that fading flower, his glorious beauty,
    which sits on the heads of people bloated with food,
will be like an early fig before summer—
    whenever someone sees it, he swallows it
        as soon as it’s in his hand.

At that time,[f] the Lord of the Heavenly Armies will become a glorious crown,
    a beautiful diadem for the remnant of his people,
and a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment,
    a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 28:1 Lit. the valley of those grown fat
  2. Isaiah 28:2 So 1QIsaa; MT reads Lord
  3. Isaiah 28:2 So 1QIsaa; the Heb. lacks and
  4. Isaiah 28:3 So 1QIsaa; cf. LXX; or He will throw them forcefully down to the ground; cf. MT
  5. Isaiah 28:3 So 1QIsaa LXX; or Underfoot that proud garland; cf. MT
  6. Isaiah 28:5 Lit. On that day