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Warnings to Israel

28 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] Samaria [C the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel], the pride of ·Israel’s [L Ephraim’s] drunken people!
    That beautiful ·crown [wreath; garland] of flowers is ·just a dying plant [fading]
set on ·a hill above [L the head of] a rich valley ·where drunkards live [of those overcome with wine].
Look, the Lord has someone who is strong and powerful.
    Like a storm of hail and ·strong [destructive] wind,
like a sudden flood of water pouring over the country,
    he will throw Samaria down to the ground [L with his hand].
That city, the pride of ·Israel’s [L Ephraim’s] drunken people,
    will be trampled underfoot.
That beautiful ·crown [wreath; garland] of flowers is ·just a dying plant [fading]
    set on ·a hill above [L the head of] a rich valley.
That city will be like the first ripe fig of summer.
    Anyone who sees it
quickly ·picks it [takes it in hand] and ·eats [swallows] it.

·At that time [L In that day] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
    ·will be like [L will be] a beautiful crown,
·like a wonderful [a beautiful] ·crown of flowers [wreath; garland; diadem]
    for ·his people who are left alive [the remnant of his people].
Then he will give ·wisdom [a spirit of justice/judgment] to ·the judges who must decide cases [L those who sit in judgment]
    and strength to those who battle at the city gate.

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Ephraim’s Captivity Predicted

28 Woe to the proud crown of the (A)habitually drunk of (B)Ephraim,
And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
Which is at the head of the [a]fertile valley
Of those who are [b]overcome with wine!
Behold, the Lord has a strong and (C)mighty agent;
As a storm of (D)hail, a tempest of destruction,
Like a storm of (E)mighty overflowing waters,
He has thrown it down to the earth with His hand.
The splendid crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim is (F)trampled underfoot.
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
Which is at the head of the [c]fertile valley,
Will be like the (G)first-ripe fig prior to the summer,
Which [d]one sees,
And [e]as soon as it is in his [f]hand,
He swallows it.
On that day the (H)Lord of armies will become a beautiful (I)crown
And a glorious wreath to the remnant of His people;
A (J)spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment,
A (K)strength to those who repel the [g]onslaught at the gate.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 28:1 Lit valley of fatness
  2. Isaiah 28:1 Lit stricken
  3. Isaiah 28:4 Lit valley of fatness
  4. Isaiah 28:4 Lit the one seeing sees
  5. Isaiah 28:4 Lit while it is yet
  6. Isaiah 28:4 Lit palm
  7. Isaiah 28:6 Lit battle