WOE to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5 In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
29 This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

1Woe to the crowne of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flowre, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are ouercome with wine.

2Behold, the Lord hath a mightie and strong one, which as a tempest of haile and a destroying storme, as a flood of mightie waters ouerflowing, shall cast downe to the earth with the hand.

3The crowne of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be troden vnder feete.

4And the glorious beautie which is on the head of the fat valley, shall bee a fading flowre, and as the hastie fruite before the summer: which when he that looketh vpon it, seeth it, while it is yet in his hand, he eateth it vp.

5 In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory, and for a diademe of beautie vnto the residue of his people:

6And for a spirit of iudgement to him that sitteth in iudgement, and for strength to them that turne the battell to the gate.

7 But they also haue erred through wine, and through strong drinke are out of the way: the priest and the prophet haue erred through strong drinke, they are swallowed vp of wine: they are out of the way through strong drinke, they erre in vision, they stumble in iudgement.

8For all tables are full of vomite and filthinesse, so that there is no place cleane.

9 Whome shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to vnderstand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milke, and drawen from the breasts.

10For precept must be vpon precept, precept vpon precept, line vpon line, line vpon line, here a litle, and there a litle.

11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speake to this people.

12To whom he said, This is the rest wherwith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing, yet they would not heare.

13But the word of the Lord was vnto them, precept vpon precept, precept vpon precept, line vpon line, line vpon line, here a litle and there a litle: that they might goe and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14 Wherefore heare the worde of the Lord, yee scornefull men, that rule this people which is in Ierusalem.

15Because ye haue said, Wee haue made a couenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement, when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe thorow, it shall not come vnto vs: for wee haue made lies our refuge, and vnder falsehood haue we hid our selues:

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Beholde, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tryed stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: hee that beleeueth, shall not make haste.

17Iudgement also will I lay to the line, and righteousnesse to the plummet: and the haile shall sweepe away the refuge of lyes, and the waters shall ouerflow the hiding place.

18 And your couenant with death shalbe disanulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe thorough, then yee shalbe troden downe by it.

19From the time that it goeth forth, it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it passe ouer, by day and by night, and it shalbe a vexation, onely to vnderstand the report.

20For the bed is shorter, then that a man can stretch himselfe on it: and the couering narrower, then that he can wrap himselfe in it.

21For the Lord shall rise vp as in mount Perazim, he shalbe wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may doe his worke, his strange worke; and bring to passe his act, his strange act.

22Now therefore be yee not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I haue heard from the Lord God of hostes a consumption euen determined vpon the whole earth.

23 Giue yee eare, and heare my voyce, hearken and heare my speach.

24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and breake the clods of his ground?

25When hee hath made plaine the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principall wheate, and the appointed barly and the rye in their place?

26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

27For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheele turned about vpon the cummin: but the fitches are beaten out with a staffe, and the cummin with a rodde.

28Bread corne is bruised; because he will not euer be threshing it, nor breake it with the wheele of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

29This also commeth forth from the Lord of hostes, which is wonderfull in counsell, and excellent in working.

I == Isa 28:3-4

II == Isa 30:30 ; Ezek 13:11

III == Isa 28:1

IV == Isa 28:1

VII == Prov 20:1 ; Isa 56:10 , 12 ; Hos 4:11

IX == Jer 6:10

XI == 1st Cor 14:21

XV == Amos 2:4

XVI == Gen 49:24 ; Ps 118:22 ; Matt 21:42 ; Acts 4:11 ; Rom 9:33 ; 10:11 ; Eph 2:20 ; 1st Peter 2:6-8

XVII == Isa 28:15

XXI == Josh 10:10 , 12 ; 2nd Sam 5:20 , 25 ; 1st Chr 14:11 , 16 ; Lam 3:33

XXII == Isa 10:22-23 ; Dan 9:27

XXIX == Ps 92:5 l Jer 32:19

1 Woe to the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim, To the fading blooms of his glorious beauty, on the head of him who is stupefied with wine.

2 Behold, the LORD has a strong one and a mighty, who, like a downpour of hail, a destructive storm, Like a flood of water, great and overflowing, levels to the ground with violence;

3 With feet that will trample the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim.

4 The fading blooms of his glorious beauty on the head of the fertile valley Will be like an early fig before summer: when a man sees it, he picks and swallows it at once.

5 On that day the LORD of hosts will be a glorious crown And a brilliant diadem to the remnant of his people,

6 A spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

7 But these also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priest and prophet stagger from strong drink, overpowered by wine; Led astray by strong drink, staggering in their visions, tottering when giving judgment.

8 Yes, all the tables are covered with filthy vomit, with no place left clean.

9 "To whom would he impart knowledge? To whom would he convey the message? To those just weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?

10 For he says, 'Command on command, command on command, rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!'"

11 Yes, with stammering lips and in a strange language he will speak to this people

12 to whom he said: This is the resting place, give rest to the weary; Here is repose - but they would not listen.

13 So for them the word of the LORD shall be: "Command on command, command on command, Rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!" So that when they walk, they stumble backward, broken, ensnared, and captured.

14 Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, you arrogant, who rule this people in Jerusalem:

15 Because you say, "We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether world we have made a pact; When the overwhelming scourge passes, it will not reach us; For we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have found a hiding place," - 

16 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, A precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.

17 I will make of right a measuring line, of justice a level. - Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall flood the hiding place.

18 Your covenant with death shall be canceled and your pact with the nether world shall not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes, you shall be trampled down by it.

19 Whenever it passes, it shall take you; morning after morning it shall pass, By day and by night; terror alone shall convey the message.

20 For the bed shall be too short to stretch out in, and the cover too narrow to wrap in.

21 For the LORD shall rise up as on Mount Perazim, bestir himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, To carry out his work, his singular work, to perform his deed, his strange deed.

22 Now, be arrogant no more lest your bonds be tightened, For I have heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, the destruction decreed for the whole earth.

23 Give ear and hear my voice, pay attention and listen to what I say:

24 Is the plowman forever plowing, always loosening and harrowing his land for planting?

25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not scatter gith and sow cumin, Put in wheat and barley, with spelt as its border?

26 He has learned this rule, instructed by his God.

27 Gith is not threshed with a sledge, nor does a cartwheel roll over cumin. But gith is beaten out with a staff, and cumin crushed for food with a rod.

28 No, he does not thresh it unendingly, nor does he crush it with his noisy cartwheels and horses.

29 This too comes from the LORD of hosts; wonderful is his counsel and great his wisdom.

Chapters 28-35 are prophetic warnings concerning Ephraim (Israel) and Judah.
Woe to Ephraim, 28:1-13, to Judah v 14-29 with warning not to be like Ephraim.

v 1. Drunkenness was a serious problem, so Isaiah likens Ephraim and city of Samaria throwing away the blessings of God to a drunkard wasting his money.

v 2-4. Strong Assyria would trample Ephraim as a ripe fig is devoured.

v 5,6. Samaria was beautiful, but the Lord will be found more beautiful to the remnant in the Millennium. He will also give strength for the present coming battle.

v 7,8. Leaders and false prophets err in their drunken squalor.

v 9.10. The drunkards are mocking Isaiah for trying to teach them like children. A mother took her son to a bigger church instead of being promoted into my youth class saying, “He has been going to Christian School so you couldn’t teach him anything”. Would he learn more because the church was bigger?

v 11-13. The Assyrians had a different language, Deut. 28:49 and Jer. 5:15. God would use them to teach Ephraim the hard way since they wouldn’t listen to Isaiah.

v 14,15. Ephraim’s fate is a warning to Judah’s scoffing leaders. They boasted as having made a covenant with death, the false gods of the underworld to protect them. They also thought to make smart treaties through lies if it came to trouble.

v 16.  Here and Job 38:6 both foundation stone and cornerstone.  Eph. 2:20, and 1 Pet. 2:5-8 Christ is chief cornerstone and stone of stumbling . but in Ps. 118:22 and Zech. 4:7 He is the capstone, which would be pyramid shaped. Such a stone would be stumbled over no matter how it was lain until finally used at the top. In either case, men stumble because they disobey and disbelieve God’s Word. As in many cases of prophecy, Isaiah may not have known he was speaking of Christ.

v 17-22. Ephraim’s covenant with death will be annulled. Reliance on their false prophets will be as inadequate as trying to sleep in a bed that is too short or a blanket that is too small, so they should stop scoffing.

v 23-29. Continuous plowing is not the object, and a farmer knows each crop must be harvested and handled in it’s own way. So God knows what He is doing and the Southern Kingdom should submit to His wisdom.