Isaiah 28

Isaiah Chapter 28: A Message About Samaria
What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria, the glorious crown of
The drunks of Israel! It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but
Its glorious beauty will fade like a flower. It is the pride of a
People brought down by wine. For the LORD will send a mighty army
Against it, like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain; they will
Burst upon it like a surging flood and smash it to the ground. The
Proud city of Samaria, the glorious crown of the drunks
Of Israel, will be trampled beneath its enemies' feet
It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but its glorious
Beauty will fade like a flower. Whoever sees it will
Snatch it up, as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten
Then at last the LORD of Heaven's Armies will himself be Israel'
S glorious crown. He will be the pride and joy of the remnant of his
People. He will give a longing for justice to their judges. He will
Give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates. Now
However, Israel is led by drunks, who reel with wine and stagger with
Alcohol. The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose
Themselves in wine; they reel when they see visions and stagger as
They render decisions. Their tables are covered with vomit
Filth is everywhere. "Who does the LORD think we are?" they
Ask. "Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children
Just recently weaned? He tells us everything over and over
One line at a time, one line at a time, a little here and
A little there." So now God will have to speak to his people
Through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language
God has told his people, "Here is a place of rest; let the
Weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest." But they
Would not listen. So the LORD will spell out his message for
Them again, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little
Here and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall
They will be injured, trapped, and captured. Therefore, listen
To this message from the LORD, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem!
You boast, "We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have
Made a deal to dodge the grave. The coming destruction can
Never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies
And deception." Therefore, this is what the sovereign LORD says
Look, I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested
Stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on
Whoever believes need never be shaken. I will test you with the
Measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness
Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down
Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away. I will
Cancel the bargain you made to cheat death, and I will overturn your
Deal to dodge the grave. When the terrible enemy sweeps through, you
Will be trampled into the ground. Again and again that flood will
Come, morning after morning, day and
Night, until you are carried away
This message will bring terror to your people. The bed you have made
Is too short to lie on; the blankets are too narrow to cover you
The LORD will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim
And against the Amorites at Gibeon; he will come to do a strange
Thing, he will come to do an unusual deed. For the LORD, the LORD of
Heaven's Armies, has plainly said that he is determined to crush the
Whole land. So scoff no more, or
Your punishment will be even greater
Listen to me, listen and pay close attention! Does a farmer always
Plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never
Planting? Does he not finally plant his seeds—black cumin, cumin
Wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—each in its proper way and each
In its proper place? The farmer knows just what to do, for God
Has given him understanding. A heavy sledge is never used to
Thresh black cumin; rather, it is beaten with a light stick
A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten
Lightly with a flail. Grain for bread is easily crushed, so he
Doesn't keep on pounding it. He threshes it under the wheels of
A cart, but he doesn't pulverize it. The LORD of Heaven's Armies
Is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom