Open English Translation ISA Chapter 28

28 You won’t end well Shomron, you proud crown of Efrayim’s drunkards

or it’s beauty and splendour that’s fading like a flower past its prime.

There at the head of a lush valley that’s struck down by wine.

2 Look, the master is sending a very powerful one,

like a hailstorm, a destructive windstorm, or a huge flood.

He’ll drive it down to the ground with his hand.

3 The proud crown of Efrayim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.

4 The fading flower of its beauty and splendour at the head of a lush valley

will be like a very early fig before summer.

The ones who see it will grab it and swallow it.

5 At that time, Commander-in-chief Yahweh will become a beautiful crown,

≈ and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people,

6 and a spirit of justice for those who need judgements,

and strength for those who turn the battle back at the gates.

7 Even those reeled from wine

and stagger from strong drink.

Priest and prophet reeled from the strong drink,

and they were confused by from the wine.

They staggered from the strong drink—

reeling in vision, they stagger in indecision.

8 Indeed, all their tables are covered with vomit—

≈ there’s no place without filth.

9 Who will he teach knowledge to,

≈ and who will he get to understand the message?

Those who’ve been weaned from milk—

≈ who’ve already been taken off the breasts.

10 Because it’s ‘command to command to command, line to line to line, a little there, a little there’.[fn]

11 Indeed, with stammering lips and foreign language,

he will speak to this people group[ref]

12 telling them, ‘This is the resting place where the weary ones can rest’,

≈ and, ‘This is the place for refreshing’.

but they weren’t willing to listen.

13 So Yahweh’s message to them,

‘command to command to command, line to line to line, a little there, a little there’,

so they can go, but they’ll stumble backwards and will be broken,

plus they’ll become trapped and will be captured.

14 Therefore, listen to Yahweh’s message,

you people who are always mocking,

you rulers of the people there in Yerushalem,

15 because you’ve all said, “We’ve come to an agreement with death,

≈ and we have an understanding with the grave.

When the overwhelming scourge goes past,

it won’t bother us because we’ve made lies our shelter,

≈ and we hide in deception.”

16 Therefore, my master Yahweh says:

Look, I’ve put a foundation stone in place in Tsiyyon—one that’s been tested.

It’s a valuable cornerstone—a reliable foundation.

Anyone who trusts in it won’t have to rush away.[ref]

17 Then I’ll make justice into a measuring stick,

and righteous into a levelling tool.

Hail will sweep away the shelter of lies,

and floods will drown the hiding place.[ref]

18 Then your agreement with death will be dissolved,

≈ and your understanding with the grave will collapse.

When the overwhelming scourge comes past,

→ you’ll all be overwhelmed by it.[ref]

19 When it comes past, it’ll take you all

because it’ll come past morning by morning, and day and night.

Understanding the message will bring only terror,

20 because the bed is too short for stretching yourself out on,

≈ and the woven blanket is too narrow to wrap around you.

21 Yahweh will take action like he did at Mt. Peratsim.[ref]

≈ He’ll stir himself up like he did in Giveon valley[ref]

to do his work—his special work.

≈ To perform his task—his special task. 22 So now, don’t show yourselves to be mockers

in case your chains become heavier,

because I’ve heard from my master, Commander-in-chief Yahweh

about complete destruction and the rest that’s been determined against the entire land.

23 Listen carefully to what I say.

≈ Pay attention to my words.

24 Does a farmer spend all day ploughing and not sow anything?

≈ Does he just continue to break up and harrow his land?

25 Doesn’t he level its surface and scatter fennel and sow cumin,

≈ and put the wheat in rows and the barley in plots, and spelt around the border?

26 Yes, his god instructs him,

≈ he teaches him to make good decisions.

27 Fennel isn’t threshed with a threshing board,

≈ nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin,

but rather, fennel is beaten with a stick,

≈ and cumin with a rod.

28 Grain for bread must be ground because anyone threshing it doesn’t keep at it forever.

He can run his cart wheel over it and his horses don’t crush it.

29 That too comes from Commander-in-chief Yahweh

who gives good advice—he has great wisdom.