Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 28

Introduction

Isaiah 28:0

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see “Guide to Good Bible Reading”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compareyour subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Isaiah 28:1-24 forms a unit (six “woe” pronouncements) that deals with Judah's alliance with Egypt against Assyria in the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (for the dates of his reign see chart of “The Kings of the Divided Monarchy” in Appendix Four, #3.) I use the dates of these three scholars: John Bright, 715-687; E. J. Young, 727-699; R. K. Harrison, 716/15-687/86). The historical background is apparently the time surrounding (i.e., 705-701 B.C.) the invasion of the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib in 701 B.C.

B. Isaiah 28:1-6 deals with the fall of Israel to Assyria. Israel's capital, Samaria, fell in 722 B.C. to Sargon II after a three-year siege.

C. Sargon II died in 705 B.C. (see chart of “A Brief Historical Survey of the Powers of Mesopotamia” in Appendix Three). Many of the vassal nations took this opportunity to rebel against Assyria. Sennacherib, the next Assyrian monarch, invaded Judah in 701 B.C. We know from Assyrian documents that he captured forty-six walled villages in Judah and put down the revolt.

D. Brief Outline of this Chapter

1. woe to drunkards of Ephraim, Isaiah 28:1-6

2. woe to drunk priests and prophets of Judah, Isaiah 28:7-13

3. woe to the civic leadership of Judah, Isaiah 28:14-22

4. a parable from agriculture, Isaiah 28:23-29

Verses 1-8

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isaiah 28:1-8 1Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley Of those who are overcome with wine! 2Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent; As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters, He has cast it down to the earth with His hand. 3The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot. 4And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it. 5In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people; 6A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate. 7And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment. 8For all the tables are full of filthy vomit, without a single clean place.

Isaiah 28:1 “Woe” This term (BDB 222) characterizes this entire section (six “woes,” cf. Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 29:1, Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 30:1; Isaiah 31:1; Isaiah 33:1, similar to the six woes of Isaiah 5:8-22). The term “woe” reflects the poetic meter of a funeral dirge.

▣ “the drunkards of Ephraim” Isaiah 28:1-4 is the prophet's words of judgment to the religious and political leadership of the Northern Ten Tribes. There is a series of references to their abuse of alcohol (cf. Isaiah 28:1 (twice), 3,7; Hosea 7:5). Alcohol abuse is often used as a metaphor of poor judgments which result in divine judgment. See Special Topic: Biblical Attitudes Toward Alcohol and Alcoholism.

Since the division of the united monarchy (under David and Solomon) in the time of Rehoboam (i.e., 922 B.C.), the northern group was known by their names.

1. Israel (collective title)

2. Ephraim (the largest tribe)

3. Samaria (the capital city)

NASB“Which is at the head of the fertile valley” NKJV“which is at the head of the verdant valleys” NRSV, JPSOA“which is on the head of those bloated with rich food” NJB“sited at the head of the lush valley” PESHITTA“at the entrance of the fertile valley” REB“on the heads of those who drip with perfumes”

This ambiguous phrase might refer to

1. Samaria located on a high hill

2. the heads of the drunkards

The REB follows the DSS manuscript of Isaiah.

Isaiah 28:2 “the Lord has a strong and mighty agent” This refers to the Assyrian empire sent by YHWH (cf. Isaiah 8:7; Isaiah 10:5-6) to punish Israel. The destruction of the Northern Ten Tribes was consummated in the fall of the capital city Samaria after a three year siege by Sargon II in 722 B.C.(cf. 2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 18:9-12). All her people were exiled to Media. The vast majority never returned.

Notice how the LORD'S agent is characterized.

1. strong

2. mighty

3. a storm of hail (cf. Isaiah 30:30)

4. a tempest of destruction

5. a storm of mighty overflowing waters (cf. Isaiah 8:7-8)

6. “He has cast it down to earth with His hand” (i.e., YHWH sent it)

Isaiah 28:4 This is an agricultural metaphor related to the greatly prized first ripe figs (cf. Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1). These fruits were eaten quickly and gone. So too, the fertile land of the Northern Ten Tribes is captured and occupied by foreigners.

Isaiah 28:5 “In that day” See note at Isaiah 2:11. The day of YHWH's visitation.

▣ “a beautiful crown” This is obviously in contrast to “the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim” in Isaiah 28:1. In Isaiah 28:1 it refers to Samaria, here possibly a restored Jerusalem where the Messiah reigns (cf. Isaiah 28:16-17).

▣ “diadem” This is a rare NOUN (BDB 862) which is parallel to “crown” (BDB 742), used of the royal line in Samaria (cf. Isaiah 28:1) and of Judah (Isaiah 62:3).

God's appointed leaders, even of the Davidic family, failed. He Himself will be their king, as it should be (cf. 1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 10:19).

▣ “the remnant of His people” See Special Topic at Isaiah 1:9. This verse is still in the strophe referring to Israel. This may refer to those (few) of the northern tribes who will one day return to Jerusalem. See Special Topic: The Remnant, Three Senses.

Isaiah 28:6 This verse describes God's new appointed Davidic leader (cf. Isaiah 9:1-7; Isaiah 11:1-5, Isaiah 11:10).

1. a spirit of justice (esp. Isaiah 11:2)

2. a rallying of the defenders of the city (i.e., Jerusalem)

Isaiah 28:7 I agree with JPSOA, TEV, and NJB that a paragraph break should occur between Isaiah 28:6 and Isaiah 28:7. Verses Isaiah 28:7 and 8 describe the current drunken leadership of Judah (cf. Isaiah 28:14; Jeremiah 13:12-14, seven of the VERBS are Qal PERFECTS, which denotes a settled state), similar to Isaiah 28:1-4, which describe the drunken leadership of Israel.

NASB, NRSV, NJB“confused by wine” NKJV, ASV, LXX“swallowed up by wine” TEV“in confusion” JB“muddled with wine” REB“befuddled with wine”

The VERB in BDB 118 (Niphal PERFECT) means “swallow down” or “swallow up” (cf. Isaiah 25:8; Genesis 41:7, Genesis 41:24; Exodus 7:12; Exodus 15:12; Numbers 16:30, Numbers 16:32, Numbers 16:34; Numbers 26:10; Deuteronomy 11:6; Jeremiah 51:34).

However, NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 666-668 and KB 135-136 list three possible roots.

1. KB 135 I, swallow, engulf

2. KB 136 II, announce, communicate

3. KB 136 III, Niphal confuse; Piel in Isaiah 3:12; Pual in Isaiah 9:16

Isaiah 28:8 “tables” This term (BDB 1020) can refer to

1. the king's table, cf. Isaiah 21:5

2. governor's table, cf. Nehemiah 5:17

3. private parties

4. sacrifices, cf. Exodus 25:23; Leviticus 24:6; Numbers 3:31; Numbers 4:7 (in tabernacle)

Verses 9-22

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isaiah 28:9-22 9”To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? 10For He says, 'Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.'“ 11Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, 12He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,” And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen. 13So the word of the LORD to them will be, “Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there,” That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive. 14Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” 16Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. 17I will make justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies And the waters will overflow the secret place. 18Your covenant with death will be canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you become its trampling place. 19As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.” 20The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in. 21For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the valley of Gibeon, To do His task, His unusual task, And to work His work, His extraordinary work. 22And now do not carry on as scoffers, Or your fetters will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts Of decisive destruction on all the earth.

Isaiah 28:9-10 Isaiah's words (or YHWH's words through him) were attacked by (1) the religious leadership or (2) those he addressed in Isaiah 28:7-8 (cf. Jeremiah 26:9-15; Amos 7:12; Micah 2:6-11).

Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13 This is a very cryptic reference. It involved the repetition of צו (BDB 846, in Hosea 5:11 it means “command”) and קו (BDB 876 II, in Isaiah 28:17 it means “a measuring line”). The religious drunkards were accusing Isaiah's messages of being childish and difficult to understand (KB 1081 I #2). Isaiah 28:11 is God's reaction to their reaction to Isaiah's message.

Isaiah 28:11-13 This is Isaiah's response to the religious elite and arrogant of his day in Jersualem.

Isaiah 28:11 “Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue” This is God's response to their rejection of His prophet. In essence He says, “If you are having a hard time understanding his basic ABC's, wait until you hear the Assyrian language” (cf. Isaiah 28:13; Isaiah 33:19; Jeremiah 5:15). Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 14:21 in his discussion of “speaking in tongues.”

See my commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:0 online at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

Isaiah 28:12 “Here is rest, give rest to the weary” YHWH wanted His people to have “rest” (BDB 629) and peace (cf. Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 30:15; Isaiah 32:17, Isaiah 32:18). The VERB (BDB 628, KB 679) is a Hiphil IMPERATIVE. This refers to Isaiah's messages of hope and restoration, if only they would turn to YHWH, but they would not (Isaiah 28:12b)!

Jesus gave a similar call to them in Matthew 11:28-29.

Isaiah 28:13 YHWH's only message to them was Isaiah's message, which they rejected to their ruin.

1. stumble backward, BDB 505, KB 502, Qal PERFECT, cf. Isaiah 3:8; Isaiah 59:14

2. be broken, BDB 990, KB 1402, Niphal PERFECT, cf. Isaiah 8:15

3. be snared, BDB 430, KB 432, Niphal PERFECT, cf. Isaiah 8:15

4. be taken captive, BDB 539, KB 530, Niphal PERFECT, cf. Isaiah 8:15; Isaiah 24:18

Isaiah 28:14 “hear” This VERB (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE) was both a call to obedience and an introduction to judgment. They would not listen (cf. Isaiah 28:12, Isaiah 28:14, Isaiah 28:22, Isaiah 28:23 [twice]; Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 30:9, Isaiah 30:19, Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 30:30; Isaiah 32:3, Isaiah 32:9; Isaiah 33:13, Isaiah 33:15, Isaiah 33:19; Isaiah 34:1 [twice]). What a recurrent theme-God tries to instruct, but they refuse to listen!

“Hear the word of the LORD” is the literary marker of a “judgment oracle.”

▣ “O scoffers” This is a CONSTRUCT (“men,” BDB 35 and “scorning” BDB 539). They are mentioned often in Proverbs (i.e., Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 24:9). How surprising that this refers to the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem who should have known better and trusted more! Crisis reveals true leadership or lack of it.

Isaiah 28:15 “We have made a covenant with death” Isaiah sarcastically characterizes the thoughts of the leaders of Jerusalem. This refers to a treaty (i.e., “covenant,” BDB 136, see Special Topic: Covenant, and the rare term, “pact,” BDB 302, cf. Isaiah 28:18) that Judah made with the Egyptians (cf. Isaiah 30:1-7). It is a theological play on God's word through Moses of providing His people with a choice of life or death in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (see notes from Deuteronomy online at www.freebiblecommentary.org.). In this instance, the choice involved choosing protection from an earthly military source or trusting in God. They chose death.

▣ “Sheol” This refers to the holding place of the dead and is synonymous with the Greek term “Hades.” See Special Topic: The Dead, Where Are They? (Sheol/Hades, Gehenna, Tartarus).

NASB“overwhelming scourge” NKJV, NRSV“overflowing scourge” NJB“scourging flood” JB“destructive whip” LXX“the rushing storm” REB“raging flood”

The first term is a PARTICIPLE (BDB 1009, KB 1474, Qal ACTIVE). It is the second term that presents options (NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 64-65)

1. שׁטף, BDB 1009, “overflow,” cf. Isaiah 8:8; Isaiah 10:22 (i.e., an invading army)

2. שׁוט, BDB 1002, “scourge,” “whip,” cf. 1 Kings 12:11, 1 Kings 12:14

▣ “passes by” This VERB (BDB 716, KB 778) is either a Qal IMPERFECT (qere) or a Qal PERFECT (kethiv, cf. Isaiah 26:20). The VERB means “to pass over,” “to pass through,” or “to pass by.” It is used thirty-four times in Isaiah in this literary unit (i.e., chapters 28-35, cf. Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:18, Isaiah 28:19 [twice]; Isaiah 29:5; Isaiah 31:9; Isaiah 33:8, Isaiah 33:21; Isaiah 34:10; Isaiah 35:8).

▣ “For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception” What a tragedy for God's people: a self induced state of trusting in the arm of flesh!

1. falsehood, BDB 469, cf. Isaiah 28:17 (common in Psalms and Proverbs)

2. deception, BDB 1005, cf. Isaiah 9:15; Isaiah 32:7; Isaiah 44:20; Isaiah 57:4; Isaiah 59:3, Isaiah 59:13 (common in Psalms and Proverbs, used often in Jeremiah)

The VERB form of “refuge” (BDB 340) denotes placing confidence and trust in something or someone. It is often used of taking refuge in YHWH.

1. YHWH as the rock, Deuteronomy 32:37; Psalms 18:2

2. YHWH as a mother bird, Ruth 2:12; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 61:4; Psalms 91:4

3. YHWH as shield, 2 Samuel 22:3, 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalms 18:30; Psalms 144:2; Proverbs 30:5

4. in Him, Psalms 2:12; Psalms 5:11; Psalms 7:1; Psalms 11:1; Psalms 16:1; Psalms 25:20; Psalms 31:1, Psalms 31:19; Psalms 34:8, Psalms 34:22; Psalms 37:40; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 64:10; Psalms 71:1; Psalms 118:8, Psalms 118:9; Psalms 141:8; Isaiah 57:13; Nahum 1:7

5. YHWH's right hand, Psalms 17:7

6. Zion, Isaiah 14:32

7. YHWH's name, Zephaniah 3:12

Isaiah 28:16 This verse is a shocking change of mode, a theological reversal of hope amidst judgment. YHWH's redemptive universal plan reveals itself again. Messiah will come! It is only one verse, but what a verse!

This is a series of Messianic titles using “construction” metaphors.

1. The term “stone” (BDB 6) is often used of God; however, the term “cornerstone” (BDB 819) has a unique connection with the Messiah (cf. Psalms 118:22; Matthew 21:42, Matthew 21:44: Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6-8).

2. The term “tested” (BDB 103) is an Egyptian loan word for a fine grain stone suitable for carving. This seems to mean that God is going to inscribe the cornerstone with the phrase found in 16d. The key to this thought is the term “believes” (cf. Isaiah 30:15 for a similar emphasis on “trust”).

3. The term “foundation” (BDB 414) is found only here and 2 Chronicles 8:16, where it refers to Solomon's laying the foundation of the temple. Notice that this foundation is “firmly placed” (NASB margin, “well-laid”). The Hebrew has another doubling of a word. This is where the description “firmly” or “well-laid” comes from.

See Special Topics: Cornerstone at Isaiah 8:14-15 and Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith, and Faithfulness in the OT.

Isaiah 28:17 “justice” See Special Topic: Judge, Judgment, Justice.

▣ “measuring line. . .level” These were ways of measuring the straightness (cf. 2 Kings 21:13) of the horizontal (BDB 876 II) and vertical (BDB 1054).

▣ “righteousness” See Special Topic: RIGHTEOUSNESS.

▣ Lines c and d are again plays on water (cf. Isaiah 27:12). The “refuge of lies” and “the secret place” may refer to the practice of idolatry in the temple itself (cf. Ezekiel 8:0 and Deuteronomy 27:15). YHWH does not act or speak in a secret, dark place, but openly in the light (cf. Isaiah 45:19; Isaiah 48:16).

Isaiah 28:18

NASB“canceled” NKJV, NRSV, JB”annulled” TEV“abolished” NJB“broken” LXX, Peshitta, REB“will not stand”

This Hebrew VERB (BDB 877, KB 1086,Qal IMPERFECT) means “to arise,” “to stand,” or “to stand up.” It is metaphorical for that which will not happen (cf. Isaiah 7:7; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 28:18; Proverbs 15:22). God's will and plan supersede human plans (cf. Isaiah 14:24-27; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 46:10; Psalms 35:10-11; Proverbs 19:21; Jeremiah 44:28)!

Isaiah 28:19 This verse relates to “the overwhelming scourge” of Isaiah 28:18. It (the invader, cf. 2 Kings 24:2) will come again and again and bring terror and confusion. They will not be able to understand why (in contrast to Isaiah 50:4).

Isaiah 28:20 This proverb reflects the inadequacy of human plans.

Isaiah 28:21 “Mount Perazim. . .the valley of Gibeon” These both refer to God's aid to David in his battle against the Philistines; however, in the current situation God is not on Judah's side, but on Assyria's (cf. 2 Samuel 5:17-21; 1 Chronicles 14:13-17).

▣ “To do His task, His unusual task,

And to work His work, His extraordinary work” Many people refer this unusual task to God's judgment of His own people; however, I think, because of the context, the unusual task is God's judgment, but through the use of the godless Assyrian Empire (cf. Habakkuk, NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 775).

Isaiah 28:22

NASB“of decisive destruction” NKJV“a destruction determined” NRSV“a decree of destruction” TEV“decision to destroy” NJB“irrevocably decided” REB“destruction decreed”

The VERB (BDB 358, KB 356, Qal PERFECT) in the Qal stem denotes “to cut,” “decree,” or “to determine.”

1. human life span, Job 14:5

2. future events, Isaiah 10:22-23; Daniel 9:26-27

History is not undirected; it is teleological. It has a divine plan and purpose (i.e., the redemption of fallen humanity, cf. Genesis 3:15). Notice the statements of

1. Luke 22:22

2. Acts 2:23

3. Acts 3:18

4. Acts 4:28

5. Acts 13:29

▣ “on all the earth” The universal judgment seen in Isaiah 24-27 is repeated, but thank God, there will also be a universal redemption (i.e., Isaiah 28:16)!

Verses 23-29

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isaiah 28:23-29 23Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my words. 24Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed? Does he continually turn and harrow the ground? 25Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cummin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area? 26For his God instructs and teaches him properly. 27For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is the cartwheel driven over cummin; But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a club. 28Grain for bread is crushed, Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, He does not thresh it longer. 29This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great.

Isaiah 28:23-29 This is a parable using agricultural metaphors on how to sow and reap certain crops. This speaks of the fact that God knows what He is doing. He is working with His people in appropriate purposeful ways. He has an eternal redemptive plan that is working itself out in human history!

Isaiah 28:23 This verse has a series of IMPERATIVES from God (cf. Isaiah 28:29) through His prophet to His people.

1. give ear, BDB 24, KB 27, Hiphil IMPERATIVE

2. hear my voice, BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Isaiah 28:12, Isaiah 28:14, Isaiah 28:22

3. listen, BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil IMPERATIVE

4. hear my words, same as #2

But they would not; they could not (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10)!

Isaiah 28:28 “he does not continue to thresh it forever” This is the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 190, KB 218) used for intensity. YHWH administers just the right amount of judgment, not too much, not too little!

Isaiah 28:29 Hope, help, and happiness come in hearing and honoring God's Word!