Isaiah 28:1–8

Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,

and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!

Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong;

like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest,

like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters,

he casts down to the earth with his hand.

The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim

will be trodden underfoot;

and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

which is on the head of the rich valley,

will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer:

when someone sees it, he swallows it

as soon as it is in his hand.

In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory,

and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people,

and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,

and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

These also reel with wine

and stagger with strong drink;

the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,

they are swallowed by wine,

they stagger with strong drink,

they reel in vision,

they stumble in giving judgment.

For all tables are full of filthy vomit,

with no space left.

Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards,

to the fading flower, his glorious beauty,

set on the head of a fertile valley—

to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!

See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong.

Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind,

like a driving rain and a flooding downpour,

he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards,

will be trampled underfoot.

That fading flower, his glorious beauty,

set on the head of a fertile valley,

will be like figs ripe before harvest—

as soon as people see them and take them in hand,

they swallow them.

In that day the Lord Almighty

will be a glorious crown,

a beautiful wreath

for the remnant of his people.

He will be a spirit of justice

to the one who sits in judgment,

a source of strength

to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

And these also stagger from wine

and reel from beer:

Priests and prophets stagger from beer

and are befuddled with wine;

they reel from beer,

they stagger when seeing visions,

they stumble when rendering decisions.

All the tables are covered with vomit

and there is not a spot without filth.

Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards,

and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor,

which is on the summit above the rich valley.

Woe to those overcome with wine.

Look, the Lord has a strong and mighty one—

like a devastating hail storm,

like a storm with strong flooding water.

He will bring it across the land with his hand.

The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards

will be trampled underfoot.

The fading flower of his beautiful splendor,

which is on the summit above the rich valley,

will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest.

Whoever sees it will swallow it

while it is still in his hand.

On that day

the Lord of Armies will become a crown of beauty

and a diadem of splendor

to the remnant of his people,

a spirit of justice

to the one who sits in judgment,

and strength

to those who repel attacks at the city gate.

Even these stagger because of wine

and stumble under the influence of beer:

Priest and prophet stagger because of beer.

They are confused by wine.

They stumble because of beer.

They are muddled in their visions.

They stumble in their judgments.

Indeed, all their tables are covered with vomit;

there is no place without a stench.

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.

Ah! The garland of the pride of the drunkards of Ephraim

and the withering flower of the glory of his beauty,

which is at the head of the rich valley,

ones overcome with wine!

Look! The Lord has a mighty and strong one,

like a rainstorm of hail, a wind storm of destruction,

like a rainstorm of mighty overflowing waters,

he will put them to the earth with his hand.

The garland of the pride of the drunkards of Ephraim

will be trampled by feet,

and the withering flower of the glory of its beauty

which is at the head of the rich valley

will be like its early fig before summer,

which the one who sees it swallows while it is still in his hand.

In that day, Yahweh of hosts will become a garland of glory

and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of his people,

and a spirit of justice to the one who sits over judgment,

and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

And these also stagger because of wine

and stagger because of strong drink;

priest and prophet stagger because of strong drink;

they are confused because of wine.

They stagger because of strong drink;

they err in vision.

They stagger in the rendering of a decision,

for all the tables are full of disgusting vomit, with no place left.

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!

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.

The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim,

Shall be trodden under feet:

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.

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,

And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment,

And for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

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.

For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness,

So that there is no place clean.