Isaiah 28:1–8

Warnings to Israel

28How terrible it will be for Samaria, the pride of Israel’s drunken people!

That beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant

set on a hill above a rich valley where drunkards live.

²Look, the Lord has someone who is strong and powerful.

Like a storm of hail and strong wind,

like a sudden flood of water pouring over the country,

he will throw Samaria down to the ground.

³That city, the pride of Israel’s drunken people,

will be trampled underfoot.

⁴That beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant

set on a hill above a rich valley.

That city will be like the first fig of summer.

Anyone who sees it

quickly picks it and eats it.

⁵At that time the Lord All-Powerful

will be like a beautiful crown,

like a wonderful crown of flowers

for his people who are left alive.

⁶Then he will give wisdom to the judges who must decide cases

and strength to those who battle at the city gate.

⁷But now those leaders are drunk with wine;

they stumble from drinking too much beer.

The priests and prophets are drunk with beer

and are filled with wine.

They stumble from too much beer.

The prophets are drunk when they see their visions;

the judges stumble when they make their decisions.

⁸Every table is covered with vomit,

so there is not a clean place anywhere.