Isaiah 28

All 29 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read Isaiah 28 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1Disaster is coming for the proud crown of Ephraim's drunkards! Their stunning beauty is like a wilting flower, sitting atop a rich valley — and its people are staggering with wine!
2. 2Look, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, who like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3. 3That proud crown of Ephraim's drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
4. 4Their stunning beauty, perched above that fertile valley, will wilt like a dying flower. It will be like an early fig that ripens before harvest — the moment someone spots it, they snatch it and swallow it whole.
5. 5On that day, the LORD of hosts will become a crown of glory and a beautiful crown for the remnant of his people.
6. 6He will give a spirit of justice to those who sit as judges, and strength to those who drive the enemy back from the gates.
7. 7But even these people stumble from wine and stagger from strong drink. Priests and prophets reel from alcohol — swallowed up by wine, thrown off course by strong drink. Their visions are blurred, and their judgments are confused.
8. 8Every table is covered with vomit and filth, with not a clean spot anywhere.
9. 9Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand teaching? Those just weaned from milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; a little here, a little there.
11. 11For with stammering lips and a foreign language will he speak to this people.
12. 12He had told them, "This is the place of rest — let the weary find rest here. This is where you'll find refreshment." But they refused to listen.
13. 13So the LORD's word to them will become rule after rule, rule after rule, line after line, line after line, a little here, a little there — until they stumble backward, get broken, get trapped, and get captured.
14. 14So listen to the word of the LORD, you arrogant leaders who rule over this people in Jerusalem.
15. 15Because you have said, 'We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we are in agreement; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, it will not reach us, for we have made lies our refuge and have hidden ourselves under falsehood.'
16. 16But this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Look, I am placing a foundation stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not act hastily.'
17. 17"I will make justice my measuring line and righteousness my plumb line. Hail will demolish your shelter of lies, and floodwaters will sweep away your hiding place."
18. 18Your covenant with death will be canceled, and your agreement with hell will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps through, you will be trampled by it.
19. 19From the time it goes forth, it will take you. For morning by morning it will pass over, by day and by night, and it will be only a terror to understand the report.
20. 20The bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around yourself.
21. 21The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim. He will be angry as he was in the valley of Gibeon, to carry out his work, his strange work, and accomplish his act, his strange act.
22. 22Now therefore do not be mockers, or your chains will be made strong. For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a destruction already decided upon the whole earth.
23. 23Pay attention and listen to what I'm saying! Hear me out!
24. 24Does a farmer plow his field forever? Does he keep breaking up the soil endlessly?
25. 25Once he's leveled the ground, doesn't he scatter dill and plant cumin? Doesn't he sow wheat in rows, barley in its proper section, and spelt along the edges?
26. 26His God instructs him with wisdom and teaches him.
27. 27You don't thresh dill with a heavy sledge or roll a cart wheel over cumin. Instead, dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
28. 28Grain for bread must be ground, but no farmer threshes it forever. He may drive his cart wheel over it, but he doesn't crush it to powder with his horses.
29. 29This also comes from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.