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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:
NORTHERN DRUNKS

Isaiah 28:1-6 – Drunkards of Ephraim

IS28:1 Woe to the arrogant crown of the drunkards of Ephraim. 1135 [Woe to] his withering garland of imperial beauty 1136 – the one on the head of the fertile valley of those fallen down drunk from wine. 1137

1135

Woe to the arrogant crown of the drunkards of Ephraim: Or, LXX: woe to the crown of pride, the hirelings of Ephraim; BAS: crown of pride of those who are given up to wine in Ephraim. The words are directed at the ten-tribe northern kingdom Israel. [Hosea 7:11] See notes on Isaiah chapter 7; 9:9, 17; 11:13; 17:3.

1136	Withering garland of imperial beauty: Or, LXX: the flower that has fallen; BAS: the dead flower of his glory; DAR: fading flower of his glorious adornment.

1137

The one on the head of the fertile valley of those fallen down drunk from wine: Or, LXX: drunken without wine; BAS: on the head of those who are overcome by strong drink!; DAR: on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine; YLT: the head of the fat valley of the broken down of wine.

IS28:2 Behold! The Sovereign Lord has someone powerful and courageous 1138 – [someone] like a hail-storm, a destructive thunderstorm 1139 – [someone] like an overpowering cataclysm of violent waters. 1140 He will crash into the earth with tremendous force, 1141

1138	The Sovereign Lord has someone powerful and courageous: Or, LXX: the anger of the Lord is strong and severe; BAS: See, the Lord has a strong and cruel one. Likely referring to the Assyrian world power. Return to Isaiah 7:17, 20.

1139	Like a hail-storm, a destructive thunderstorm: Or, LXX: descending hail where there is no shelter, violently descending; BAS: like a rain of ice, a storm of destruction; YLT: destructive shower.

1140

Like an overpowering cataclysm of violent waters: Or, LXX: like a great body of water sweeping away; DAR: a storm of mighty waters overflowing; YLT: an inundation of mighty waters overflowing. That is, the flood of Assyrian armies. [Isaiah 29:6; Nahum 1:8] Note the “flood” of Romans armies against Jerusalem in 66-70 AD. [Daniel 9:26]

1141	He will crash into the earth with tremendous force: Or, LXX: as a great body of water sweeping away the soil; BAS: he will violently overcome them; DAR: shall he cast down to the earth with might.

IS28:3 trampling with his feet on that arrogant garland of Ehpraim’s drunkards. 1142

1142	Trampling with his feet on that arrogant garland of Ehpraim’s drunkards: Or, LXX: beaten down; BAS: The crown of pride of those who are given up to wine in Ephraim will be crushed under foot.

IS28:4 Just so will that withering garland of imperial beauty – the one on the head of the fertile valley – become like the firstfruit of the fig harvest 1143 when someone sees it and reaches out with his hand to swallow it down. 1144

1143	Become like the firstfruit of the fig harvest: Or, BAS: like the first early fruit before the summer; DAR: an early fig. That is, a plum ripe for the picking. [Jeremiah 24:2; Nahum 3:12]

1144	When someone sees it and reaches out with his hand to swallow it down: Or, BAS: which a man takes and puts in his mouth the minute he sees it. That is, quickly and eagerly.

IS28:5 In that day Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies Himself will become a garland of imperial beauty and a majestic wreath to the remnant of His people. 1145

1145	To the remnant of His people: Return to Isaiah 11:16.

IS28:6 [He will] become a breath of judgment 1146 to the one who presides over justice, as well as a source of strength to the one turning back the battle at the gate. 1147

1146

Become a breath of judgment: Or, LXX: spirit [PNEUMATI] of judgment; bas: a spirit of wisdom to the judge; DAR: a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment; YLT: a spirit of judgment To him who is sitting in the judgment. Return to Isaiah 11:2. [1 Kings 3:28] The Hebrew is RUWACH, see notes elsewhere. With the return of the remnant God’s judge will met out justice as described in Isaiah 11:1-5.

1147	Source of strength to the one turning back the battle at the gate: Or, BAS: strength to those who keep back the attackers at the door of the town; DAR: strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

Isaiah 28:7, 8 – A Drunken Hierarchy

IS28:7 Now regarding these there will be no room at all: 1148 Those stumbling from wine and staggering from intoxicating liquor 1149 – priest and prophet erred because of intoxicating liquor. 1150 They are consumed by wine, staggering from intoxicating liquor. 1151 They erred in their prophetic visions. 1152 They waver in pronouncing judgment. 1153

1148	Now regarding these there will be no room at all: Or, RHM: but as for these… there is no place.

1149

Those stumbling from wine and staggering from intoxicating liquor: Or, NJB: gone astray; JPS: muddled by wine; RHM: do they reel; LXX: for these have trespassed through wine; BAS: these are uncertain through wine, and have gone out of the right way through strong drink; YLT: even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. Note the counsel at Proverbs 31:4, 5.

1150	Priest and prophet erred because of intoxicating liquor: Or, BAS: the priest and the prophet are uncertain through strong drink; YLT: reel with strong drink. [Jeremiah 5:31; 23:13]

1151	They are consumed by wine, staggering from intoxicating liquor: Or, LXX: are mad through strong drink; BAS: uncertain.

1152	They erred in their prophetic visions: Or, RHM: reel; JPS: muddled in their vision; NJB: confused; BAS: their vision is false; DAR: erred in seeing.

1153	They waver in pronouncing judgment: Or, NJB: strayed in their decisions; JPS: stumble in judgment; BAS: they go wrong in their decisions.

IS28:8 For all their tables are overflowing with vomit and excrement. 1154

1154	For all their tables are overflowing with vomit and excrement: Or, RHM: filthy vomit; JPS: vomit and filth; BAS: all the tables are covered with coughed-up food, so that there is not a clean place. [Jeremiah 48:26] Severe vomiting may cause loose bowels as the body tries to rid itself of toxins.

Isaiah 28:9-13 – Those without Understanding Stagger

IS28:9 Whom will he teach knowledge? 1155 Whom will he make comprehend the news? 1156 Those just weaned from milk, just removed from the breast? 1157

1155	To whom will he teach knowledge: Or, JPS: to whom would he give instruction; NJB: whom does he think he is lecturing. Likely the drunks of Ephraim now speak in criticism of Isaiah the prophet.

1156	Whom will he make comprehend the news: Or, BAS: to whom will he make clear the word; JPS: to whom expound a message; NJB: whom does he think his message is for. Return to Isaiah 6:10.

1157	Those just weaned from milk, just removed from the breast: That is as though Isaiah thought he was speaking to babies. Or, BAS: Will it be to those who have newly given up milk, and who have only now been taken from the breast. Compare Hebrews 5:13, 14.

IS28:10 For [they mutter in their drunkenness]: “Command after command! Command after command! Rule and after rule! Rule after rule! A little here! A little there!” 1158

1158

Command after command! Command after command! Rule and after rule! Rule after rule! A little here! A little there: Or, BAS: For it is one rule after another; one line after another; here a little, there a little; DAR: For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. A drunken ditty spoken by the drunks of Ephraim in slurred speech. The Hebrew goes: SAV LASAV, SAV LASAV, KAV LAKAV, KAV LAKAV, ZEER SHAM, ZEER SHAM. See Isaiah 28:17. [2 Kings 21:13; Lamentations 2:8] Rotherham’s footnote: “The repetition and the assonance of the short words are intended to set forth mimetically the drunken babble of the scoffers.” (Davis’ H. L.)

IS28:11 For a certainty He will speak to this people in a mocking tongue and in a foreign language! 1159 [1 Corinthians 14:21]

1159

He will speak to this people in a mocking tongue and in a foreign language: Or, KJV: stammering lips and another tongue; NJB: with stammering lips and in a foreign language; JPS: stammering jargon and an alien tongue; RHM: jabbering lip with an alien tongue; LXX: by means of another language; BAS: with broken talk, and with a strange tongue, he will give his word to this people. In the first fulfillment the language of the Babylonians. To those who do not speak it, other languages like stammering and jabbering. [Genesis 11:7] Paul borrows the words in an application to the gift of tongues in the early Christian Church. [1 Corinthians 14:21]

IS28:12 This is the One who tells them: “This is the place to rest. 1160 Give the weary some rest, for this is the place of quiet repose.” 1161 But they would not listen.

1160	This is the place to rest: That is, this is the time for rest and quiet from these matters. Or, JPS: [footnote: do not embark on any political adventure at this time].

1161	The place of quiet repose: Or, BAS: by this you may get new strength; DAR: this is the refreshing.

IS28:13 And so to these the utterance of Y^eH^oW^aH must become, 1162 “Command after command! Command after command! Rule and after rule! Rule after rule! A little here! A little there!” Then as a result they will march forward, falling backward 1163 and injured, then snared and then captured. 1164

1162	And so to these the utterance of YeHoWaH must become: YHWH now turns the sneering, drunken words back on the hierarchy of Ephraim.

1163	Then as a result they will march forward, falling backward: Or, BAS: so that they may go on their way, and falling back.

1164	And injured, then snared and then captured: Or, BAS: may be broken, and taken in the net. Return to Isaiah 8:15. [2 Chronicles 36:16]

Isaiah 28:14-19 – A False Covenant with Death

IS28:14 Because of this, listen to the Word of Y^eH^oW^aH, all you who arrogantly sneer 1165 – all you rulers of the people in Jerusalem. 1166

1165	All you who arrogantly sneer: Or, JPS: men of mockery; RHM: who scoff; NJB: insolent; BAS: men of pride.

1166	All you rulers of the people in Jerusalem: Or, LXX: princes [[ARCHONTES]; JPS: govern. That is, the political and religious hierarchy.

IS28:15 For you have claimed: “We have pledged a covenant with Death, 1167 and with Hades we have consummated a pact. 1168 When the cataclysmic scourge sweeps past it will never touch us. 1169 For we have made untruth our refuge, concealing ourselves in deceit. 1170

1167	We have pledged a covenant with Death: Or, LXX: agreements with death; BAS: We have made death our friend. Death is an enemy. Only the religious hierarchy could turn it into a “friend” by their doctrinal lies.

1168	With Hades we have consummated a pact: Or, LXX: a covenant with Hades; JPS: concluded a pact with Sheol; RHM: with hades have we effected a vision; NJB: we have struck a pact with Sheol. As though they cannot die and are immortal after the Greek notion.

1169

When the cataclysmic scourge sweeps past it will never touch us: Or, BAS: when the overflowing waters come through they will not come near us; DAR: when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; YLT: when the overflowing scourge shall pass through. See “flood” at Daniel 9:26.

1170

For we have made untruth our refuge, concealing ourselves in deceit: Or, JPS: for we have made falsehood our refuge, taken shelter in treachery; NJB: lies our refuge and hidden under falsehood; BAS: for we are looking to false words for help, taking cover in what is untrue. That is, their alliance with Assyria and Egypt. [Isaiah 31:1, 3]

IS28:16 Thus the Sovereign Lord Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies says: “Watch Me! 1171 I am laying a foundation in Zion – a stone of testing 1172 – the precious cornerstone of a solid foundation. 1173 The trusting person will escape without panic. 1174 [Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6]

1171	Watch Me: Or, RHM: behold me.

1172

I am laying a foundation in Zion – a stone of testing: That is, Christ upon his return to heaven. [Psalm 2:6-8; 110:1] Or, LXX: I lay for the foundations of Sion a costly stone; JPS: I will found in Zion, stone by stone; RHM: founding in Zion, a stone, a stone of testing [footnote: that is, a stone, tested itself, and testing]; NJB: I shall lay a stone in Zion, a granite stone; BAS: I am placing in Zion as a base, a stone, a tested stone; DAR: a tried stone. The verse is quoted by Paul at Romans 9:33 and Peter at 1 Peter 2:6. Compare also Romans 10:11. Return to Isaiah 8:14. [See notes in Nazarene commentary 2000-2002© for details on these quotations.]

1173

Precious cornerstone of a solid foundation: Or, NJB: a precious corner-stone, a firm foundation-stone; RHM: the costly corner of a well-laid foundation; JPS: a tower of precious cornerstones [footnote: Hebrew uncertain]; LXX: a precious stone, for its foundations; BAS: an angle-stone which is certain and of great value. Note Psalm 118:22 and cross references.

1174

The trusting person will escape without panic: Or, LXX: he that believes [PISTEUON] on him shall by no means be ashamed; JPS: he who trusts need not fear; RHM: shall not make haste; NJB: no one who relies on this will stumble; BAS: and he who has faith will not give way. Compare 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6.

IS28:17 But I will make judgment the rule and righteousness the measuring line, 1175 sweeping away your refuge of untruth with hail-stones, 1176 and flooding waters will wash away your concealment of deceit. 1177

1175

I will make judgment the rule and righteousness the measuring line: Or, NJB: I will make fair judgment the measure, and uprightness the plumb-line; JPS: I will apply judgment as a measuring line, and retribution as weights; BAS: I will make right decision the measuring-line, and righteousness the weight; DAR: I will appoint judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet. [2 Kings 2:13; Psalm 9:8; 35:24; Jeremiah 11:20] YHWH is a God of judgment, a major theme of the Bible. See the Biblical Article God and Judgment. Note the Nazarene Master’s words at Matthew 7:1, 2.

1176	Sweeping away your refuge of untruth with hail-stones: Or, BAS: the ice-storm will take away the safe place of false words; DAR: hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. Return to Isaiah 28:2.

1177	Flooding waters will wash away your concealment of deceit: Or, JPS: and flood-waters engulf your shelter; NJB: and floods wash away the hiding-place; BAS: the secret place will be covered by the flowing waters. [2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 31:1, 3; Jeremiah 43:11]

IS28:18 Just so your covenant with Death will be wiped out, and your pact with Hades will not stand. IS28:19 When the cataclysmic scourge sweeps past then you will all be trampled underfoot. 1178 For it will flood along every morning, every day and every night. And it will require complete trembling in order to comprehend the news.” 1179

1178	You will all be trampled underfoot: First by the Assyrian armies, then the Babylonian, and finally by the Romans.

1179

And it will require complete trembling in order to comprehend the news: Or, NJB: nothing but fear will make you understand what you hear; RHM: it shall be nothing less than a terror to make out the message; JPS: it shall be sheer horror to grasp the message; BAS: the news will be nothing but fear. [2 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 19:3; Habakkuk 3:16]

Isaiah 28:20-22 – A Foreign Work

IS28:20 For the bed is to short to stretch out, and the blanket too narrow to draw up the feet. 1180

1180

For the bed is to short to stretch out, and the blanket too narrow to draw up the feet: That is, “You made your bed, now lie in it.” Or, BAS: the bed is not long enough for a man to be stretched out on: and the cover is not wide enough for him to be covered with; DAR: the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it; YLT: the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. A humorous image of the circumstances the Ephraim drunks have gotten themselves in to.

IS28:21 For just as in the case of Mount Perazim 1181 Y^eH^oW^aH will come on the scene, 1182 and as in the case of the Valley of Gibeon 1183 He will be aroused. And this in order to do His work – the work of a foreigner; 1184 and in order to perform His task – the task of a stranger. 1185

1181	Mount Perazim: See 2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 14:11.

1182	Come on the scene: Or, arise, rise up, come up. YHWH is a God who acts in history and intervenes when His purpose is affected. Here two historical events are mentioned as an example of what will befall the Ephraim drunks and their enemies.

1183	Valley of Gibeon: See Joshua 10:10; 1 Chronicles 14:16.

1184	The work of a foreigner: Or, NJV: his mysterious work; RHM: foreign is his work; JPS: strange is His work; LXX: a work of bitterness, and his wrath shall be strange. It is possible this phrase refers to God’s use of foreigners to punish Israel and then Assyria, Egypt and Babylon.

1185	The task of a stranger: Or, JPS: astounding is His task; RHM: strange is his task; NJB: his extraordinary deed. Like those mentioned above, but not acts of deliverance, but a work of punishment. [Lamentations 2:15; Habakkuk 1:5]

IS28:22 So, do not arrogantly sneer, 1186 or your shackles will be tightened. 1187 Because I have heard that which is decreed by the Sovereign Lord Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies – a complete destruction upon all the earth. 1188

1186	Do not arrogantly sneer: Or, NJB: stop scoffing; RHM: do not show yourselves scoffers; JPS: refrain from mockery. As mentioned above in verse 14. [2 Chronicles 30:10; 36:16; Jeremiah 20:7]

1187	Or your shackles will be tightened: Or, JPS: lest your bonds be tightened; RHM: lest your fetters be bound fast; NJB: your bonds will be tightened further.

1188	A complete destruction upon all the earth: Or, NJB: it has been irrevocably decided as regards the whole country; RHM: for a full end, and that a decreed one; JPS: decree of destruction; LXX: finished and cut short [SYNTETELESMENA… which he will execute upon all the earth [EPI PASAN TEN GEN].

Isaiah 28:23-29 – Listen to YHWH’s Counsel

IS28:23 Give hear and listen to My voice. Pay attention 1189 and listen to what I have to say.

1189	Pay attention: What follows is a parabolic analogy of how tiny seeds like black cumin are sown and reaped. The moral or point is that God will not over-punish His people as though they were tiny seeds.

IS28:24 Does the plowman plow all day long just to sow? Does he not also loosen and furrow the soil? IS28:25 When he has smoothed the surface, does he not also sprinkle out black cumin? And does he not scatter the black cumin? And also plant wheat in rows, barley in a lot, and millet along the borders? IS28:26 Yes, the One has trained him in the right way – his own God gave him directions. IS28:27 For one does not thresh black cumin with a threshing-sledge, nor is a wheel rolled across black cumin. Rather with a staff must one beat black cumin, and cumin 1190 with a rod.

1190	Cumin: See the Master’s use of the word at Matthew 23:23. Cumin is related to the carrot/parsley family and known for its aromatic seeds for seasoning, similar to caraway seeds.

IS28:28 Cereal-meal must be crushed, and yet not threshed over and over again. So he passes his wheel over it quickly not to crush it! 1191

1191	Not to crush it: That is, a remnant will be spared.

IS28:29 This has also proceeded from Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies Himself – wonderful in counsel, efficient in wisdom. 1192

1192

Wonderful in counsel, efficient in wisdom: Or, JPS: His counsel is unfathomable, His wisdom marvelous; RHM: who hath bestowed distinction upon counsel, and magnified sound wisdom [footnote: abiding success]; NJB: marvelous advice leading to great achievements; BAS: purposing wonders, and wise in all his acts. Compare Romans 11:33. [Psalm 40:5; Jeremiah 32:19]