Self-interpreting Bible

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Isaiah 28

1Ephraim threatened for pride and drunkenness. 5God will be the glory and strength of the residue. 7They are reproved for their excess, 14and carnal security. 16Christ, the sure foundation, promised. 17The security of the scorners shall end in destruction. 23The wisdom of God's providence is seen in the discreet labours of the husbandman.


1 WOE to athe crown of pride, to the bdrunkards of Ephraim, whose cglorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are 1overcome with wine!

2 Behold, the Lord hath da 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.

3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be etrodden 2under feet:

4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be fa fading flower, and as gthe hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he 3eateth it up.

5 ¶hIn that day shall the LORD of hosts be ifor a crown of glory, and for a *diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

6 And for ja spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that kturn the battle lto the gate.

7 ¶mBut they also have erred through wine, and nthrough strong drink are out of the way; othe 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.

8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

    9 ¶pWhom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand 4doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

    10 qFor precept 5must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

    11 For with r6stammering lips and another tongue 7will he speak to this people.

    12 To whom he said, sThis is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: tyet they would not hear.

    13 uBut the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that vthey might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

    14 ¶Wherefore whear the word of the LORD, xye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

    15 Because ye have said, yWe have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; zwhen the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made alies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

    16 ¶Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, bBehold, I lay in Zion for a foundation ca stone, da tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: ehe that believeth shall not make haste.

    17 fJudgment also will I lay to gthe line, and righteousness to the *plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

    18 ¶And hyour covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be 8trodden down by it.

    19 iFrom the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and jit shall be a *vexation only 9to understand the report.

    20 For kthe bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

    21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount lPerazim, he shall be *wroth as in the valley of mGibeon, that he may do his work, his nstrange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

    22 Now therefore obe ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts pa consumption, even determined upon the whole 10earth.

    23 ¶qGive ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

    24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and rbreak the clods of his ground?

    25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the 11*fitches, and scatter the *cummin, and cast in 12the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the 13*rie in their 14place?

    • 11: Or, dill.
    • *: fitches-fennel. , cummin-a plant like fennel with hot seeds used as a spice. , rie-rye, spelt, a cereal like wheat.
    • 12: Or, the wheat in the principal place, and barley in the appointed place.
    • 13: Or, spelt. Eze. 4.9. , Eze. 4:9
    • 14: Heb. border.

    26 15For his God sdoth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

    27 For tthe *fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the *cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

    28 uBread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

    29 vThis also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wwonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.