Isaiah 28

A Message about Samaria

28What 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.H1945H5850H1348H7910H669H6643H8597H5034H6731H7218H8081H1516H1986H31962For 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.H136H2389H533H2230H1259H6986H8178H2230H3524H4325H7857H3240H776H30273The proud city of Samaria—the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel

—will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.H5850H1348H7910H669H7429H72724It 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.H6643H8597H7218H8081H1516H5034H6733H1061H7019H7200H7200H3709H11045Then 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.H3117H3068H6635H5850H6643H6843H8597H7605H59716He will give a longing for justice to their judges. He will give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates.H7307H4941H3427H4941H1369H7725H4421H81797Now, 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.H428H7686H3196H7941H8582H3548H5030H7686H7941H1104H4480H3196H8582H7941H7686H7203H6328H64178Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.H7979H4390H6892H6675H47259“Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?H3384H1844H995H8052H1580H2461H6267H769910He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!”H6673H6673H6673H6673H6957H6957H6957H6957H2191H219111So now God will have to speak to his people through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!H3934H8193H312H3956H1696H597112God has told his people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.” But they would not listen.H559H4496H5889H5117H4774H14H808513So the Lord will spell out his message for them again, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall. They will be injured, trapped, and captured.H1697H3068H6673H6673H6673H6673H6957H6957H6957H6957H2191H2191H3212H3782H268H7665H3369H392014Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.H8085H1697H3068H3944H582H4910H5971H338915You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave

. The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”H559H3772H1285H4194H7585H6213H2374H7857H7752H7885H5674H5674H935H7760H3577H4268H8267H564116Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says. “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem

, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.H559H136H3069H3245H6726H68H976H68H3368H6438H3245H4143H539H236317I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.H4941H7760H6957H6666H4949H1259H3261H4268H3577H4325H7857H564318I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death, and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave. When the terrible enemy sweeps through, you will be trampled into the ground.H1285H4194H3722H2380H7585H6965H7857H7752H5674H482319Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away.” This message will bring terror to your people.H1767H5674H3947H1242H1242H5674H3117H3915H2113H995H805220The bed you have made is too short to lie on. The blankets are too narrow to cover you.H4702H7114H8311H4541H6887H366421The Lord will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim and against the Amorites at Gibeon. He will come to do a strange thing; he will come to do an unusual deed.H3068H6965H2022H6559H7264H6010H1391H6213H4639H2114H4639H5647H5656H5237H565622For the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, has plainly said that he is determined to crush the whole land. So scoff no more, or your punishment will be even greater.H3887H4147H2388H8085H136H3069H6635H3617H2782H77623Listen to me; listen, and pay close attention.H238H8085H6963H7181H8085H56524Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?H2790H2790H3117H2232H6605H7702H12725Does he not finally plant his seeds—black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—each in its proper way, and each in its proper place?H7737H6440H6327H7100H2236H3646H7760H7795H2406H5567H8184H3698H136726The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.H430H3256H4941H338427A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin; rather, it is beaten with a light stick. A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.H7100H1758H2742H5699H212H5437H3646H7100H2251H4294H3646H762628Grain for bread is easily crushed, so he doesn’t keep on pounding it. He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he doesn’t pulverize it.H3899H1854H5331H156H1758H2000H1536H5699H1854H657129The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.H3318H3068H6635H6381H6098H1431H8454