Isaiah 28:1-15

Woe to the Leaders of Ephraim and Judah 1Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!

2See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

3That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.

4That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.

5In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.

6He will be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

7And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.

8All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

9“Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?

10For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that Hebrew / sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav (probably meaningless sounds mimicking the prophet’s words); also in verse 13 ; a little here, a little there.”

11Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,

12to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”— but they would not listen.

13So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there— so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.

14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.

15You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood Or false gods our hiding place.”