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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Isaiah 28 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/isaiah/28.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" 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href="../isaiah/27.htm" title="Isaiah 27">◄</a> Isaiah 28 <a href="../isaiah/29.htm" title="Isaiah 29">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/isaiah/28.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">A Message about Samaria</p><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria—</p><p class="line2">the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a></p><p class="line1">It sits at the head of a fertile valley,</p><p class="line2">but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.</p><p class="line1">It is the pride of a people</p><p class="line2">brought down by wine.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>For the Lord will send a mighty army against it.</p><p class="line2">Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain,</p><p class="line1">they will burst upon it like a surging flood</p><p class="line2">and smash it to the ground.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>The proud city of Samaria—</p><p class="line2">the glorious crown of the drunks of Israel<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a>—</p><p class="line2">will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>It sits at the head of a fertile valley,</p><p class="line2">but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.</p><p class="line1">Whoever sees it will snatch it up,</p><p class="line2">as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Then at last the LORD of Heaven’s Armies</p><p class="line2">will himself be Israel’s glorious crown.</p><p class="line1">He will be the pride and joy</p><p class="line2">of the remnant of his people.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>He will give a longing for justice</p><p class="line2">to their judges.</p><p class="line1">He will give great courage</p><p class="line2">to their warriors who stand at the gates.</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Now, however, Israel is led by drunks</p><p class="line2">who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol.</p><p class="line1">The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol</p><p class="line2">and lose themselves in wine.</p><p class="line1">They reel when they see visions</p><p class="line2">and stagger as they render decisions.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Their tables are covered with vomit;</p><p class="line2">filth is everywhere.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>“Who does the LORD think we are?” they ask.</p><p class="line2">“Why does he speak to us like this?</p><p class="line1">Are we little children,</p><p class="line2">just recently weaned?</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>He tells us everything over and over—</p><p class="line1">one line at a time,</p><p class="line2">one line at a time,</p><p class="line1">a little here,</p><p class="line2">and a little there!”</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>So now God will have to speak to his people</p><p class="line2">through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>God has told his people,</p><p class="line1">“Here is a place of rest;</p><p class="line2">let the weary rest here.</p><p class="line1">This is a place of quiet rest.”</p><p class="line2">But they would not listen.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>So the LORD will spell out his message for them again,</p><p class="line1">one line at a time,</p><p class="line2">one line at a time,</p><p class="line1">a little here,</p><p class="line2">and a little there,</p><p class="line1">so that they will stumble and fall.</p><p class="line2">They will be injured, trapped, and captured.</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD,</p><p class="line2">you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death</p><p class="line2">and have made a deal to dodge the grave.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a></p><p class="line1">The coming destruction can never touch us,</p><p class="line2">for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says:</p><p class="line1">“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a></p><p class="line2">a firm and tested stone.</p><p class="line1">It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.</p><p class="line2">Whoever believes need never be shaken.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a></p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>I will test you with the measuring line of justice</p><p class="line2">and the plumb line of righteousness.</p><p class="line1">Since your refuge is made of lies,</p><p class="line2">a hailstorm will knock it down.</p><p class="line1">Since it is made of deception,</p><p class="line2">a flood will sweep it away.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,</p><p class="line2">and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.</p><p class="line1">When the terrible enemy sweeps through,</p><p class="line2">you will be trampled into the ground.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Again and again that flood will come,</p><p class="line2">morning after morning,</p><p class="line1">day and night,</p><p class="line2">until you are carried away.”</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1">This message will bring terror to your people.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The bed you have made is too short to lie on.</p><p class="line2">The blankets are too narrow to cover you.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>The LORD will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim</p><p class="line2">and against the Amorites at Gibeon.</p><p class="line1">He will come to do a strange thing;</p><p class="line2">he will come to do an unusual deed:</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>For the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,</p><p class="line2">has plainly said that he is determined to crush the whole land.</p><p class="line1">So scoff no more,</p><p class="line2">or your punishment will be even greater.</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Listen to me;</p><p class="line2">listen, and pay close attention.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Does a farmer always plow and never sow?</p><p class="line2">Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Does he not finally plant his seeds—</p><p class="line2">black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—</p><p class="line1">each in its proper way,</p><p class="line2">and each in its proper place?</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>The farmer knows just what to do,</p><p class="line2">for God has given him understanding.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;</p><p class="line2">rather, it is beaten with a light stick.</p><p class="line1">A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;</p><p class="line2">instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Grain for bread is easily crushed,</p><p class="line2">so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.</p><p class="line1">He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,</p><p class="line2">but he doesn’t pulverize it.</p><p class="line1"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/28-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,</p><p class="line2">and he gives the farmer great wisdom.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">28:1 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">What sorrow awaits the crowning glory of the drunks of Ephraim,</span><span class="ft"> referring to Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">28:3 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">The crowning glory of the drunks of Ephraim;</span><span class="ft"> see note on 28:1.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">28:15 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">Sheol;</span><span class="ft"> also in 28:18.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">28:16a </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">in Zion.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">28:16b </span><span class="ft">Greek version reads </span><span class="it">Look! I am placing a stone in the foundation of Jerusalem</span><span class="ft"> [literally </span><span class="it">Zion</span><span class="ft">], </span><span class="it">/ a precious cornerstone for its foundation, chosen for great honor. / Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.</span><span class="ft"> Compare Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:6.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of <a href="http://www.tyndale.com">Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.</a>, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 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