Chapter Twenty-Eight

Preliminary remark about chapters 28–33

Just as chapters 7–12 contain the first, great, principal cycle of Isaiah’s prophecies, resting on the events described in chapter 7 (verses 1 onwards), so chapters 28–33, which have as their foundation the events described in chapters 36–37, constitute the second principal cycle. Chapters 7–12 depict Israel’s relationship to Assyria in the days of Ahaz, while 28–33 describe the same relationships under King Hezekiah. But just as Ahaz’s guilt consisted in seeking protection against the alliance of the Syrian and Israelite kings not from God, but from Assyria, so Hezekiah sinned in seeking help against Assyria, which had become an enemy of the Jews, not from the Lord, but from Egypt, to an alliance with which he was persuaded by his courtiers.

Against this alliance, which was being secretly arranged and contrary to God’s will, the prophet Isaiah armed himself. He spoke against this alliance in a whole series of speeches, in which the inner motives for making such an alliance are first depicted. Here the prophet (in chapter 28) depicts the intoxication in which the Jewish politicians concluded this alliance – an intoxication that had already nearly destroyed Samaria. The prophet then describes the secret schemes of the Jewish politicians, which however did not escape his vigilant eye (chapter 29), then foretells the failure of all these political combinations and points to the only salvation – in the Lord (chapter 30). And likewise in what follows (chapters 31 and 32) he points to the powerlessness of Egypt and at the same time paints a bright picture of the future kingdom, turning at the same time against the rulers of Judah at that time and, moreover, especially against the women who played an important role in directing policy. Finally, the prophet (chapter 33) announces the defeat of Assyria and the salvation of Israel.

All these chapters together constitute five speeches delivered at different times, and each of these speeches begins with the exclamation: woe!

1–13. The intoxication of Ephraim and the intoxication of Judah: the consequence of this intoxication. 14–22. The false and the true. 23–29. The education of the Israelite people through various punishments.

Isa 28:1-13. Samaria – that luxurious crown of the rich land of Ephraim – will soon be crushed and trampled. The Lord will send against it a terrible enemy who will swiftly destroy everything in his path – like a whirlwind, like a flood. The same will happen to Samaria as happens to an early ripened fig that everyone wants to pluck quickly. But to the remnant of His people – the kingdom of Judah – the Lord will send His protection and to the judges of Judah He will grant the spirit of justice, and to the commanders of the army – courage. Unfortunately, at the present time – that is, under King Hezekiah – all the rulers of Judah have gone mad from wine and strong drink, like the rulers of Samaria. They do not want to listen to Isaiah and they mock his words. For this, enemies will attack them and they will pay dearly for their stubbornness.

Isaiah 28:1. Woe to the crown of the pride of the drunken Ephraimites, to the fading flower of his glorious ornament, which sits on the summit of a rich valley, overcome by wine! The speech against Samaria (verses 1–4) was spoken, apparently, before the year 722, when Samaria still stood, see the first years of Hezekiah. “Crown of pride” is what Samaria was called because it was situated on an oval hill and had a magnificent and beautiful appearance. The slopes of the hills on which the city was located are still today covered with fig trees, olives and fruit gardens in general. The main Samaritan hill rises 400 feet above the level of the valley. “Fading”, more precisely: fading away. “Valley of those struck down by wine”, that is, a valley at the summit of which live drunkards who drink wine to the point of senselessness. Excessive riches, says Geikie, often obtained through dishonest means, were concentrated in the hands of only a few nobles, while the rest of the population suffered the greatest need (The Holy Land and the Bible, p. 822). This allowed the rich Samaritans to indulge in extreme intemperance.

Isaiah 28:2. Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty one, like a hailstorm and destructive whirlwind, like an overflowing flood of raging waters, with violence He hurls him to the ground. “Strong and mighty”, that is, the Assyrian army. “Before the Lord” – the same as before the Lord (Gen 10:9), that is, actually in truth (opposite to what is meant in Scripture by the expression: before men).

Isaiah 28:3. With feet the crown of the pride of the drunken Ephraimites shall be trampled. Isaiah 28:4. And the fading flower of his glorious ornament, which sits on the summit of the rich valley, becomes like what happens to a fig that ripens before its time, which, as soon as someone sees it, immediately takes it in his hand and swallows it. “With the fading flower”. It would have been more correct to say: with the fading flower, because Samaria at that time still existed. “Fig”. This fruit in general is distinguished by a sweet taste, refreshes the mouth and is very beneficial for health; all the more, of course, everyone strives to pluck the first ripened fruit that ripens before its time from the fig tree. With the same eagerness the Assyrians strove to seize the luxurious Samaria for themselves.

Isaiah 28:5. In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a glorious crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of His people, Isaiah 28:6. and with the spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment and with courage for those who repel the enemy at the gates. “In that day”, that is, in the day of the destruction of Samaria. “A crown and a splendid diadem”. If Samaria proudly called itself the crown of the Israelite kingdom, then for the kingdom of Judah the crown will be the Most High Himself, Who by His mercy will glorify the city of Jerusalem devoted to Him and will manifest His special presence here. “With the spirit of justice”, that is, the Lord Himself will act through judges and leaders as God of justice. “With courage”, that is, He will inspire courage in the leaders of Judah. “To the gates”. The Jewish leaders will approach the gates of their enemies, those who previously besieged the Jewish cities, the capitals and fortresses of the enemy (1 Macc 5:22).

Isaiah 28:7. But even these stagger from wine and go astray from strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel from strong drinks; they are overcome by wine, maddened by strong drink, they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. Isaiah 28:8. For all the tables are filled with filthy vomit, there is no clean place. – “But even these stagger”. Unfortunately, says the prophet, at the present time the leaders of Jerusalem also do not stand at the height of their calling. They are drunk both in the literal and figurative sense of the word. The expressions that the prophet uses here are very characteristic of the situation (schagu – tou, cshagu – tou, schagu – paku): they recall the incoherent speech of drunken people. “In vision” (roeh), that is, at such moments when the prophet’s soul should be entirely filled with the Spirit of God, the Jewish prophets are in a state of intoxication. Of course, here it is hardly possible to understand true prophets. Rather, these are those who falsely called themselves followers of the Lord. “In judgment”, that is, at the time of composing judicial decisions. The speech is about judges.

Isaiah 28:9. And they say: “Whom does he desire to teach knowledge? And whom to instruct in the message? Those weaned from the breast, those taken from the mother’s bosom? Isaiah 28:10. For it is command upon command, command upon command, law upon law, law upon law, here a little and there a little. In response to Isaiah’s rebukes, the priests, judges and prophets of Judah answer: “What is this? Are we small children who need to be taught how to speak? He addresses us as if we were a teacher! After all, only a mother teaches small children single-syllable words: kav, zav, and so on.” The Jews were clearly mocking the prophet, who came to them and said: kav iehovat! that is, the command of the Existing One (I announce to you). “We are tired of your statements about ‘commands’,” they say, “you only keep pointing out to us our deviations from the law” (here a little and there a little). Thus it is clear that they wanted to irritate the prophet by meaninglessly repeating his address to them (kav la kav, zav la sav!).

Isaiah 28:11. With stammering lips and in a foreign tongue will they speak to this people. Since the priests, prophets and judges mocked the prophet, repeating without sense the words that displeased them, the prophet threatens them that even they will be spoken to – of course, by enemies – in such a language as would seem to them incomprehensible stammering. However, they will have to listen to this stammering with fear, because the enemies will not forgive them if they do not obey their commands, given even in a language incomprehensible to the Jews. The prophet has in mind, apparently, the language of the Assyrians, which had only three vowels: a, i, u – because of which the speech of an Assyrian produced the impression of childish stammering on the Jews.

Isaiah 28:12. They were told: “Here is rest, give rest to the weary, and here is repose.” But they would not listen. “Here is rest”. Isaiah points to the violation of the law concerning the Sabbath rest as the first sign of disobedience to the law of the Lord. Perhaps the prophet wanted to point out that true prophets had long ago explained to Israel in what consists the main condition of rest or peaceful life for the Judean state, and that the people, unfortunately, had not heeded these explanations.

Isaiah 28:13. And the word of the Lord came to them as: command upon command, command upon command, law upon law, law upon law, here a little, there a little – so that they will go and fall on their backs, and be broken, and be snared and be taken captive. “Word of the Lord” – more correctly: “with the word of the Lord”, that is, the Hebrews always treated the word of the Lord, announced through true prophets, as something tedious, unnecessary as guidance, in which the same thing was repeated over and over. – The result of such an attitude to the prophetic words Isaiah depicts clearly in the second half of the verse: the Hebrews will be led into captivity! Isa 28:14-22. The Hebrews, refusing to obey the true prophet, hoped to save themselves from destruction through cunning and political intrigue. But Isaiah on behalf of the Lord announces to them that their only help can be the precious cornerstone, on which the Most High will build His gracious kingdom on Zion. Yet all the intrigues of the Jewish politicians will come to nothing, and they will remain completely defenseless before the invasion of the mighty enemies. The Lord will even Himself rise up against His people, as once He rose up against the enemies of the Hebrews.

Isaiah 28:14. Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you mockers, rulers of this people who are in Jerusalem. The prophet invites the rulers of Judah – the priests and prophets (cf. verse 7) – to listen to his words while there is still time. In what sense he calls them “mockers” or scoffers is clear from verse 10.

Isaiah 28:15. For you say: “We have made a covenant with death and with Sheol we have made an agreement; when the all-destroying scourge passes through, it will not reach us – because we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have found shelter. The prophet puts into the mouths of his opponents words full of boastfulness and daring. “Death and... Sheol” – symbols of the destruction and annihilation of the state. The Jews want to say that they do not fear for the integrity of the Judean state, because they are in friendship with Hades and death. “All-destroying scourge”. Thus, apparently, at that time the Jews called the king of Assyria (cf. Isa 8 and following). “Lies... and deception”, which the Jewish politicians are relying on, were common phenomena of political life in the East. When the king of Assyria calls them to account regarding the alliance with the Egyptians, who were hostile to the Assyrians, which was being plotted at that time, the Jewish politicians will be able to somehow deceive their strict ruler (cf. 2 Sam 17:4; Ezek 17 and following).

Isaiah 28:16. Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone – a stone tested, a cornerstone, precious, firmly established: he who believes in it will not be put to shame. Isaiah 28:17. And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the place of shelter. Isaiah 28:18. And your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the all-destroying scourge passes through, you will be trampled. In contrast to such false hopes and revealing all their worthlessness, the prophet says that Israel’s only hope is the cornerstone, firm and established by the Lord Himself on Zion. The false refuge of Jewish politics will be swept away by water and those who trusted in it – will perish. Thus this passage first contains a threat, and then a promise. What did the prophet mean by “cornerstone”? It should be a stone in which is found the support of all truth and justice – therefore it is not Zion, as some interpreters believe, not the house of David, not Hezekiah, not the temple, not the law. It is quite correct to see in this stone the Messiah, the Son of God, the only mediator between God and people, Who was to be born from the line of David (cf. Isa 8:8). The New Testament fully confirms such an understanding, calling Christ the cornerstone, on which is built the society of the saved or the Church (Eph 2:20; Acts 4 and 1 Pet 2:6-7). The stone is called “tested”, that is, completely reliable. Since the reference is to the Messiah, here one can see an indication of those trials that Christ the Savior underwent during His earthly life. “Cornerstone” – this is one that not only supports the building, but also binds its walls at two converging corners. For this, stones are chosen that are especially strong, of square shape. “He who believes in it”. The firm cornerstone manifests its saving effect not in an external magical way, but in accordance with the inner receptiveness or faith of those who turn to it. “Justice as the measuring line” – that is, the building of the new holy temple will be accomplished so that instead of a measuring cord, which builders use for buildings, justice itself will serve, and instead of the carpenter’s plumb line (in the Russian translation incorrectly: plumb lines) – justice itself, straightness. Thus no error will occur! (cf. Isa 1:27). “Refuge of lies..., place of shelter” – figurative expressions to designate the political schemes of the Jewish rulers. “Hail... and waters” – the power of God, sending destruction upon human schemes. “Will be trampled” – of course, by the armies of the king of Assyria.

Isaiah 28:19. As soon as he goes, he will seize you; he will pass by day and night, and the mere report of him will bring terror. Isaiah 28:20. The bed is too short to stretch out on; the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in. The prophet very aptly depicts the manner of action of the Assyrians in relation to Palestine. The Assyrians, indeed, gave the Hebrews no rest either day or night and several times relocated the inhabitants of the Israelite and also the Judean kingdom (under Manasseh) – to Assyria. The condition of the Jewish people the prophet, apparently, depicts in language of a proverb that existed among the Hebrews about a short bed.

Isaiah 28:21. For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; He will rouse Himself as in the valley of Gibeon, to do His deed – strange is His deed, and to perform His work – alien is His work. Isaiah 28:22. Therefore do not mock, or your bonds will become tighter; for I have heard from the Lord, the God of hosts, that destruction is decreed for the whole land. Israel will soon find itself in the same condition in which its enemies once were. The prophet first recalls the defeat inflicted by David on the Philistines at Baal-Perazim (2 Sam 5:20; 1 Chr 14:11), and second – about the plague with which the Lord struck the enemies of Israel in the days of Joshua at Gibeon (Josh 10:10-11). The prophet calls the punishment of the Jews strange and unusual because, indeed, the Jews could not expect that the Lord would deal with them in the same way as He once dealt with their enemies! “Your bonds” – that is, the difficult situation in which you have put your state through your political intrigue.

Isaiah 10:23. “Destruction is decreed”. See Isaiah 10:23. Isaiah 28:23. Incline your ear, and listen to my voice; be attentive, and hear my words. Isaiah 28:24. Does the farmer always plow for planting, break up and harrow his land? Isaiah 28:25. No; when he has leveled its surface, he sows black cumin, or scatters cummin, or sows wheat in rows, and barley in its appointed place, and spelt as its border. However, the prophet does not want to leave the Judean state without comfort. In a parable he gives his fellow citizens hope for a change in the heavy fate awaiting them. Just as a farmer does not only plow all the time, but also sows, and then threshes the grown and ripened grain in different ways, adapted to the properties of each type of grain so as not to spoil the grain through improper processing – so too the Wise God will not always only punish His people, and moreover not all Jews in the same way, but will make distinctions and will put an end to their sufferings. “Incline your ear”. This call to attention is explained by the fact that further comes figurative speech, requiring especially careful attention. “Does the farmer always plow”. The prophet is apparently comparing the actions of the farmer, breaking, cutting the dry soil with a plow and furrow, with the punishing activity of the Lord in relation to the hardened people of Israel. In verse 25, the prophet has in mind a large plot of land on which different types of grain are sown in order. “Black cumin” (nigella saliva) – used by bakers as a condiment; “cummin” – also gives a special flavor to dishes; “wheat” – in rows, because among the Hebrews wheat was sown with special care and, one might say, not sown but planted, like garden plants. “Spelt along with it” (barley). “Spelt” – a grain plant, resembling barley. Cattle do not care much for it, and therefore on the East the rows of spelt block off a section where barley is sown, so that cattle, tasting the spelt, will not go further to the barley, which they like better.

Isaiah 28:26. And His God teaches him – guides him to do this. Isaiah 28:27. For black cumin is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cummin; but black cumin is beaten out with a stick, and cummin with a rod. Isaiah 28:28. Grain is threshed, but one does not pound it; one drives a cart over it with his horses, but does not crush it. Isaiah 28:29. This comes from the Lord of hosts; His counsel is wonderful, and His wisdom is great! The prophet has said that the farmer does not sow different types of grain in the same way. Now he directs the attention of his readers to the fact that the farmer also processes different, already ripened types of grain in different ways so that they are fit for use as food. Verse 26 can be rendered as: “and he threshes it (grain) in particular suitable ways – his God teaches him to do this”... This means that the farmer removes, takes off the hulls of the grains carefully, in accordance with their hardness, and he does this based on observation of the order established by God for the life and growth of plants (there is no mention here of any direct teaching from God). “Black cumin is not threshed”. More delicate seeds, like black cumin and cummin, did not require for their processing such bulky machines as, for example, a large thresher set on wheels with special rollers. Just as carefully the farmer threshes grain, fearing to crush and grind the grain. “And this comes from the Lord”. The prophet wants to say that even about this, that is, the processing of grain, the Lord was concerned – so how attentive He is toward His people! And therefore he concludes the chapter with a hymn to the wisdom and salvation of the Lord (instead of the word “counsel” in the Russian translation, it is better to read: advice, wisdom, and instead of “wisdom” – salvation). Indeed, the Lord sometimes punished His people, sometimes rewarded them – changed, so to speak, His manner of dealing with them. Even the punishments He sent on Israel were mild, and in them was expressed the wise compassion of the Most High toward His people and His care for their moral improvement. According to all the data of the text, verses 1–8 of chapter 28 were written before the destruction of Samaria, consequently before 722, whereas all the subsequent speeches contained in Isa 28:9-32 chapters are undoubtedly of later origin, namely they arose around 702; too clearly the prophet speaks in them about the attempts to make an alliance with Egypt to cast off the Assyrian yoke, which took place before the invasion of Sennacherib on Judah. The authenticity of verses 1–22 of chapter 28 is recognized by almost all critics, but some consider the parable contained in verses 23–29, which does not belong to the preceding poem, not to be an authentic work of Isaiah. But, strictly speaking, the thought of this parable is in harmony with Isaiah’s general worldview, and he could have expressed it precisely at this time, when punishment from God was expected, which was to cleanse the chosen people from inappropriate impulses to make an alliance with Egypt. The strophes of the poem in Condamin’s arrangement are placed as follows: First strophe – verses 1–4 – (2, 2, 3) Second strophe – verses 5–8 First strophe – verses 9–13 – (3, 3, 3) Second strophe – verses 14–19a) – (3, 3, 3) Third strophe – verses 19b)-22 – (2, 2, 2) * * * Notes These three verses do not coincide with the Slavonic translation of the LXX. For example, a very strong passage – in verse 8 – the curse upon those who drink wine and strong drink priests and prophets – “Cursed be this counsel, this... counsel for the sake of gain”. Editor’s note.