The big picture
Isaiah 28 opens in verse 1 with “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at…”, and closes in verse 29 with “This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and…” Repeated or prominent terms include line, LORD, precept, strong, hear. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 29Isaiah 28:1-8
1–8: Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious…
Isaiah 28:1–8 opens with “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading…” and reaches “For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 28 develops its own movement around line, LORD, precept, strong, hear, with particular weight carried by strong, beauty, crown.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the…” Naming Ephraim and Woe keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 28:1-8
King James Version1Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
2Behold, the Lord hath a 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.
3The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
4And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the 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.
8For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Isaiah 28:9-16
9–16: Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand…
Isaiah 28:9–16 opens with “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are…” and reaches “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 28 develops its own movement around line, LORD, precept, strong, hear, with particular weight carried by line, precept, little.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line…” The line’s distinctive content terms include line, precept, little. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 28:9-16
King James Version9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13But 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 they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD , ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Isaiah 28:17-24
17–24: Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet…
Isaiah 28:17–24 opens with “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep…” and reaches “Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 28 develops its own movement around line, LORD, precept, strong, hear, with particular weight carried by hear, LORD, morning.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 28:17-24
King James Version17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18And your 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 trodden down by it.
19From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
Isaiah 28:25-29
25–29: When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the…
Isaiah 28:25–29 opens with “When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the…” and reaches “This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 28 develops its own movement around line, LORD, precept, strong, hear, with particular weight carried by cummin, fitches, cart.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Isaiah 28:25-29
King James Version25When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
27For the 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.
28Bread 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.
29This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 28:1 begins with “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are…”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 28:16 forms a natural hinge: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that…”
The final note
Isaiah 28:29 leaves the reader with “This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words line, LORD, precept, strong, hear, judgment help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Which promise most directly answers Jacob's situation?
God will be with him, keep him and bring him back to the land in verse 15.
How does the place change for Jacob?
An ordinary stopping place becomes recognized as the setting of divine encounter.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
- doth
- does
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.