Isaiah 28:1
ESV
Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!
NIV
Woe 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!
NASB
Woe to the proud crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley Of those who are overcome with wine!
CSB
Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, and to the fading flower of its beautiful splendor, which is on the summit above the rich valley. Woe to those overcome with wine.
NLT
What 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.
KJV
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 overcome with wine!
NKJV
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, To those who are overcome with wine!
What does Isaiah 28:1 mean?
Isaiah 28 recalls the time before the fall of the northern ten tribes of Israel to the Assyrians in 722 BC. Isaiah begins this chapter by describing and mourning the judgment the Lord is sending on them.He begins by proclaiming the Hebrew word hoy, which is translated as "woe" or "ah" in English. It is an expression of grief or alarm, often suggesting something bad is coming. In this case, the "woe" is pronounced on the "wreath" or the "crown" which rests on the head of a rich valley. The reference is to Samaria, the capital of the northern ten tribes of Israel, also called Ephraim after Israel's largest tribe.
Samaria was once a beautiful and sophisticated city looking down on a fruitful and productive valley. Isaiah describes it as the crown or pride of Ephraim's drunkards. The leaders of Israel were apparently known for their drunkenness. In their alcohol-induced fog, they failed to lead Israel in God's ways. Thus, Isaiah declares that the beauty of Samaria and its valley is fading as quickly as the beauty of a wreath of flowers fades. The wreath does not last long, and neither will once-lovely Samaria.
