Isaiah 28:9
ESV
"To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?
NIV
"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?
NASB
'To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
CSB
Who is he trying to teach? Who is he trying to instruct? Infants just weaned from milk? Babies removed from the breast?
NLT
'Who does the Lord think we are?' they ask. 'Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?
KJV
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
NKJV
“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?
What does Isaiah 28:9 mean?
Most commentators understand this and the following verse (Isaiah 28:10) to be the words of the drunk priests and prophets in Israel. They are apparently suggesting that Isaiah is talking to them like children. They don't appreciate it. In other words, how dare he attempt to correct them for their drinking habits and their dereliction of duty?Those in the wrong, especially those protecting a cherished habit, often don't receive correction well (Proverbs 9:7; 15:5). Instead of honestly examining themselves to see if the correction is worth listening to, they strike back with some accusation of their own. This pattern is especially true when alcohol is involved.
The law did not forbid Israel's priests from ever drinking alcohol. But it was specific about when they must not consume: "And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 'Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses'" (Leviticus 10:8–11).
The mission given to the priests was too important to be hampered by the effects of alcohol. This was especially crucial in the tent of meeting. (Exodus 40:1–8) Teaching the people God's statutes was a critical mission requiring all their awareness and skill. During Isaiah's time, Israel's religious leaders had abandoned that duty.
