Biblion Bible Commentary
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The Drunkards of Ephraim
Isaiah 28:1-13
1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine! · WEB
Drunk priests mock the prophet's teaching as baby talk, and are told they will get it back in a language they cannot understand.
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley Isaiah 28:1.
Samaria sat on a hill above a rich valley, and from below it looked like a garland on a head. The image is of a wreath at the end of a long party — still on, and wilting.
Shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it Isaiah 28:4.
The first fig of the season is eaten on the spot by whoever finds it. The city will not be besieged so much as swallowed on sight.
They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink... They err in vision. They stumble in judgment Isaiah 28:7.
The judgment moves south to Jerusalem and names the two professions whose work is words. A drunk priest gives bad rulings and a drunk prophet sees badly, and the chapter says so without euphemism. All tables are completely full of filthy vomit Isaiah 28:8.
Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk? Isaiah 28:9.
The drunks answer back, and this is their complaint quoted: does he think we are toddlers? What follows is their mockery of his preaching.
For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little Isaiah 28:10.
In Hebrew this is a string of monosyllables — tsav latsav, qav laqav — and it is meant to sound like baby talk or like a drunk imitating a teacher. They are jeering at his method as tediously elementary.
But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language Isaiah 28:11.
The answer. Men who found simple instruction insulting will hear the next lesson in a foreign accent — the Assyrian's — and understand none of it. Paul quotes the verse when discussing tongues in the assembly, and reads it as a sign to unbelievers 1 Corinthians 14:21.
To whom he said, "This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary," and "This is the refreshing;" yet they would not hear Isaiah 28:12.
What the elementary teaching had actually been offering, and it is the shortest summary of the message in the book: here is where you can stop, and let the tired people rest.
Therefore Yahweh's word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept... that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken Isaiah 28:13.
Their own parody is given back to them as the sentence. The word they mocked as childish becomes the thing they trip over, and the five verbs describe a man walking backward into a trap.
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