Isaiah 28:1-29

Historical Context

Timeframe: Late 8th century BC.

Political backdrop: The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) is nearing its fall to Assyria (722 BC), and Judah is considering unwise political alliances (e.g., with Egypt).

Spiritual backdrop: Both kingdoms are marked by pride, corruption, false security, and rejection of God’s Word.

1. Woe to the Proud Drunkards of Ephraim (vs. 1-6)

Key verse: v. 1 – “Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim…”

The northern kingdom (symbolized by Ephraim) is likened to a fading flower and a drunken reveler.

Its leadership is spiritually intoxicated—incapable of sound judgment.

Judgment is coming like a storm (v. 2)—Assyria will bring devastation.

Hopeful note in v. 5–6: In contrast, God will be a “crown of glory” for the faithful remnant.

Isaiah 28:1–6 ESV

1 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! 2 Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand. 3 The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot; 4 and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand. 5 In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people, 6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

2. Judah’s Leaders Also Stumble (vs. 7-13)

Key verse: v. 13 – “...they may go and fall backward, and be broken…”

Even Judah’s priests and prophets are spiritually drunk (v. 7).

They mock Isaiah’s message as too simplistic, as if meant only for infants (vv. 9–10).

God responds by giving them over to their obstinacy: His Word becomes incomprehensible to them.

The result: they “fall backward and are broken.”

Isaiah 28:7–8 ESV

7 These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment. 8 For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left.

Leviticus 10:8–10 ESV

8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “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. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean,

Hosea 4:10–14 ESV

10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the Lord to cherish 11 whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding. 12 My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore. 13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your brides commit adultery. 14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.

Isaiah 28:9–10 ESV

9 “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? 10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

Isaiah 28:11–13 ESV

11 For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people, 12 to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear. 13 And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Deuteronomy 12:9–10 ESV

9 for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety,

3. A False Covenant and a Sure Foundation (vs. 14-22)

Key verses: vs. 15–16

v. 15: The leaders of Judah say they’ve made a “covenant with death”, likely a reference to a political alliance (e.g., with Egypt) to avoid Assyria.

v. 16: God counters with His promise: He has laid a “tested cornerstone” in Zion—a sure foundation for salvation (ultimately fulfilled in Christ; cf. 1 Peter 2:6).

God will “sweep away” false refuge and expose the lie.

Judgment is determined, and mockers are warned to stop (v. 22).

Isaiah 28:14–22 ESV

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem! 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”; 16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ 17 And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.” 18 Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it. 19 As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message. 20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in. 21 For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work! 22 Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land.

4. A Parable of the Farmer (vs. 23-29)

Key verse: v. 29 – “This also comes from the Lord of hosts; He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.”

Isaiah uses the imagery of a wise farmer to illustrate God’s actions.

The farmer knows when to plow, sow, and thresh—each action is purposeful.

So, too, God’s judgment and discipline are not random but measured, wise, and ultimately redemptive.

Isaiah 28:23–29 ESV

23 Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech. 24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground? 25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border? 26 For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him. 27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 28 Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

Theological Implications

Pride (vv. 1, 3)

Incompetent instruction (vv. 9-10)

Trust in political alliances rather than in God (v. 15)

Failure to uphold justice and righteousness (v. 17)

Rejection of divine wisdom (vv. 26, 29)

New Testament Connections

Romans 9:33 ESV

33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

1 Peter 2:6 ESV

6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Matthew 13:13–15 ESV

13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Questions for Reflection

What forms of false security are common today? How do they compare to Judah’s “covenant with death”?

How do we respond to God's Word—do we treat it as child’s play, or do we submit to it as life-giving truth?

In what ways is Christ the “tested cornerstone” in your own life?

How does Isaiah’s image of the wise farmer affect your understanding of God’s judgments?

Conclusion