Isaiah 28 4

Isaiah 28:4 kjv

And 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.

Isaiah 28:4 nkjv

And the glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valley, Like the first fruit before the summer, Which an observer sees; He eats it up while it is still in his hand.

Isaiah 28:4 niv

That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest? as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.

Isaiah 28:4 esv

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.

Isaiah 28:4 nlt

It sits at the head of a fertile valley,
but its glorious beauty will fade like a flower.
Whoever sees it will snatch it up,
as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.

Isaiah 28 verses

Isaiah 28 4 Meaning

Isaiah 28:4 describes the fading glory of Ephraim's pride, represented by a fragile, dying flower, subject to the powerful hand of God. It signifies a swift and decisive judgment upon their arrogance and spiritual decay.

Isaiah 28 4 Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic oracle within the book of Isaiah, specifically targeting the Northern Kingdom of Israel, often referred to as Ephraim due to its prominent tribes. Chapter 28 addresses the spiritual and moral corruption of its leadership and people, characterized by drunkenness, arrogance, and false security. Isaiah pronounces judgment upon them for their misplaced trust in alliances and their dismissal of God's warnings. This particular verse is a vivid depiction of the ultimate downfall awaiting them because of their pride and their rejection of true wisdom.

Isaiah 28 4 Word Analysis

• וְ (ve) - And. A conjunction connecting this verse to the preceding descriptions.
• הָיָה (hayah) - shall be. Future tense, indicating a definitive outcome.
• צִיץ (tsiyts) - blossom, flower, crest. Refers to something beautiful and flourishing, but here denotes transience and vulnerability. It can also mean a flashing or shining object.
• קָפֹאת (qapoth) - frost, congealed. Denotes something that is solidified or hardened, often by cold, implying a brittle and easily shattered state.
• הֶבֶל (hebel) - vanity, emptiness, a vapor, breath. Implies something fleeting, without substance or permanence, contrasting sharply with God's enduring word.
• רַב (rav) - glorious, abundant, great. In this context, it amplifies the significance of the fading crown, emphasizing the magnitude of their former pride.
• כַּ (ka) - like, as. A preposition of comparison.
• רֵאשִׁית (re'shith) - the first of, the best of, chief. Denotes the prime or prime, the very best produce or first fruit, here emphasizing the loss of their excellence.
• קָצִיר (qatsir) - harvest, summer fruit. Refers to the time of gathering the ripe produce, highlighting what should be a time of bounty and joy, but is here transformed into a scene of loss.
• וְעַל (ve'al) - and upon. Another conjunction indicating what will happen in addition to what has been described.
• מָהֶם (mahem) - them. Pronoun referring to Ephraim or the proud ones mentioned earlier.
• רִיצָתוֹ (ritzatho) - his fleeing, his running. Suggests flight, escape, or a desperate attempt to evade.
• וְהָיָה (ve hayah) - and it shall be. Another future affirmation.
• לְ (le) - to, for.
• מַחַץ (machats) - striking blow, smitten, wound. Implies a severe injury or forceful impact.
• מוֹסְרֹו (mosrow) - his bands, fetters, bonds. Refers to their restraints or captivity, implying their being bound or overcome.
• מִקֹּדֶם (miqqodem) - from before, beforehand. Implies something already decided or from a prior state.
• וְהָיָה (ve hayah) - and it shall be. Final future statement.
• לְכְתֹות (lekhtoth) - to shatter, to break in pieces. Indicates complete destruction and disintegration.
• כְּ (ke) - as.
• שִׁבּוֹלֶת (shibboleth) - a ripe head of grain, an ear of corn, flood. Primarily refers to a ripe ear of grain that is easily broken off or detached. This further emphasizes the fragility and inevitable destruction.

Words-group analysis:

• "blossom of frost" (צִיץ קָפֹאת - tsiyts qapoth): This paradoxical image highlights the ephemeral nature of Ephraim's pride. A frost blossom is beautiful but fragile and temporary, quickly melting away. It represents their boasting and perceived strength which are superficial and destined to vanish.
• "the best of the summer fruit" (רֵאשִׁית קָצִיר - re'shith qatsir): This refers to the finest part of the harvest, the most prized fruits. For Ephraim to be like this, it implies that their best days or their ultimate end-result would be plucked and destroyed, symbolizing their utter ruin.
• "his fleeing into his fleeing" (לְרִיצָתוֹ רִיצָתוֹ - l'ritzatho ritzatho): The repetition emphasizes the futility and inescapable nature of their attempts to escape judgment. They would flee, but their fleeing itself would lead them into capture and destruction.
• "a striking blow to break in pieces" (לְמַחַץ לִכְתּוֹת - l'machats likhtoth): This phrase graphically portrays the nature of God's judgment—not merely a gentle push, but a severe, shattering blow that would completely destroy them.

Isaiah 28 4 Bonus Section

The imagery of a "blossom of frost" is a powerful paradox. In nature, a frost flower is a beautiful but ephemeral phenomenon formed on the surface of ice or earth by the freezing of water. It is delicate and easily destroyed. This vividly illustrates how Ephraim's perceived strength and glory, built on pride and false security, are fragile and destined for annihilation. The verse connects to the broader theme in Isaiah where natural imagery is used to convey theological truths about God's sovereignty and judgment. The destruction of the "best of the summer fruit" signifies not just a loss but the perversion of what should be a time of blessing into one of devastation, indicating that their ultimate outcome would be plundered rather than preserved. The repeated "fleeing" implies their active, though ultimately useless, efforts to escape consequences, highlighting the inescapable nature of God's retributive justice upon those who persist in sin.

Isaiah 28 4 Commentary

Isaiah 28:4 paints a stark picture of impending divine judgment on the proud and defiant nation of Ephraim. Their boastful pride, like a delicate blossom threatened by frost, will quickly fade. The finest produce of their land, symbolizing their greatest strengths and accomplishments, will be snatched away as the harvest ripens. Their attempts to escape God's judgment will be futile; their flight itself will lead to their capture and complete destruction, like an ear of grain broken by a powerful blow. This verse serves as a solemn warning against self-reliance, arrogance, and the rejection of divine wisdom and authority. It underscores the certainty and severity of God's justice when His people turn away from Him.