Isa. 28 The drunkenness of Ephraim bringeth destruction on them: a remnant shall be honourable, Isa. 28:1–8. Their unteachableness, Isa. 28:9–13. Their mock at God’s threatenings, Isa. 28:14–15. Christ prophesied for a sure foundation to believers, Isa.

The crown of pride; that proud and insolent kingdom; for the crown is oft put for the kingdom, as Jer. 13:18;c. The drunkards; either, 1. Metaphorically, drunk with proud self-confidence, and security, and prosperity; or rather, 2. Properly, by comparing this with Isa. 28:7, Hos.

The Lord hath, to wit, at his command, prepared and ready to execute his judgments, a mighty and strong one; the king of Assyria. Shall cast down; understand it, the crown of pride; or them, the drunkards of Ephraim.

The expression is emphatical; the crown which was upon their own heads shall be trodden under the feet of others; and they, whose drunkenness made them stagger and fall to the ground, shall be trodden down there.

As the hasty fruit; which coming before the season, and before other fruits, is most acceptable; which as soon as a man sees he covets it, and plucks it off, yet doth not long enjoy it, but through greediness devours it almost as soon as he can get it into his hand.

In that day; when the kingdom of Israel shall be utterly destroyed. For a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty; God shall give them eminent glory and beauty.

He explains how, or wherein, God would glorify and beautify them, even by giving wisdom to their rulers, and courage to their soldiers; which two things contribute much to the strength, and safety, and glory of a nation.

But, alas! Judah is guilty of the same sins with Israel, and therefore they also must expect the same calamities; of which he speaks afterward. They run into the same excess of wine and strong drink, whereby they besot themselves, and fall into many errors and miscarriages, both in sacred and civil…

All tables; at which the priests, and prophets, and other Jews did eat and drink. They hardly made one sober meal; drunkenness was their daily practice. No place; no table, or no part of the table; no, not so much as the holy places, in which the priests did frequently eat their meals.

Whom shall he, to wit, the teacher, which is easily understood out of the following verb; either God, or his prophets, or ministers; teach knowledge? who is there among this people that are capable and willing to be taught the good knowledge of God? A minister may as soon teach a young child as…

Precept must be upon precept; they must be taught, like little children, slowly, and by leisure; the same things being oft repeated, because of their great dulness. Line upon line; one line of the book after another, as children are taught to read.

For; or, therefore, as this particle is oft used. For this seems to be the punishment of their dulness. With stammering lips; either, 1. In way of condescension, as mothers and nurses teach children, lisping and stammering with them. Or, 2. In way of judgment; which suits best with the next clause.

To whom he said, to which people the Lord, by his minister, said, This, this doctrine or precept, as it is expressed, Isa. 28:9–10, or the word of the Lord, as it follows, Isa. 28:13, is the rest; the only way, in the observation of which you will find rest and satisfaction.

The sense of the words thus rendered may be this, They spake of God’s word with scorn and contempt, repeating the prophet’s words in a scoffing manner, and with a stammering and ridiculous tone, saying, Precept upon precept, &c.

Ye scornful men; which make a mock at sin, and at God’s words and threatenings; and doubt not by your witty devices, and by your wicked practices, to escape God’s judgments, of which we read in the next verse.

Because ye have said in your hearts, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; we are as safe from death, and hell, or the grave, as if they had entered into covenant with us, that they would not invade us.

Therefore: the coherence is something obscure and difficult. It may be made either, 1. Thus, Therefore I will bring most terrible judgments upon you; which are fully expressed, Isa. 28:17–21.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; I will execute just judgment, as it were by a line and plummet annexed to it, i.e. with exactness and care. And this may be understood either, 1.

Disannulled; made void, or of none effect; it shall stand you in no stead. Ye shall be trodden down by it; which you flattered yourselves that it should not come unto you, Isa. 28:15.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you; as soon as this overflowing scourge or judgment shall go forth from me into the land, it shall assuredly, and with the first, take or seize upon you scoffers, or carry you away, which agrees well, both with the Hebrew word, which is frequently…

For those lying refuges to which you trust will not be able to give you that protection and comfort which you expect from them, no more than a man can stretch himself (as these luxurious Israelites used to do, Amos 6:4) upon a bed which is too narrow for him, or wrap or keep himself warm with a…

Shall rise up, to act and fight against you; as he is said to sit still, when he doth forbear to act. Mount Perazim where he fought against the Philistines, 2 Sam. 5:20. The valley of Gibeon; where he fought against the Canaanites, Josh. 10:10;c, and afterwards against the Philistines, 1 Chron.

Be ye not mockers; for your own sakes do not make a mock of God’s word and threatenings, as you use to do. Lest your bands be made strong; lest thereby you make the judgments of God, which are oft compared to bands, as Ps. 66:11, Ps.

Observe what I say, and do you judge if it be not reasonable.

Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? the ploughman doth not spend all his time in ploughing the ground, in order to the sowing it, or, as it follows, in opening it, and breaking its clods; but he hath several times for several works, a time for ploughing, and a time for sowing and harrowing,…

Made plain the face thereof, by breaking the clods, which made it ragged and uneven. The principal wheat; either, 1. The wheat, which is the principal or chief of all these grains; or, 2. The best wheat, which he prudently chooseth for seed.

The sense of the words thus rendered is this, All this he performeth by that discretion which God hath put into him; and therefore be assured that God will order all his affairs with judgment, and will in due season execute the punishments which now he threatens, and will perfect his own works.

A threshing instrument; which then and there was made like a sled shod with iron, which was drawn by men or beasts over the sheafs of corn, to bruise them, and beat the grain out of them.

Bread corn is bruised with a threshing instrument, by comparing this with the foregoing verse and the following words. Because; or rather, but, or nevertheless, as the word is frequently used.

This also; this part of the husbandman’s discretion, expressed Isa. 28:27–28, as well as that expressed Isa. 28:24–25. Which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working: these words contain the application of the similitude.