Isaiah 28:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people,

NIV: In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.

NASB: On that day the Lord of armies will become a beautiful crown And a glorious wreath to the remnant of His people;

CSB: On that day the Lord of Armies will become a crown of beauty and a diadem of splendor to the remnant of his people,

NLT: Then at last the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will himself be Israel’s glorious crown. He will be the pride and joy of the remnant of his people.

KJV: In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

NKJV: In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people,

The northern ten tribes of the nation of Israel (1 Kings 12:16–20) were proud of their capital, Samaria. Isaiah described it as their crown atop the head of a rich valley below. It was a beautiful and prosperous city led by men who had become complacent drunkards. Once the Assyrians conquered the city and shipped most of the people into exile, beauty and prosperity were long gone.

Now Isaiah points to the Lord as the true crown of glory for Israel. He is the absolute diadem or wreath of beauty. He will be placed atop the head of the remnant of His people, Israel. Isaiah may be describing the remnant left behind after the exile (2 Kings 17:5–6). The few who remain will turn again to put their hope and trust in the Lord. The prophet is likely also pointing to Israel's ultimate future. Then, the Lord will reign as king on the earth from Jerusalem over the remnant of Israel: those who remained faithful to Him and eventually to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:1–13 poetically describes Israel's capital Samaria as a crown or wreath on the head of a beautiful valley. Its leaders, though, are drunkards, and the wilted wreath will be trampled by the hailstorm of the Lord's judgment. This comes in the form of Assyrian invaders. Then God will be the glorious crown of Israel once more. Israel's prophets and priests live in a drunken stupor, staggering, vomiting, and mocking Isaiah's warning message from the Lord. Isaiah assures them they will hear the message firsthand from foreign lips when the Lord's judgment falls on them.

Samaria, the capital of Israel, also called Ephraim, is the beautiful crown on the head of the rich valley below. Her leaders are proud and drunk. The Lord will send the Assyrians to trample the crown and send the people into exile. Israel's religious leaders mock Isaiah, but they will hear the Lord's message from the Assyrians. Isaiah warns Jerusalem's leaders not to mock his warning to them from the Lord about the same fate. Their covenant with death will fail. The hailstorm of the Assyrians will beat them down. The Lord's counsel is wonderful.

Isaiah 28 begins a new section following the previous four chapters about Israel's glorious future with the Lord as her king. Now, though, the Lord is sending the Assyrians to judge His own people, first in Ephraim, which is Israel, and then in Judah. The beautiful capital city of Samaria will be trampled like a wilted wreath. Israel's religious leaders mock Isaiah but will hear the Lord's message from the Assyrians themselves. Isaiah warns Jerusalem's leaders not to scoff at his message. Despite Judah's agreements with other nations, the Lord will send the overwhelming scourge to wash away their refuge of lies. The next three chapters of Isaiah (29—31) predict siege and distress for Jerusalem but also promise that God will destroy Judah's enemies and bless them if they return to Him.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 8/23/2025 3:33:28 PM