Isaiah 28:4
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to the summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it.

NASB 1995
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it.

NASB 1977
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer; Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the fertile valley, Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand, He swallows it.

Amplified Bible
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the rich valley, Will be like the early fig before the summer, Which one sees, And as soon as it is in his hand He [greedily] swallows it [and so will the Assyrians rapidly devour Samaria, Israel’s capital].

Christian Standard Bible
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, which is on the summit above the rich valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest. Whoever sees it will swallow it while it is still in his hand.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, which is on the summit above the rich valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest. Whoever sees it will swallow it while it is still in his hand.

American Standard Version
and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

Contemporary English Version
Samaria above a fertile valley will quickly lose its glory. It will be gobbled up like the first ripe fig at harvest season.

English Revised Version
and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the firstripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Their glorious beauty is [like] a withered flower. They are at the entrance to a fertile valley. They will be like figs that ripened early. As soon as someone sees them, they will be taken and eaten.

Good News Translation
The fading glory of those proud leaders will disappear like the first figs of the season, picked and eaten as soon as they are ripe.

International Standard Version
And that fading flower, his glorious beauty, which sits on the heads of people bloated with food, will be like an early fig before summer— whenever someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it's in his hand.

Majority Standard Bible
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.

NET Bible
The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest--as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.

New Heart English Bible
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer; which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the early fruit before the summer; which, when he that looketh upon it, seeth while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

World English Bible
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the fading flower of the beauty of his glory "" That [is] on the head of the fat valley, "" Has been as its first-fruit before summer, "" That its beholder sees; He swallows it while it [is] yet in his hand.

Young's Literal Translation
And the fading flower of the beauty of his glory That is on the head of the fat valley, Hath been as its first-fruit before summer, That its beholder seeth, While it is yet in his hand he swalloweth it.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the flower falling away was the glory of his beauty which is upon the head of the valley of fatness, as the first-fruits before fruit harvest which he looking at it shall see, in its continuing in his hand he will swallow it up.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the fading flower the glory of his joy, who is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as a hasty fruit before the ripeness of autumn: which when he that seeth it shall behold, as soon as he taketh it in his hand, he will eat it up.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the falling flower, the glory of his exultation, who is at the summit of the fat valley, will be like a premature fruit before the ripeness of autumn, which, when the onlooker beholds it, as soon he takes it in his hand, he will devour it.

New American Bible
The fading blooms of his glorious beauty at the head of the fertile valley Will be like an early fig before summer: whoever sees it, swallows it as soon as it is in hand.

New Revised Standard Version
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of those bloated with rich food, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer; whoever sees it, eats it up as soon as it comes to hand.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the shameful garland of the strength of his glory, which dominates at the entrance of the fertile valley, shall be as the firstfruits before the summer, which he who sees it picks up at once and devours.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the shameful garland, the power of his glory that is at the head of the heavenly valley will be like the first fruits before the summer, which when whoever sees it while this is in his hand, eats it
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, Which is on the head of the fat valley, Shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, Which when one looketh upon it, While it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the fading flower of the glorious hope on the top of the high mountain shall be as the early fig; he that sees it, before he takes it into his hand, will desire to swallow it down.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment on Ephraim
3The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot. 4The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it. 5On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,…

Cross References
Hosea 9:10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

Amos 8:1-2
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: I saw a basket of summer fruit. / “Amos, what do you see?” He asked. “A basket of summer fruit,” I replied. So the LORD said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel; I will no longer spare them.”

Nahum 3:12
All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!

Jeremiah 24:1-2
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. / One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early, but the other basket contained very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

Micah 7:1
Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.

Joel 1:7
It has laid waste My grapevine and splintered My fig tree. It has stripped off the bark and thrown it away; the branches have turned white.

Jeremiah 8:13
I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the tree, and even the leaf will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.”

Matthew 21:19
Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

Luke 13:6-9
Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. / So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ / ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ...

Revelation 14:18-20
Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” / So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. / And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and the blood that flowed from it rose as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

Matthew 24:32-33
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. / So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.

Mark 11:13-14
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if there was any fruit on it. But when He reached it, He found nothing on it except leaves, since it was not the season for figs. / Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

John 15:1-6
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ...

James 1:11
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

1 Peter 1:24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,


Treasury of Scripture

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 looks on it sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.

shall be

Isaiah 28:1
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

Psalm 73:19,20
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors…

Hosea 6:4
O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

the hasty.

Micah 7:1
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.

Nahum 3:12
All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.

Revelation 6:13
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

eateth.

Jump to Previous
Beauty Dead Early Eateth Eats Fading Fat Fertile Fig First First-Ripe Flower Fruit Glorious Hand Hasty Head Mouth Picks Prior Puts Rich Ripe Someone Soon Summer Swallows Valley
Jump to Next
Beauty Dead Early Eateth Eats Fading Fat Fertile Fig First First-Ripe Flower Fruit Glorious Hand Hasty Head Mouth Picks Prior Puts Rich Ripe Someone Soon Summer Swallows Valley
Isaiah 28
1. The prophet threatens Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness
5. The residue shall be advanced in the kingdom of Christ
7. He rebukes their error
9. Their unwillingness to learn
14. And their security
16. Christ the sure foundation is promised
17. Their security shall be tried
23. They are incited to the consideration of God's providence














Like a fading flower
The phrase "like a fading flower" evokes imagery of beauty that is temporary and fleeting. In Hebrew, the word for "fading" (נָבֵל, nabel) suggests withering or decay, emphasizing the transient nature of human glory and achievements. Historically, flowers have been symbols of beauty and life, yet their short-lived nature serves as a reminder of the impermanence of earthly splendor. This metaphor is a call to humility, urging believers to focus on eternal values rather than temporary worldly allure.

his glorious beauty
The term "glorious beauty" refers to the splendor and majesty that is often associated with human pride and achievement. In the context of Isaiah, this can be seen as a critique of the pride of Ephraim, whose beauty is destined to fade. The Hebrew word for "glory" (כָּבוֹד, kavod) often denotes weightiness or significance, suggesting that what is considered glorious by human standards is ultimately insubstantial without God's enduring presence.

will be set on the head of a fertile valley
This phrase indicates a position of prominence and visibility, as the "head" of a valley is a place of distinction. The "fertile valley" symbolizes abundance and prosperity, yet the setting of the fading flower here suggests that even in places of plenty, human glory is not permanent. The historical context of Israel's geography, with its lush valleys, serves as a backdrop for this metaphor, reminding the audience of the fleeting nature of prosperity without divine blessing.

like a ripe fig before the summer harvest
The imagery of a "ripe fig" conveys readiness and desirability. In ancient Israel, figs were a valued fruit, and their ripeness indicated a time of harvest and enjoyment. However, the timing "before the summer harvest" suggests premature consumption, hinting at the idea of seizing fleeting opportunities without regard for lasting fulfillment. This serves as a caution against impulsive actions driven by immediate gratification rather than waiting on God's timing.

whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it
This phrase illustrates the impulsive nature of human desire, where something seen as desirable is quickly consumed. The act of taking and swallowing signifies immediate satisfaction but also the ephemeral nature of such fulfillment. In a spiritual sense, this can be interpreted as a warning against the pursuit of worldly pleasures that offer temporary satisfaction but lack eternal value. The historical context of ancient Israel, where figs were a common and cherished fruit, underscores the ease with which people can be drawn to transient delights.

(4) And the glorious beauty . . .--Better, And the fading flower of his glorious beauty . . . shall be us the early fig before the fruit-gathering. The "early fig," as a special delicacy (Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1), becomes a type of the beauty and pride of Samaria, doomed to inevitable destruction. (Comp. Nahum 3:12.) Such a fig the passer-by seizes, and eagerly devours. So, the prophet says, with a Dante-like homeliness of comparison, should the Assyrian king treat Samaria.

Verse 4. - And the glorious beauty, etc. Translate, And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be like an early fig (that comes) before the harvest. Such an "early fig" is a tempting delicacy, devoured as soon as seen (comp. Hosea 9:10; Nahum 3:12; Jeremiah 24:2, etc.). The "beauty" of Samaria would tempt the Assyrians to desire it so soon as they saw it, and would rouse an appetite which would be content with nothing less than the speedy absorption of the coveted morsel. Samaria's siege, once begun, was pressed without intermission, and lasted less than three years (2 Kings 18:9, 10) - a short space compared to that of other sieges belonging to about the same period; e.g., that of Ashdod, besieged twenty-nine years (Herod., 2. 157); that of Tyre, besieged thirteen years ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 3:492).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The fading
נֹבֵל֙ (nō·ḇêl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5034: To wilt, to fall away, fail, faint, to be foolish, wicked, to despise, disgrace

flower
צִיצַ֤ת (ṣî·ṣaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6733: A flower

of his beautiful
צְבִ֣י (ṣə·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6643: Splendor, a gazelle

splendor,
תִפְאַרְתּ֔וֹ (ṯip̄·’ar·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8597: Beauty, glory

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the summit
רֹ֖אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

above the fertile
שְׁמָנִ֑ים (šə·mā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8081: Grease, liquid, richness

valley,
גֵּ֣יא (gê)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1516: A valley

will be
וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a ripe fig
כְּבִכּוּרָהּ֙‪‬ (kə·ḇik·kū·rāh)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1061: The first-fruits of the crop

before
בְּטֶ֣רֶם (bə·ṭe·rem)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 2962: Non-occurrence, not yet, before

the summer harvest:
קַ֔יִץ (qa·yiṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7019: To awake

Whoever sees
יִרְאֶ֤ה (yir·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

it will swallow it
יִבְלָעֶֽנָּה׃ (yiḇ·lā·‘en·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf

while it is still
בְּעוֹדָ֥הּ (bə·‘ō·w·ḏāh)
Preposition-b | Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

in his hand.
בְּכַפּ֖וֹ (bə·ḵap·pōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan


Links
Isaiah 28:4 NIV
Isaiah 28:4 NLT
Isaiah 28:4 ESV
Isaiah 28:4 NASB
Isaiah 28:4 KJV

Isaiah 28:4 BibleApps.com
Isaiah 28:4 Biblia Paralela
Isaiah 28:4 Chinese Bible
Isaiah 28:4 French Bible
Isaiah 28:4 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Isaiah 28:4 The fading flower of his glorious beauty (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 28:3
Top of Page
Top of Page