Isaiah 28:2

Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet speaks to the arrogant leaders of Ephraim who are intoxicated and complacent. He delivers this warning immediately after condemning their fading, prideful crown in the preceding verse.

The words — The Hebrew הִנֵּ֨ה (hi.Neh) functions as an urgent "behold," while חָזָ֤ק (cha.Zak) and וְ/אַמִּץ֙ (ve./'a.Mitz) describe the Lord’s agent as a "mighty" and "strong" one.

The thread — This motif of divine judgment using violent weather appears in Isaiah 30:30, Ezekiel 13:11, and Nahum 1:8.

Why it lands — The text states that the Lord will deploy a destructive storm to smash the crown of Ephraim to the ground. It requires the reader to abandon reliance on fading earthly security and acknowledge that human pride cannot withstand divine intervention.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הִנֵּ֨הhi.Nehthere!חָזָ֤קcha.Zaka mighty [one]וְאַמִּץ֙ve./'a.Mitzand/ a strong [one]לַֽאדֹנָ֔יla./do.Nai[belongs] to/ [the] Lord כְּזֶ֥רֶםke./Ze.remlike/ a storm of בָּרָ֖דba.Radhail שַׂ֣עַרSa.'ara tempest of קָ֑טֶבKa.tevdestruction כְּ֠זֶרֶםKe./ze.remlike/ a storm of מַ֣יִםMa.yimwater כַּבִּירִ֥יםka.bi.Rimmighty שֹׁטְפִ֛יםsho.te.Fimoverflowing הִנִּ֥יחַhi.Ni.achhe will thrust [it] down לָאָ֖רֶץla./'A.retzto the/ ground בְּיָֽד׃be./Yadwith/ a hand

King James Version

Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.

Cross-references

Isaiah 30:30 And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.
Ezekiel 13:11 tell those whitewashing the wall that it will fall. Rain will come in torrents, I will send hailstones plunging down, and a windstorm will burst forth.
Nahum 1:8 But with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh and pursue His enemies into darkness.
Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.
Isaiah 29:6 you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire.
Isaiah 8:7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
Isaiah 9:9 All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
Isaiah 25:4 For You have been a refuge for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like rain against a wall,
Isaiah 28:15 For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.