Isaiah 28:4

Isaiah 28:4 in 6 English translations. Each links through to the full chapter for context.

New International Version (NIV)

4That 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.

4And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

Which is at the head of the 28:4 Lit valley of fatnessfertile valley,

Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to the summer,

Which 28:4 Lit the one seeing seesone sees,

And 28:4 Lit while it is yetas soon as it is in his 28:4 Lit palmhand,

He swallows it.

4And 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.

4And 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].

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.

4It sits on a hill above a rich valley.

The city is like a wreath of flowers whose glorious beauty is fading away.

But it will become like figs that are ripe before harvest.

As soon as people see them,

they pick them and swallow them.