John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 28

Woe to the crown of pride. Isaiah now enters on another and different subject from what precedes it, for this discourse must be separated from the former one. He shows that the anger of the Lord will quickly overtake, first, Israel, and afterwards the Jews. It is probable that the kingdom of Israel was still intact when the Prophet uttered these prophecies, though, while it cannot be affirmed with certainty, there is good reason to believe that the ten tribes had not at that time been led into captivity.

Accordingly, the Prophet follows this order. First, he shows that the vengeance of God is not far from Israel, because various sins and corruption of every kind prevailed in it. They were swollen with pride and insolence, had plunged into their luxuries, given way to every kind of licentiousness, and, consequently, had broken out into open contempt of God, as usually happens when people take excessive liberties, for they quickly forget God.

Secondly, he shows that God in some measure restrains His anger by sparing the tribe of Judah. For when the ten tribes, with the half tribe of Benjamin, had been carried into captivity, the Jews still remained intact and unharmed. Isaiah extols this compassion that God manifested, by not allowing His Church to perish but preserving a remnant.

At the same time, he shows that the Jews are so depraved and corrupted that they do not allow God to exercise this compassion. Consequently, because of the wickedness that prevailed among them, no less than in Israel, they too must feel the avenging hand of God. This order should be carefully observed, for many people err in the exposition of this passage because the Prophet has not expressly mentioned the name of Israel, though it is sufficiently known that Ephraim includes the ten tribes.

As for the words, since the particle הוי (hōī) very frequently denotes “wishing evil on a person,” I was reluctant to depart from the common opinion of commentators, especially because the Prophet openly threatens in this passage. Yet, if the translation, Alas the crown! is preferred, I have no objection.

For the excellence of its glory shall be a fading flower. The copulative ו (vau) signifies for or because. He compares the “glory” and “excellence” of Israel to “a fading flower,” as will be stated later. In general, he pronounces a curse on the wealth of the Israelites, for by the word “Crown” he means nothing other than the wicked confidence with which they were puffed up, which resulted from their excessive riches. These vices are almost always found together, because abundance and fullness produce cruelty and pride; for we are elated by prosperity and do not know how to use it with moderation.

They inhabited a rich and fertile country, and on this account Amos (Amos 4:1) calls them fat cows, which feed on the mountain of Samaria. Thus, being puffed up by their wealth, they despised both God and men. The Prophet calls them drunkards, because, being intoxicated by prosperity, they dreaded no adversity and thought that they were beyond the reach of all danger, and that they were not even subject to God Himself.

A fading flower. He alludes, I have no doubt, to the crowns or chaplets which were used at banquets, and which are still used in many places today. The Israelites indulged in gluttony and drunkenness, and the fertility of the soil undoubtedly contributed to their intemperance. By calling it a fading flower, he continues his comparison, elegantly alluding to flowers that suddenly wither.

Which is on the head of the valley of fatness. He says that this glory is on the head of the valley of fatness, because they saw under their feet their pastures, the fertility of which further inflamed their pride. שמנים (shĕmānīm) is translated by some “of ointments;” but that interpretation is inapplicable, for it denotes abundance and fullness, which led them to neglect godliness and to despise God.

By the word “head” or “top,” he alludes to the position of the country, because the Israelites chiefly inhabited rich valleys. He places on it a crown, which surrounds the whole kingdom, because it was flourishing and abounded in every kind of wealth.

This denotes riches, from which arose sluggishness, presumption, rashness, intemperance, and cruelty. This doctrine relates to us also; for the example of these men reminds us that we should use prosperity with moderation, otherwise we will be very unhappy, for the Lord will curse all our riches and abundance.

Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one. This may refer to the Assyrians, as if he were saying that they will be ready at God’s command to fight under his authority as soon as they are called. Yet I prefer to interpret it without a noun, to mean either “a staff” or some other instrument by which the Lord will cast them down from this lofty pride.

As a deluge of hail. He compares it to “a deluge” or to “hail,” by which both herbs and flowers are thrown down, and all the beauty of the earth is marred. Thus he continues the metaphor of the “fading flower,” which he had introduced at the beginning of the chapter, for nothing can be more destructive to flowers than a heavy shower or “hail.” He uses the demonstrative particle הנה (hinnēh), behold, because wicked men are not moved by any threats; therefore, he shows that he is not speaking of what is doubtful or conjecturing randomly, but foretells those things that will immediately take place.

Casting them down with the hand to the earth. ביד (bĕyād), which I translated “with the hand,” is translated by Jerome as “a spacious country,” which does not agree with the words. Others interpret it as “strength,” meaning a violent casting down. But the plain meaning appears to me to be that the glory and splendor of the Israelites will be laid low, as if one threw down a drunken man “with the hand.” The same statement is confirmed by him in the third verse.

And the excellence of its glory. He repeats nearly the same words; for we know how difficult it is to terrify and humble those who have been blinded by prosperity, and whose eyes success covers in the same way that fatness does. As Dionysius the Second, as a result of gorging himself at unseasonable banquets, became so blind that he constantly stumbled, so pleasures and luxuries blind the minds of men so that they no longer know either God or themselves. The Prophet therefore frequently instills the same truth in the minds of men who were dull and bewildered, so that they might understand what would otherwise have appeared incredible to them.

As the hasty fruit before the summer. He now illustrates the subject with another metaphor, exceedingly beautiful and appropriate; for the first-ripe fruits are indeed highly commended because they ripen before others and arouse the expectation for the rest of the produce; but they last only a short time and cannot be preserved, for they are quickly eaten up either by pregnant women, or by children, or by men who do not make a proper selection of their food. He says that the happiness of the Israelites will be of that kind, because their flourishing prosperity will not last long but will be swallowed up in a moment. What Isaiah declared about the kingdom of Israel applies also to the whole world. By their ingratitude, men prevent all the goodness which the Lord has bestowed upon them from reaching maturity; for we abuse His blessings and corrupt them by our wickedness. The consequence is that hasty and short-lived fruits are produced, which cannot yield us continual nourishment.

In that day shall the Lord of hosts. After speaking of the kingdom of Israel, he passes to the tribe of Judah and shows that, amidst this severe vengeance of God, there will still be room for compassion. He shows that although ten tribes perished, the Lord will still preserve some remnant, which He will consecrate to Himself, so that there will be in it a crown of glory and a diadem of excellence, that is, the Church is never disfigured in such a way that the Lord does not adorn it with beauty and splendor.

Yet I do not extend this prophecy indiscriminately to all the Jews, but only to the elect who were wonderfully rescued from death. For although he calls the tribe and half-tribe a remnant when compared with the other ten tribes, as we advance, we will see that he makes a distinction between the tribe of Judah itself and the others.

Nor should we wonder that the Prophet speaks differently about the same people, sometimes directing his discourse to a body corrupted by crimes, and sometimes to the elect. Certainly, when compared with the ten tribes that had revolted from the worship of God and from the unity of faith, he justly calls the Jews a remnant of the people. However, when he sets aside this comparison and considers what they are in themselves, he justly remonstrates against their corruptions.

I am aware that some interpret it differently because of what is said immediately afterward about wine and strong drink (verse 7). They think that this statement should be viewed in connection with the beginning of the chapter. Yet perhaps the Lord spares the Jews. But how would He spare them?

They are in no respect better than the others, for they are equally at fault and must also be exposed to the same punishments. But those commentators do not consider that the Prophet presents an instance of God’s extraordinary kindness: not exercising His vengeance simultaneously against the whole family of Abraham, but, after overthrowing the kingdom of Israel, granting a truce to the Jews to see if they would in any degree repent.

Nor do they consider that, by the same means, he uses the circumstance he had stated to highlight the people’s ingratitude. That is, they should have been instructed by their brothers’ example, for the calamity of Israel should have aroused and moved them to repentance. However, it produced no impression on them and did not make them better.

Therefore, although they were unworthy of such great benefits, the Lord was pleased to preserve His Church in their midst. This is the reason He rescued the tribe of Judah and the half-tribe of Benjamin from that calamity.

Now, since the tribe of Judah was a small portion of the nation and therefore was despised by the haughty Israelites, the Prophet declares that in God alone there are enough riches and glory to supply all earthly defects. From this he shows what is the true method of our salvation: namely, if we place our happiness in God. For as soon as we turn to the world, we gather fading flowers, which immediately wither and decay.

This madness reigns everywhere, and more than it should among us: that we wish to be happy without God—that is, without happiness itself.

Besides, Isaiah shows that no calamities, however grievous, can prevent God from adorning His Church. For when it appears that everything is on the verge of destruction, God will still be a crown of glory to His people. It is also worthy of observation that Isaiah promises new splendor to the Church only when the multitude is diminished, so that believers may not lose courage because of that dreadful calamity that was near.

And for a spirit of judgment. He explains how the Lord will adorn that “remnant” with additional splendor; for he presents examples of the true art of civil government, which mainly contributes to the support of nations. It consists mainly of two things, counsel and strength. The internal administration must be conducted by counsel and wisdom, and “strength” and force are needed against external enemies.

Therefore, since it is by these two defenses that kingdoms and commonwealths defend and maintain their standing, he promises to his people the spirit of “wisdom” and “strength.” At the same time, he shows that it is God who gives both, and that they should not be expected from any other source; for magistrates will not be able to rule and administer justice in a city, and military generals will not be able to repel enemies, unless the Lord directs them.