Isa 28:7-8 | JFB | STEP | 7. Though Judah is to survive the fall of Ephraim, yet "they also" (the men of Judah) have perpetrated like sins to those of Samaria ( ), which must be chastised by God. erred . . . are out of the way —"stagger . . . reel." Repeated, to express the frequency of the vice. priest . . . prophet —If the ministers of religion sin so grievously, how much more the other rulers ( )! vision —even in that most sacred function of the prophet to declare God's will revealed to them. judgment —The priests had the administration of the law committed to them ( ). It was against the law for the priests to take wine before entering the tabernacle ( ).

Isaiah 28:7-8

7. Though Judah is to survive the fall of Ephraim, yet "they also" (the men of Judah) have perpetrated like sins to those of Samaria (Isa 5:3, 11), which must be chastised by God.

erred . . . are out of the way—"stagger . . . reel." Repeated, to express the frequency of the vice.

priest . . . prophet—If the ministers of religion sin so grievously, how much more the other rulers (Isa 56:10, 12)!

vision—even in that most sacred function of the prophet to declare God's will revealed to them.

judgment—The priests had the administration of the law committed to them (De 17:9; 19:17). It was against the law for the priests to take wine before entering the tabernacle (Le 10:9; Eze 44:21).

5-13. The prophet now turns to Judah; a gracious promise to the remnant ("residue"); a warning lest through like sins Judah should share the fate of Samaria.

crown—in antithesis to the "fading crown" of Ephraim (Isa 28:1, 3).

the residue—primarily, Judah, in the prosperous reign of Hezekiah (2Ki 18:7), antitypically, the elect of God; as He here is called their "crown and diadem," so are they called His (Isa 62:3); a beautiful reciprocity.