The Meaning of Isaiah 28:5 Explained

Isaiah 28:5

KJV: In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

YLT: In that day is Jehovah of Hosts For a crown of beauty, and for a diadem of glory, To the remnant of His people.

Darby: In that day will Jehovah of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of his people;

ASV: In that day will Jehovah of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In that day  shall the LORD  of hosts  be for a crown  of glory,  and for a diadem  of beauty,  unto the residue  of his people, 

What does Isaiah 28:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 28:1-13 - The Decay Of An Intemperate People
A new series of prophecies begins here and extends to Isaiah 32:20. Samaria is described as a faded crown or garland on the nation's head because it was disgraced by the national drunkenness. See Amos 4:1. So corrupted was she by strong drink and its attendant evils that the Assyrian invader would plunder her as a man gathers ripe figs. But to Judah, that is, the remnant, the Lord would be a crown or garland, not of pride but of glory. His beauty would not be as a fading flower, but a lasting diadem. What wine is to the sensuous man, that God is to the spiritual. See Ephesians 5:18. You that have to form right judgments, and you that have to turn the battle from the gate, will find all your need in Him. In Isaiah 28:7-8 we have a terrible picture of widespread effects of strong drink; and in Isaiah 28:9-10 the prophet recites the ribald remarks addressed to himself by the roisterers of those evil days. He replies that God would Himself answer them by the stern accents of the Assyrian tongue, which would sound like stammering, Isaiah 28:11; and this would befall them because they would not need the wooing accents of His love, Isaiah 28:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Isaiah 28:5 mean?

In day that will be Yahweh of hosts for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לַעֲטֶ֣רֶת צְבִ֔י וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת תִּפְאָרָ֑ה לִשְׁאָ֖ר עַמּֽוֹ

בַּיּ֣וֹם  In  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יִֽהְיֶה֙  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לַעֲטֶ֣רֶת  for  a  crown 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲטָרָה  
Sense: crown, wreath.
צְבִ֔י  of  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: beauty, glory, honour.
וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת  and  a  diadem 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צְפִירָה  
Sense: plait, chaplet, wreath, crown.
תִּפְאָרָ֑ה  of  beauty 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תִּפְאֶרֶת  
Sense: beauty, splendour, glory.
לִשְׁאָ֖ר  to  the  remnant 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שְׁאָר  
Sense: rest, residue, remnant, remainder.
עַמּֽוֹ  of  His  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.