Isaiah 28:4

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.

³ The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.

The 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.

⁵ On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,

⁶ a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: The 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.
KJV: And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
WEB: The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
ASV: and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
DARBY: and the fading flower of his glorious adornment which is on the head of the fat valley shall be like an early fig before the summer: as soon as he that seeth it perceiveth it, scarcely is it in his hand, he swalloweth it down.
BLB: The fading flower, the beauty of his glory that [is] on the head of the valley of fatness, will be like a ripe fig before summer, which the one seeing it sees, [and] with it still in his palm, he swallows it.

ÅB: og med den falmende blomst, hans fagre pryd, som troner over den fete dal, skal det gå som med den fiken som er moden før sommeren er der: Så snart en ser den, sluker han den, mens den enda er i hans hånd.
OTB: Den visnende blomsten av dens herlige skjønnhet, som er på hodet av den fruktbare dalen, vil være som den første modne fiken før sommeren; så snart noen ser den, mens den ennå er i deres hånd, svelger de den.
B1930: og med den falmende blomst, hans fagre pryd, som troner over den fete dal, skal det gå som med den fiken som er moden før sommeren er der: Så snart en ser den, sluker han den, mens den ennu er i hans hånd.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Nahum 3:12
All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
Read in context
Micah 7:1
Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.
Read in context
Hosea 6:4
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim ? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
Read in context
Isaiah 28:1
Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.
Read in context
Psalms 73:19–20
How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
Read in context
Hosea 13:15
Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come— a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
Read in context
Revelation 6:13
and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.
Read in context
Hosea 9:10–11
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.
Read in context