Yesaya 5:22

5:22 Those who are champions ¹  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ² 

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

Yesaya 28:7-8

28:7 Even these men ³  stagger because of wine,

they stumble around because of beer –

priests and prophets stagger because of beer,

they are confused ⁴  because of wine,

they stumble around because of beer;

they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, ⁵ 

they totter while making legal decisions. ⁶ 

28:8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit;

no place is untouched. ⁷ 

Yesaya 56:12

56:12 Each one says, ⁸ 

‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!

Let’s guzzle some beer!

Tomorrow will be just like today!

We’ll have everything we want!’ ⁹ 

[5:22]  ¹ tn The language used here is quite sarcastic and paves the way for the shocking description of the enemy army in vv. 25-30. The rich leaders of Judah are nothing but “party animals” who are totally incapable of withstanding real warriors.

[5:22]  ² tn Heb “Woe [to]….” See the note at v. 8.

[28:7]  ³ tn Heb “these.” The demonstrative pronoun anticipates “priests and prophets” two lines later.

[28:7]  ⁴ tn According to HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע, the verb form is derived from בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”), not the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”). See earlier notes at 3:12 and 9:16.

[28:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “in the seeing.”

[28:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “[in] giving a decision.”

[28:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “vomit, without a place.” For the meaning of the phrase בְּלִי מָקוֹם (bÿli maqom, “without a place”), see HALOT 133 s.v. בְּלִי.

[56:12]  ⁸ tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[56:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.