Isaiah 28:2-4

Behold, the Lord hath Namely, at his command, prepared and ready to execute his judgments; a mighty and strong one Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria; which, as a tempest of hail, &c., shall cast down The crown of pride, to the earth, by his hand By the hand of God, which shall strengthen him in this work. The crown, the drunkards, shall be trodden under feet The expression is emphatical; the crown which was upon their own heads shall be trodden under the feet of others; and they, whose drunkenness made them stagger and fall to the ground, shall be trodden down there. The glorious beauty shall be as the hasty fruit That is, the first ripe fruit, which, coming before the season, and before other fruits, is most acceptable. Which he that seeth it eateth up Which, as soon as a man sees, he plucks it off and devours it as soon as he can get it into his hand. And so shall it be with Ephraim's glory, which his enemies shall covet and spoil, and devour greedily. “The image,” says Bishop Lowth, “expresses, in the strongest manner, the great ease with which the Assyrians should take the city and the whole kingdom, and the avidity with which they should seize the rich prey without resistance.”