The interpretation of this verse is difficult because it mixes reality with figurative language. It is unclear who is being warned here. For some interpreters the warning is against the leaders of Israel who are habitually drunk and against their capital city of Samaria. If so, the head in the last line is an image for both the drunken leaders and Samaria, which was located on top of a hill. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and the first example below adopt this view. For other interpreters the warning is against Samaria as the representative of Israel. Its fading glory is compared to wilted flowers crowning the heads of its drunken leaders. New International Version, Bible en français courant, and the last two examples below adopt this view. Translators may follow either view.

Woe to…!: As in chapter 5, the Hebrew particle rendered Woe announces doom, grief, and even punishment. For comments on this particle, see 1.4, where it is rendered “Ah.” Good News Translation uses the verb phrase “is doomed” to express it.

The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim: The proud crown is a metaphor for those who wear it as the leaders of Israel, or for the city of Samaria (see the comments above). A crown is a type of headgear worn by leaders (see 23.8). The adjective proud means they wear it proudly. It gave them honor (similar to “crown of glory” in Pro 16.31). Translators should keep the figure of the crown since it is a key term in verses 1-6.

And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty is a further description of the crown. The noun flower is parallel with crown, so a flower garland is in view here. Fading means the flowers are dying. Its glorious beauty refers to the former beauty of the dying flowers. The prophet uses sarcasm here—the once beautiful flower garland is now all wilted! Since this line is parallel with the previous one, translators may want to repeat the idea of Woe at the beginning of it.

Which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine: This relative clause refers back to both the crown and the flower, specifying on whose head they sit. Those who wear the crown of flowers may be those in the rich valley and those overcome with wine. Or they may be only those in the rich valley, which is an area that belongs to those overcome with wine. Most versions follow the second view. The majority of scholars agree that the head of the rich valley refers to the city of Samaria, sitting on top of a hill. It “crowns” the surrounding valleys that are rich or fertile. Revised English Bible follows a different text here, saying “the heads of those who drip with perfumes” (similarly Good News Translation), but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project firmly rejects this reading. New Revised Standard Version suggests “the head of those bloated with rich food” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), which we do not recommend. New International Version provides a helpful model with “the head of a fertile valley” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible). If those overcome with wine also wear the crown, this phrase refers to the drunken leaders of Israel. If they do not wear it, then all the drunken people of Israel are in view.

Bible en français courant provides the following helpful model for the whole verse: “What a misfortune to see Samaria, the town that is like a crown, pride of the drunkards of Ephraim! Towering above the rich valley, its lavish finery is only faded flowers on the head of those men stupefied by wine.” Other possible examples are:

• Woe to those drunkards of Ephraim who proudly wear a garland;
woe to those whose glorious beauty is but a dying flower
on the mountain above the fertile valley,
on the head of those lying drunk with wine.

• Alas for that city which is like a crown,
the pride of the drunk people of Ephraim;
its glorious beauty is now only wilted flowers
on the head of the rich valley of those completely under the influence of wine.

• Ah, that proud crown of the drunken people of Ephraim!
Ah, that crown of fading flowers which was once so beautiful!
It is a city* overlooking a lush valley,
belonging to those drunk with wine.

* The “city” is Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. It represents the whole country.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .