Verse 1
1. crown of pride—Hebrew for "proud crown of the drunkards," c. [HORSLEY], namely, Samaria, the capital of Ephraim, or Israel. "Drunkards," literally (Isaiah 28:7 Isaiah 28:8; Isaiah 5:11; Isaiah 5:22; Amos 4:1; Amos 6:1-6) and metaphorically, like drunkards, rushing on to their own destruction.
beauty . . . flower—"whose glorious beauty or ornament is a fading flower." Carrying on the image of "drunkards"; it was the custom at feasts to wreathe the brow with flowers; so Samaria, "which is (not as English Version, 'which are') upon the head of the fertile valley," that is, situated on a hill surrounded with the rich valleys as a garland (1 Kings 16:24); but the garland is "fading," as garlands often do, because Ephraim is now close to ruin (compare 1 Kings 16:24- :); fulfilled 721 B.C. (2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 17:24).
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