KJV ORIGINAL
For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
For before the harvest, when the buds are fully formed and the sour grapes are ripening on the vine, he will cut off the new shoots with pruning shears and remove and cut down the branches.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse describes God cutting away at the right time, just before things reach full maturity - like a careful gardener who prunes at the perfect moment.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah is prophesying about God's judgment on the nations, particularly Ethiopia/Cush, using agricultural imagery that would be familiar to his audience. The timing described - just before harvest when fruit is almost ripe - represents God's precise timing in dealing with nations at the height of their power.
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