Isaiah 28:1-4 (Ephraim/Samaria)
Prophecy
Isaiah predicted the imminent fall of the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim/Samaria), describing its glory as a "fading flower" that would be swiftly consumed.
"Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty... Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest... he will hurl it down to the earth with his hand. The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot; and the fading flower of its glorious beauty... will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand." — Isaiah 28:1-4 (ESV)
Fulfillment
Historic View
This prophecy was fulfilled in 722 BCE, shortly after Isaiah delivered it. The Assyrian king Sargon II (and his predecessor Shalmaneser V) besieged and destroyed Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom. The Assyrians deported the population, effectively ending Ephraim as a political entity and fulfilling the prediction that the "flower" would be trampled. The historical details surrounding the fall of Samaria are complex, with both Shalmaneser V (in the biblical account) and Sargon II (in his own annals) claiming credit for the final conquest.
Conclusion
The swift and total collapse of the Northern Kingdom of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians serves as a direct fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.