Judgment on Ephraim

1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious adornment, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine.

2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail [and] a destroying tempest; as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, shall he cast down to the earth with might.

3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet;

4and the fading flower of his glorious adornment which is on the head of the fat valley shall be like an early fig before the summer: as soon as he that seeth it perceiveth it, scarcely is it in his hand, he swalloweth it down.

5In that day will Jehovah of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of his people;

6and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

7But these also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are they gone astray. The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are overpowered by wine, they are gone astray through strong drink; they have erred in vision, they have stumbled [in] judgment.

8For all tables are full of filthy vomit, so that there is no [more] place.

9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand the report? Them that are weaned from the milk, withdrawn from the breasts?

10For [it is] precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. ...

11For with stammering lips and a strange tongue will he speak to this people;

12to whom he said, This is the rest: cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing. But they would not hear.

13And the word of Jehovah was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little: that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

A Cornerstone in Zion

(1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 1 Peter 2:4-12)

14Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

15For ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol have we made an agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.

16Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I lay for foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that trusteth shall not make haste.

17And I will appoint judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.

18And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, ye shall be trodden down by it.

19As it passeth through it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be terror only to understand the report.

20For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it.

21For Jehovah will rise up as on mount Perazim, he will be moved with anger as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and perform his act, his unwonted act.

22Now therefore be ye not scorners, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord Jehovah of hosts a consumption, and [one] determined, upon the whole land.

Listen and Hear God's Voice

23Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

24Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? Is he [all day] opening and breaking the clods of his land?

25Doth he not, when he hath levelled the face thereof, cast abroad dill, and scatter cummin, and set the wheat in rows, and the barley in an appointed place, and the rye in its border?

26His God doth instruct him in [his] judgment, he doth teach him.

27For the dill is not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but dill is beaten out with a staff, and cummin with a rod.

28Bread [corn] is crushed, because he will not ever be threshing it; and if he drove the wheels of his cart and his horses [over it], he would not crush it.

29This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, great in wisdom.