Woe to the crown
of pride
, to the drunkards
of Ephraim
, whose glorious
beauty
is a fading
flower
, which are on the head
of the fat
valleys
of them that are overcome
with wine
!
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty
and strong one
, which as a tempest
of hail
and a destroying
storm
, as a flood
of mighty
waters
overflowing
, shall cast down
to the earth
with the hand
.
The crown of pride
, the drunkards
of Ephraim
, shall be trodden
under feet
:
And the glorious beauty
, which is on the head
of the fat
valley
, shall be a fading
flower
, and as the hasty fruit
before the summer
; which when he that looketh
upon it seeth
, while it is yet in his hand
he eateth it up
.
In that day shall the LORD
of hosts
be for a crown
of glory
, and for a diadem
of beauty
, unto the residue
of his people
,
And for a spirit of judgment
to him that sitteth
in judgment
, and for strength
to them that turn
the battle
to the gate
.
But they also have erred
through wine
, and through strong drink
are out of the way
; the priest
and the prophet
have erred
through strong drink
, they are swallowed up
of
wine
, they are out of the way
through strong drink
; they err
in vision
, they stumble
in judgment
.
For all tables are full
of vomit
and filthiness
, so that there is no place
clean .
Whom shall he teach knowledge
? and whom shall he make to understand
doctrine
? them that are weaned
from the milk
, and drawn
from the breasts
.
For precept must be upon precept
, precept
upon precept
; line
upon line
, line
upon line
; here a little
, and there a little
:
For with stammering lips
and another
tongue
will he speak
to this people
.
To whom he said, This is the rest
wherewith ye may cause the weary
to rest
; and this is the refreshing
: yet they would
not hear
.
But the word of the LORD
was unto them precept
upon precept
, precept
upon precept
; line
upon line
, line
upon line
; here a little
, and there a little
; that they might go
, and fall
backward
, and be broken
, and snared
, and taken
.
Wherefore hear the word
of the LORD
, ye scornful
men
, that rule
this people
which is in Jerusalem
.
Because ye have said, We have made
a covenant
with death
, and with hell
are we
at 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:
Therefore thus saith the Lord
GOD
, Behold, I lay
in Zion
for a foundation a stone
, a tried
stone
, a precious
corner
stone , a sure
foundation
: he that believeth
shall not make haste
.
Judgment also will I lay
to the line
, and righteousness
to the plummet
: and the hail
shall sweep away
the refuge
of lies
, and the waters
shall overflow
the hiding place
.
And your covenant with death
shall be disannulled
, and your agreement
with hell
shall not stand
; when the overflowing
scourge
shall pass through
, then ye shall be trodden down
by it.
From the time that it goeth forth
it shall take
you: for morning
by morning
shall it pass over
, by day
and by night
: and it shall be a vexation
only to understand
the report
.
For the bed is shorter
than that a man can stretch
himself on it : and the covering
narrower
than that he can wrap
himself in it .
For the LORD shall rise up
as in mount
Perazim
, he shall be wroth
as in the valley
of Gibeon
, that he may do
his work
, his strange
work
; and bring to pass
his act
, his strange
act
.
Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands
be made strong
: for I have heard
from the Lord
GOD
of hosts
a consumption
, even determined
upon the whole earth
.
Give ye ear, and hear
my voice
; hearken
, and hear
my speech
.
Doth the plowman plow
all day
to sow
? doth he open
and break the clods
of his ground
?
When he hath made plain the face
thereof, doth he not cast abroad
the fitches
, and scatter
the cummin
, and cast
in the principal
wheat
and the appointed
barley
and the rie
in their place
?
For his God doth instruct
him to discretion
, and doth teach
him.
For the fitches are not threshed
with a threshing instrument
, neither is a cart
wheel
turned about
upon the cummin
; but the fitches
are beaten out
with a staff
, and the cummin
with a rod
.
Bread corn is bruised
; because he will not ever
be threshing
it, nor break
it with the wheel
of his cart
, nor bruise
it with his horsemen
.
This also cometh forth from the LORD
of hosts
, which is wonderful
in counsel
, and excellent
in working
.