Isa 28
1
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of
his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome
with wine!
2
Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one; as a tempest of hail, a destroying storm,
as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, will he cast down to the earth with the
hand.
3
The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot:
4
and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley,
shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he who looks upon it
sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.
5
In that day will YHWH of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to
the residue of his people;
6
and a spirit of justice to him whom sits in judgment, and strength to them that turn
back the battle at the gate.
7
And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet
reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink;
they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8
For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean].
9
Whom will he teach knowledge? and whom will he make to understand the message? them
that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
10
For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, there a little.
11
Nay, but by [men of] strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people;
12
to whom he said, This is the rest, give you rest to him whom is weary; and this is
the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13
Therefore shall the word of YHWH be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and
fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14
Wherefore hear the word of YHWH, you scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem:
15
Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at
agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us;
for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16
therefore thus says the Lord YHWH, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,
a tried stone, a precious corner -[stone] of sure foundation: he who believes shall
not be in haste.
17
And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall
sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.
18
And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall
not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden
down by it.
19
As often as it passes though, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass
through, by day and by night: and it shall be nothing but terror to understand the
message.
20
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.
21
For YHWH will rise up as in mount Perazim, he will 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.
22
Now therefore be you not scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for a decree of
destruction have I heard from the Lord, YHWH of hosts, upon the whole earth.
23
Give you ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24
Does he who plows to sow plow continually? does he [continually] open and harrow his
ground?
25
When he has levelled its face, does he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter
the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and
the spelt in its border?
26
For his God does instruct him aright, [and] does teach him.
27
For the fitches are not threshed with a sharp [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.
28
Bread [grain] is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel
of his cart and his horses scatter it, he does not grind it.
29
This also comes forth from YHWH of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent
in wisdom.