Isaiah

28 Woe to the eminent crown* of the drunkards of Eʹphra·im,+ and the fading blossom of its* decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley* of those overpowered by wine! 2 Look! Jehovah* has someone strong and vigorous.+ Like a thunderous storm of hail,+ a destructive storm, like a thunderous storm of powerful, flooding waters,+ he will certainly do a casting down to the earth with force.* 3 With the feet the eminent crowns of the drunkards of Eʹphra·im will be trampled+ down. 4 And the fading flower+ of its decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley must become like the early fig+ before summer, that, when the seer sees it, while it is yet in his palm, he swallows it down.

5 In that day Jehovah of armies will become as a crown of decoration+ and as a garland of beauty+ to the ones remaining+ over* of his people, 6 and as a spirit of justice* to the one sitting in the judgment,+ and as mightiness [to] those turning away the battle from the gate.+

7 And these also—because of wine they have gone astray and because of intoxicating liquor they have wandered about. Priest and prophet+—they have gone astray because of intoxicating liquor, they have become confused as a result of the wine, they have wandered+ about as a result of the intoxicating liquor; they have gone astray in their seeing, they have reeled as to decision. 8 For the tables themselves have all become full of filthy vomit+—there is no place [without it].

9 Whom will one instruct in knowledge,+ and whom will one make understand what has been heard?*+ Those who have been weaned from the milk, those moved away from the breasts?+ 10 For it is “command upon command, command upon command, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line, here a little, there a little.”*+ 11 For by those stammering with their lips+ and by a different tongue+ he will speak to this people,+ 12 those to whom he has said: “This is the resting-place. GIVE rest to the weary one. And this is the place of ease,” but who were not willing to hear.+ 13 And to them the word of Jehovah will certainly become “command upon command, command upon command, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line,+ here a little, there a little,” in order that they may go and certainly stumble backwards and actually be broken and ensnared and caught.+

14 Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, YOU braggarts,* YOU rulers+ of this people who are in Jerusalem: 15 Because YOU men have said: “We have concluded a covenant with Death;+ and with Sheʹol we have effected a vision;*+ the overflowing flash flood, in case it should pass through, will not come to us, for we have made a lie our refuge+ and in falsehood we have concealed ourselves”;+ 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “Here I am laying* as a foundation in Zion+ a stone,*+ a tried stone,+ the precious corner+ of a sure foundation.*+ No one exercising faith will get panicky.*+ 17 And I will make justice* the measuring line+ and righteousness+ the leveling instrument; and the hail+ must sweep away the refuge of a lie,+ and the waters themselves will flood out the very place of concealment.+ 18 And YOUR covenant with Death will certainly be dissolved,*+ and that vision of YOURS with Sheʹol will not stand.+ The overflowing flash flood, when it passes through+—YOU must also become for it a trampling place.+ 19 As often as it passes through, it will take YOU men away,+ because morning by morning it will pass through, during the day and during the night; and it must become nothing but a reason for quaking+ to make [others] understand what has been heard.”*

20 For the couch has proved too short for stretching oneself on, and the woven sheet itself is [too] narrow when wrapping oneself up. 21 For Jehovah will rise up just as at Mount Pe·raʹzim,+ he will be agitated just as in the low plain near Gibʹe·on,+ that he may do his deed—his deed is strange—and that he may work his work*—his work is unusual.+ 22 And now do not show yourselves scoffers,+ in order that YOUR bands may not grow strong, for there is an extermination, even something decided upon, that I have heard of from the Sovereign+ Lord, Jehovah of armies, for all the land.*+

23 Give ear, YOU men, and listen to my voice; pay attention and listen to my saying. 24 Is it all day long+ that the plower plows in order to sow seed, that he loosens and harrows his ground?+ 25 Does he not, when he has smoothed out its surface, then scatter black cumin and sprinkle the cumin,+ and must he not put in wheat, millet,*+ and barley in the appointed place,*+ and spelt+ as his boundary?+ 26 And one corrects+ him according to what is right.* His own God* instructs him.+ 27 For it is not with a threshing instrument+ that black cumin is given a treading; and upon cumin no wheel of a wagon is turned. For it is with a rod+ that black cumin is generally beaten out, and cumin with a staff. 28 Is breadstuff itself generally crushed? For never does one incessantly+ keep treading it out.+ And he must set the roller of his wagon in motion, and his own steeds, [but] he will not crush it.+ 29 This also is what has come forth from Jehovah of armies himself,+ who has been wonderful in counsel, who has done greatly in effectual working.+