The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 28 The Announcement of the Punishment of Ephraim and Judah Because of Their Impetuousness

 The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 28

The Announcement of the Punishment of Ephraim and Judah Because of Their Impetuousness

1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is like a fading flower, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those overcome with wine!

2 Behold, the Lord will send a mighty and powerful man; like a hailstorm, a destructive storm, and like a tempest of mighty waters, he will sweep it down to the ground.

3 The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.

4 And the fading flower of their glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, will be like a draught before summer, which, when one sees it, and while it is still in his hand, swallows it down. 

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

6 And a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle to the gate.

7 But these also err through wine, and are led astray by strong drink: even the priest and the prophet err through strong drink; they are swallowed up with wine; they are led astray by strong drink; they err in vision, and stumble in judgment.

8 For all their tables are full of vomit and uncleanness; there is no clean place.

9 Whom then shall be taught knowledge? And to whom shall be given understanding of what is heard? To him that is weaned, and to him that is weaned from the breasts? 

10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line: here a little, and there a little.

11 Therefore with strange lips and with another tongue he will speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, "This is the rest; give rest to the weary, and this is the refreshing." But they would not listen.

13 Therefore the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little; that they may go and fall backward, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people who are in Jerusalem!

15 Because you say, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Hades are we at an agreement; when the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come near us, because we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves."

16 For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; let him who believes not be in haste.

17 And I will lay justice as the line, and righteousness as the plumb line; and hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall overflow the hiding place.

18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with Hades shall not stand; and when the flood of the scourge shall pass through, then shall you be overwhelmed by it.

19 As soon as it begins to pass through, it will sweep you away; for every morning it shall pass through, and every day, and every night: and it shall come to pass that the very hearing of it shall cause great disturbance.

20 For the bed shall be so short that no one shall stretch himself upon it; and the covering so narrow that no one shall cover himself with it. 

21 For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Petrazim, and be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do his work, his strange work, and to perform his act, his strange act.

22 Now therefore mock no more, lest your bonds become stronger; for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts of a destruction, and it is determined upon the land.

23 Incline your ear, and hear my voice; attend diligently, and hear my speech.

24 Does the farmer plow all day long to sow? Or does he break open and harrow his ground daily?

25 Is it not so: when he has harrowed his land, then he scatters vetch on it, and sows cumin; or sows in it the finest wheat, or choice barley, or rye, each in its place?

26 His God teaches him, and instructs him what he must do.

 27 For the vetch is not threshed with a threshing instrument, nor is the cartwheel driven over the cumin; but the vetch is beaten with a rod, and the cumin with a reed.

28 The wheat is crushed, but it is not continually threshed, nor is it crushed with the cartwheels, nor is it broken by the horses.

29 Even this comes from the Lord of hosts, for he is wonderful in counsel and great in action.