Chapter 28

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty [is] a fading⁶ flower, which [are] on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome⁷ 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,⁶ shall cast down⁵² to the earth with the hand.

The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden¹¹ under feet:

And the glorious beauty, which [is] on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading⁶ flower, [and] as the hasty fruit before the summer; which [when] he that looketh⁶ upon it seeth,⁴ while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.⁴

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 sitteth⁶ in judgment, and for strength to them that turn⁵⁶ the battle to the gate.

But they also have erred¹ through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way;¹ the priest and the prophet have erred¹ through strong drink, they are swallowed up⁸ of wine, they are out of the way¹ through strong drink; they err¹ in vision, they stumble¹ [in] judgment.

For all tables are full¹ of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean].

Whom shall he teach⁵⁵ knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand⁴ doctrine? [them that are] weaned⁷ 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 speak¹⁷ to this people.

To whom he said,¹ This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest;⁵⁴ and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would¹ not hear.²

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,⁴ and fall¹ backward, and be broken,⁸ and snared,⁸ and taken.⁸

Wherefore hear³ the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule⁶ this people which [is] in Jerusalem.

Because ye have said,¹ We have made¹ a covenant with death, and with hell are we at¹ agreement; when the overflowing⁶ scourge ⁷⁸⁸⁵ shall pass through,^{4 5674 1} it shall not come⁴ unto us: for we have made¹ lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid⁸ ourselves:

Therefore thus saith¹ the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay¹⁴ in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure⁹⁴ foundation: he that believeth⁵⁶ shall not make haste.⁵⁵

Judgment also will I lay¹ to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away¹ the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow⁴ the hiding place.

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled,²⁷ and your agreement with hell shall not stand;⁴ when the overflowing⁶ scourge shall pass through,⁴ then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth² it shall take⁴ you: for morning by morning shall it pass over,⁴ by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand⁵³ the report.

For the bed is shorter¹ than that [a man] can stretch⁹⁹ himself [on it]: and the covering narrower¹ than that he can wrap⁹⁹ himself [in it].

For the LORD shall rise up⁴ as [in] mount Perazim, ⁶⁵⁵⁶ he shall be wroth⁴ as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do² his work, his strange⁵ work; and bring to pass² his act, his strange act.

Now therefore be ye not mockers,¹¹⁸ lest your bands be made strong:⁴ for I have heard¹ from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined¹² upon the whole earth.

Give ye ear,⁵⁴ and hear³ my voice; hearken,⁵⁴ and hear³ my speech.

Doth the plowman⁶ plow⁴ all day to sow?² doth he open¹⁷ and break the clods¹⁷ of his ground?

When he hath made plain¹⁴ the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad⁵² the fitches, and scatter⁴ the cummin, and cast¹ in the principal wheat and the appointed¹² barley and the rie in their place?

For his God doth instruct¹⁴ him to discretion, [and] doth teach⁵⁵ him.

For the fitches are not threshed⁹³ with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about⁹³ upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out¹¹ with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

Bread [corn] is bruised;⁹³ because he will not ever be threshing^{2 1758 4} it, nor break¹ [it with] the wheel of his cart, nor bruise⁴ it [with] his horsemen.

This also cometh forth¹ from the LORD of hosts, [which] is wonderful⁵² in counsel, [and] excellent⁵² in working.