CHAPTER 28
Woe
to the majestic
crown
of Ephraim’s
drunkards,
to the fading
flower
of his glorious
splendor,
set
on
the summit
above the fertile
valley,
the pride of those overcome
by wine.
Behold,
the Lord
has a strong
and mighty one.
Like a hailstorm
or destructive
tempest,
like a driving rain
or flooding downpour,
He will smash it
to the ground.
The fading
flower
of his beautiful
splendor,
on
the summit
above the fertile
valley,
will be
like a ripe fig
before
the summer harvest:
Whoever sees
it will swallow it
while it is still
in his hand.
On that
day
the LORD
of Hosts
will be
a crown
of glory,
a diadem
of splendor
to the remnant
of His people,
a spirit
of justice
to him who sits
in
judgment,
and a strength
to those who repel
the onslaught
at the gate.
These
also
stagger
from wine
and stumble
from strong drink:
Priests
and prophets
reel
from strong drink
and are befuddled
by
wine.
They stumble
because of
strong drink,
muddled
in their visions
and stumbling
in their judgments.
Who is it
He is trying to teach?
To whom
is He explaining
His message?
To infants just weaned
from milk?
To babies removed
from the breast?
For He says,
“Order
on order,
order
on order,
line
on line,
line
on line,
a little
here,
a little
there.”
to whom
He has said:
“This
is the place of rest,
let the weary
rest;
this
is the place of repose.”
But they would
not
listen.
Then the word
of the LORD
will come
to them:
“Order
on order,
order
on order,
line
on line,
line
on line,
a little
here,
a little
there,”
so that
they will go
stumbling
backward
and be injured,
snared,
and captured.
For
you said,
“We have made
a covenant
with
death;
we have fashioned
an agreement
with
Sheol.
When
the overwhelming scourge
passes through,
it will not
touch us,
because
we have made
lies
our refuge
and falsehood
our hiding place."
So
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
“See,
I lay
a stone
in Zion,
a tested
stone,
a precious
cornerstone,
a sure
foundation;
the one who believes
will never
be shaken.
I will make
justice
the measuring line
and righteousness
the level.”
Hail
will sweep away
your refuge
of lies,
and water
will flood
your hiding place.
Your covenant
with
death
will be dissolved,
and your agreement
with
Sheol
will not
stand.
When
the overwhelming
scourge
passes through,
you will be
trampled by it.
As often as
it passes through,
it will carry you away;
it will sweep through
morning
after morning,
by day
and by night.
Sheer
terror will come
from understanding
the message.
For
the LORD
will rise up
as at Mount
Perazim.
He will rouse Himself
as in the valley
of Gibeon,
to do
His work,
His strange
work,
and to perform
His task,
His disturbing
task.
So now,
do not
mock,
or
your shackles
will become heavier.
Indeed,
I have heard
from the Lord
GOD
of Hosts
a decree
of destruction
against
the whole
land.
When
he has leveled
its surface,
does he not
sow
caraway
and scatter
cumin?
He plants
wheat
in rows
and barley
in plots,
with rye
within its border.
Surely
caraway
is not
threshed
with a sledge,
and the wheel
of a cart
is not rolled
over
the cumin.
But
caraway
is beaten out
with a stick,
and cumin
with a rod.
Grain for bread
must be ground,
but
it is not
endlessly threshed.
Though the wheels
of the cart
roll over it,
the horses
do not
crush it.