KJ3 Literal Translation
Isaiah 28
The prophet threatens Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness. Christ the sure foundation is promised. They are incited to the consideration of Jehovah's discreet providence.
1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower, the glory of his beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of those smitten with wine!
2Behold, a strong and mighty one is to the Lord, like a hailstorm, a destroying storm; like a storm of mighty waters overflowing; He sets down to the earth with His hand.
3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trampled down by feet.
4And shall be the fading flower,the glory of beauty which is on the head of the valley of fatness, like the firstripe fig before summer which the seeing one sees; while it is yet in his palm, he swallows it.
5In that day Jehovah of Hosts shall become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the rest of His people,
6and a spirit of justice to him who sits on the judgment seat; and for might to those turning back the battle toward the gate.
7But also these also have erred by wine, and have strayed through fermented liquor; priest and prophet have erred through fermented liquor; they are swallowed from wine; they stagger from fermented liquor; they err in vision; they stumble in judgment;
8for all tables are full of vomit and filth, without a clean place.
9To whom shall He teach knowledge? And to whom shall He explain the message? Those weaned from milk, those moving from breasts?
10For rule must be on rule, rule on rule; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
11For with stammering lip and another tongue, He will speak to this people;
12of whom He said, This is the rest; cause the weary to rest, even this is the rest. But they willed not to hear.
13Yet the Word of Jehovah was to them, rule upon rule, rule upon rule; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they might go, and stumble, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14So hear the Word of Jehovah, men of scorn ruling this people in Jerusalem.
15Because you have said, We have cut a covenant with death; and, We have made a vision with Sheol, when the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not come to us, for we have made the lie our refuge, and we have hidden in falsehood.
16So, the Lord Jehovah says this: Behold, I place in Zion a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a founded Foundation; he who believes shall not hasten.
17And I will lay judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of the lie; and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18And your covenant with death shall be covered; and your vision with Sheol shall not rise up. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you shall be for a trampling to it.
19As often as it passes, it shall take you; for it shall pass in the morning, in the morning, in the day and in the night, it shall only be a terror to understand the message.
20For the bed is shorter than one can stretch himself on; and the cover is more binding than one can wrap himself in.
21For Jehovah shall rise up, as at Mount Perazim; He shall be stirred as in the Gibeon Valley, to do His work, His work being strange, and to work His work, His foreign work.
22And now do not be mockers, lest your bonds be made strong. For I have heard from the Lord Jehovah of Hosts that a full end even is decreed on all the earth.
23Give ear and hear My voice; pay attention and hear My saying:
24Does the plowman plow all day to sow? Does he open and break the clods of his ground?
25When he has leveled its surface, does he not strew black cummin, and scatter cummin, and set wheat in rows, and barley in its place, and spelt in its border?
26And He instructs him for the right; his God teaches him.
27For black cummin is not threshed with the sledge; and a cartwheel is not turned on cummin. But black cummin is beaten out with the staff, and cummin with the rod.
28Bread is crushed, but not always does one thresh it with threshing; and he drives the wheel of his cart; and his horses do not beat it small.
29This also comes from Jehovah of Hosts, doing wonders in counsel, making sound wisdom great.
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