Bible Reading Plan

⁵ In that day^(m) the Lord Almighty
     will be a glorious⁽ⁿ⁾ crown,^(o)
a beautiful wreath
     for the remnant^(p) of his people.
⁶ He will be a spirit of justice^(q)
     to the one who sits in judgment,^(r)
a source of strength
     to those who turn back the battle^(s) at the gate.

⁷ And these also stagger^(t) from wine^(u)
     and reel^(v) from beer:
Priests^(w) and prophets^(x) stagger from beer
     and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
     they stagger when seeing visions,^(y)
     they stumble when rendering decisions.
⁸ All the tables are covered with vomit^(z)
     and there is not a spot without filth.

⁹ "Who is it he is trying to teach?^(aa)
     To whom is he explaining his message?^(ab)
To children weaned^(ac) from their milk,^(ad)
     to those just taken from the breast?
¹⁰ For it is:
     Do this, do that,
     a rule for this, a rule for that^[a];
     a little here, a little there.^(ae)"

¹¹ Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues^(af)
     God will speak to this people,^(ag)
12 to whom he said,
     "This is the resting place, let the weary rest";^(ah)
and, "This is the place of repose"—
     but they would not listen.
¹³ So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
     Do this, do that,
     a rule for this, a rule for that;
     a little here, a little there^(ai)—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
     they will be injured^(aj) and snared and captured.^(ak)

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the Lord ,^(al) you scoffers^(am)
     who rule this people in Jerusalem.
¹⁵ You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death,^(an)
     with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(ao)
     it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie^(ap) our refuge
     and falsehood^[b] our hiding place.^(aq)"

"See, I lay a stone in Zion,^(ar) a tested stone,^(as)
     a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;^(at)
the one who relies on it
     will never be stricken with panic.^(au)
17 I will make justice^(av) the measuring line
     and righteousness the plumb line;^(aw)
hail^(ax) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
     and water will overflow^(ay) your hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled;
     your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^(az)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(ba)
     you will be beaten down^(bb) by it.
¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(bc)
     morning after morning,^(bd) by day and by night,
     it will sweep through."

The understanding of this message
     will bring sheer terror.^(be)
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on,
     the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^(bf)
21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,^(bg)
     he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon^(bh)—
to do his work,^(bi) his strange work,
     and perform his task, his alien task.
²² Now stop your mocking,^(bj)
     or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
     of the destruction decreed^(bk) against the whole land.^(bl)

²³ Listen^(bm) and hear my voice;
     pay attention and hear what I say.
²⁴ When a farmer plows for planting,^(bn) does he plow continually?
     Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
²⁵ When he has leveled the surface,
     does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?^(bo)
Does he not plant wheat in its place,^[c]
     barley^(bp) in its plot,^[d]
     and spelt^(bq) in its field?
²⁶ His God instructs him
     and teaches^(br) him the right way.

²⁷ Caraway is not threshed^(bs) with a sledge,^(bt)
     nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,^(bu)
     and cumin with a stick.
²⁸ Grain must be ground to make bread;
     so one does not go on threshing it forever.
The wheels of a threshing cart^(bv) may be rolled over it,
     but one does not use horses to grind grain.
²⁹ All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
     whose plan is wonderful,^(bw)
     whose wisdom is magnificent.^(bx)