Study Desk

Woe^(a) to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's^(b) drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley^(c)— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!^(d)

See, the Lord has one who is powerful^(e) and strong. Like a hailstorm^(f) and a destructive wind,^(g) like a driving rain and a flooding^(h) downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's⁽ⁱ⁾ drunkards, will be trampled^(j) underfoot.

That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley,^(k) will be like figs^(l) ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.

In that day^(m) the Lord Almighty will be a glorious⁽ⁿ⁾ crown,^(o) a beautiful wreath for the remnant^(p) of his people.

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.

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.

All the tables are covered with vomit^(z) and there is not a spot without filth.

"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?

For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that^[a]; a little here, a little there.^(ae)"

Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues^(af) God will speak to this people,^(ag)

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.

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)

Therefore hear the word of the Lord ,^(al) you scoffers^(am) who rule this people in Jerusalem.

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)"

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "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)

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.

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.

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)

The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^(bf)

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.

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)

Listen^(bm) and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.

When a farmer plows for planting,^(bn) does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?

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?

His God instructs him and teaches^(br) him the right way.

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.

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.

All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful,^(bw) whose wisdom is magnificent.^(bx)

Woe^(a) to you, Ariel, Ariel,^(b) the city^(c) where David settled! Add year to year and let your cycle of festivals^(d) go on.

Yet I will besiege Ariel;^(e) she will mourn and lament,^(f) she will be to me like an altar hearth.^[a](g)

I will encamp against you on all sides; I will encircle^(h) you with towers and set up my siege works⁽ⁱ⁾ against you.

Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble^(j) out of the dust.^(k) Your voice will come ghostlike^(l) from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper.^(m)

But your many enemies will become like fine dust,⁽ⁿ⁾ the ruthless^(o) hordes like blown chaff.^(p) Suddenly,^(q) in an instant,

the Lord Almighty will come^(r) with thunder^(s) and earthquake^(t) and great noise, with windstorm and tempest^(u) and flames of a devouring fire.^(v)

Then the hordes of all the nations^(w) that fight against Ariel,^(x) that attack her and her fortress and besiege her, will be as it is with a dream,^(y) with a vision in the night—

as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens^(z) hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still.^(aa) So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.^(ab)

Be stunned and amazed,^(ac) blind yourselves and be sightless;^(ad) be drunk,^(ae) but not from wine,^(af) stagger,^(ag) but not from beer.

The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep:^(ah) He has sealed your eyes^(ai) (the prophets);^(aj) he has covered your heads (the seers).^(ak)

For you this whole vision^(al) is nothing but words sealed^(am) in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, "Read this, please," they will answer, "I can't; it is sealed."

Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, "Read this, please," they will answer, "I don't know how to read."

The Lord says: "These people^(an) come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,^(ao) but their hearts are far from me.^(ap) Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.^[b](aq)

Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder;^(ar) the wisdom of the wise^(as) will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.^(at)"

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide^(au) their plans from the Lord , who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us?^(av) Who will know?"^(aw)

You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!^(ax) Shall what is formed say to the one who formed^(ay) it, "You did not make me"? Can the pot say to the potter,^(az) "You know nothing"?^(ba)

In a very short time,^(bb) will not Lebanon^(bc) be turned into a fertile field^(bd) and the fertile field seem like a forest?^(be)

In that day^(bf) the deaf^(bg) will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness^(bh) the eyes of the blind will see.^(bi)

Once more the humble^(bj) will rejoice in the Lord ; the needy^(bk) will rejoice in the Holy One^(bl) of Israel.

The ruthless^(bm) will vanish,^(bn) the mockers^(bo) will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil^(bp) will be cut down—

those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court^(bq) and with false testimony^(br) deprive the innocent of justice.^(bs)

Therefore this is what the Lord , who redeemed^(bt) Abraham,^(bu) says to the descendants of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed;^(bv) no longer will their faces grow pale.^(bw)

When they see among them their children,^(bx) the work of my hands,^(by) they will keep my name holy;^(bz) they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One^(ca) of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Those who are wayward^(cb) in spirit will gain understanding;^(cc) those who complain will accept instruction."^(cd)