28:1 Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley - to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
28:2 See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
28:3 That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.
28:4 That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest - as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.
28:5 In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.
28:6 He will be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
28:7 And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.
28:8 All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.
28:9 “Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
28:10 For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that*; a little here, a little there.” / *Hebrew sav lasav sav lasav kav lakav kav lakav (probably meaningless sounds mimicking the prophet’s words); also in verse 13
28:11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
28:12 to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose” - but they would not listen.
28:13 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 - so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.
28:14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
28:15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood* our hiding place.” / *Or false gods
28:16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.
28:17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
28:18 Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.
28:19 As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
28:20 The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
28:21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon - to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.
28:22 Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.
28:23 Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.
28:24 When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
28:25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place,* barley in its plot,** and spelt in its field? / *The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. / **The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
28:26 His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.
28:27 Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick.
28:28 Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.
28:29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.