The Captivity of Ephraim 1 DBY Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious adornment, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine. BSB BSB: 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.
2 DBY Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail and a destroying tempest; as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, shall he cast down to the earth with might. BSB BSB: Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
3 DBY The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet; BSB BSB: The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
4 DBY and the fading flower of his glorious adornment which is on the head of the fat valley shall be like an early fig before the summer: as soon as he that seeth it perceiveth it, scarcely is it in his hand, he swalloweth it down. BSB BSB: The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest: Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.
5 DBY In that day will Jehovah of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of his people; BSB BSB: On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,
6 DBY and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. BSB BSB: a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
7 DBY But these also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are they gone astray. The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are overpowered by wine, they are gone astray through strong drink; they have erred in vision, they have stumbled in judgment. BSB BSB: 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.
8 DBY For all tables are full of filthy vomit, so that there is no more place. BSB BSB: For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth.
9 DBY Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand the report? Them that are weaned from the milk, withdrawn from the breasts? BSB BSB: Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
10 DBY For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. ... BSB BSB: For they hear: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there.”
11 DBY For with stammering lips and a strange tongue will he speak to this people; BSB BSB: Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people
12 DBY to whom he said, This is the rest: cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing. But they would not hear. BSB BSB: 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.
13 DBY And the word of Jehovah was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little: that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD to them will become: “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 will be injured, ensnared, and captured.
A Cornerstone in Zion (1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)
14 DBY Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 DBY For ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol have we made an agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. BSB BSB: 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.”
16 DBY Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I lay for foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that trusteth shall not make haste. BSB BSB: 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.
17 DBY And I will appoint judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place. BSB BSB: 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.
18 DBY And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, ye shall be trodden down by it. BSB BSB: 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.
19 DBY As it passeth through it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be terror only to understand the report. BSB BSB: As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
20 DBY For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it. BSB BSB: Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.
21 DBY For Jehovah will rise up as on mount Perazim, he will be moved with anger as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and perform his act, his unwonted act. BSB BSB: 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.
22 DBY Now therefore be ye not scorners, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord Jehovah of hosts a consumption, and one determined, upon the whole land. BSB BSB: 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.
Listen and Hear 23 DBY Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. BSB BSB: Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say.
24 DBY Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? Is he all day opening and breaking the clods of his land? BSB BSB: Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?
25 DBY Doth he not, when he hath levelled the face thereof, cast abroad dill, and scatter cummin, and set the wheat in rows, and the barley in an appointed place, and the rye in its border? BSB BSB: When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border.
26 DBY His God doth instruct him in his judgment, he doth teach him. BSB BSB: For his God instructs and teaches him properly.
27 DBY For the dill is not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but dill is beaten out with a staff, and cummin with a rod. BSB BSB: 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.
28 DBY Bread corn is crushed, because he will not ever be threshing it; and if he drove the wheels of his cart and his horses over it , he would not crush it. BSB BSB: 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.
29 DBY This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, great in wisdom. BSB BSB: This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
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