| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Woe 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. | 1Woe 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! |
| 2Behold, 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. | 2See, 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. |
| 3The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot. | 3That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, will be trampled underfoot. |
| 4The 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. | 4That 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. |
| 5On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people, | 5In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people. |
| 6a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate. | 6He 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. |
| 7These 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. | 7And 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. |
| 8For all their tables are covered with vomit; there is not a place without filth. | 8All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth. |
| 9Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast? | 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? |
| 10For they hear: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line; a little here, a little there.” | 10For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there." |
| 11Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people | 11Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, |
| 12to 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. | 12to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen. |
| 13Then 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. | 13So 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. |
| 14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. | 14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. |
| 15For 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.” | 15You 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." |
| 16So 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. | 16So 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. |
| 17I 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. | 17I 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. |
| 18Your 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. | 18Your 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. |
| 19As 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. | 19As 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. |
| 20Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you. | 20The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you. |
| 21For 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. | 21The 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. |
| 22So 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. | 22Now 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. |
| 23Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say. | 23Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. |
| 24Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil? | 24When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? |
| 25When 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. | 25When 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? |
| 26For his God instructs and teaches him properly. | 26His God instructs him and teaches him the right way. |
| 27Surely 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. | 27Caraway 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. |
| 28Grain 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. | 28Grain 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. |
| 29This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. | 29All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent. |
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