Woeto the crownof pride, to the drunkardsof Ephraim, whose gloriousbeauty is a fadingflower, which are onthe headof the fatvalleysof them that are overcomewith wine! Behold, the Lordhath a mightyand strong one, which as a tempestof hail and a destroyingstorm, as a floodof mightywatersoverflowing, shall cast downto the earthwith the hand. The crownof pride, the drunkardsof Ephraim, shall be troddenunder feet: And the gloriousbeauty, which is onthe headof the fatvalley, shall bea fadingflower, and as the hasty fruitbeforethe summer; which when he that lookethupon it seeth, while it is yetin his handhe eateth it up. In thatdayshall the LORDof hostsbefor a crownof glory, and for a diademof beauty, unto the residueof his people, And for a spiritof judgmentto him that sittethinjudgment, and for strengthto them that turnthe battleto the gate. But theyalsohave erredthrough wine, and through strong drinkare out of the way; the priestand the prophethave erredthrough strong drink, they are swallowed upofwine, they are out of the waythroughstrong drink; they errin vision, they stumble in judgment. Foralltablesare fullof vomit and filthiness, so that there is noplace clean . Whomshall he teachknowledge? and whomshall he make to understanddoctrine? them that are weanedfrom the milk, and drawnfrom the breasts. Forprecept must be upon precept, preceptupon precept; lineupon line, lineupon line; herea little, and therea little: Forwith stammeringlipsand anothertonguewill he speaktothispeople. Towhomhe said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the wearyto rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they wouldnothear. But the wordof the LORDwasunto them preceptupon precept, preceptupon precept; lineupon line, lineupon line; herea little, and therea little; thatthey might go, and fallbackward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Whereforehearthe wordof the LORD, ye scornfulmen, that rulethispeoplewhich is in Jerusalem. Becauseye have said, We have madea covenantwithdeath, and withhellare we atagreement; whenthe overflowingscourgeshall pass through, it shall notcomeunto us: forwe have madeliesour refuge, and under falsehoodhave we hid ourselves: Thereforethussaiththe LordGOD, Behold, I layin Zionfor a foundationa stone, a triedstone, a preciouscorner stone , a surefoundation: he that believethshall notmake haste. Judgmentalso will I layto the line, and righteousnessto the plummet: and the hailshall sweep awaythe refugeof lies, and the watersshall overflowthe hiding place. And your covenantwithdeathshall be disannulled, and your agreementwithhellshall notstand; whenthe overflowingscourgeshall pass through, then ye shall betrodden downby it. From the timethat it goeth forthit shall takeyou: formorningby morningshall it pass over, by dayand by night: and it shall bea vexationonly to understandthe report. Forthe bedis shorterthan that a man can stretch himself on it : and the coveringnarrowerthan that he can wrap himself in it . Forthe LORDshall rise upas in mountPerazim, he shall be wrothas in the valleyof Gibeon, that he may dohis work, his strangework; and bring to passhis act, his strangeact. Nowtherefore be ye not mockers, lestyour bandsbe made strong: forI have heardfromthe LordGODof hostsa consumption, even determineduponthe wholeearth. Give ye ear, and hearmy voice; hearken, and hearmy speech. Doth the plowmanplowalldayto sow? doth he openand break the clodsof his ground? Whenhe hath made plainthe facethereof, doth he notcast abroadthe fitches, and scatterthe cummin, and castin the principalwheatand the appointedbarleyand the ryein their place? For his Goddoth instructhim to discretion, and doth teachhim. Forthe fitchesare notthreshedwith a threshing instrument, neither is a cartwheelturnedabout uponthe cummin; butthe fitchesare beaten outwith a staff, and the cumminwith a rod. Bread corn is bruised; becausehe will noteverbe threshingit, nor break it with the wheelof his cart, norbruiseit with his horsemen. Thisalsocometh forthfromthe LORDof hosts, which is wonderfulin counsel, and excellentin working.