5In that day shall the LORD Almighty be a glorious crown, and a beautiful diadem (wreath) to the remnant of His people, 6And He will be a spirit of justice to those who sit in judgment, and for strength to those who guard the gate.

7But they are also led by drunks have erred through wine, and strong drink. The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they lose themselves in wine and strong drink, they reel from their visions, they stumble in judgment. 8All tables are covered vomit and filthiness, so that there is no clean space. 9“Who does the LORD think we are?”, they ask. “Why does He speak to us like we little children, just recently weaned? 10For He repeats precept upon precept – do this, do that; a rule for this; a rule for that; here a little, and there a little. 11So now He will have to speak to His people through the foreign lips and language of their (Assyrian) conquerors.” 12Because He said to them, “This is the resting place where you may let the weary rest; and this is the refreshing”; but they would not listen. 13And so the word of the LORD would become to them as precept upon precept, – do this, do that; a rule for this; a rule for that; here a little, and there a little; so that as they go, they might not stumble, fall backward, be broken, snared, and captured.

14Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men that rule the people in Jerusalem. 15Because you boast, “We have made a covenant with death; and with the grave we have made a deal, when the overwhelming scourge sweeps through, it cannot touch us; for we have made lies our refuge, and falsehood is our hiding place.” 16And so this is what the LORD God says, “Look, I lay a Stone in Zion, a tried and tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone, for a sure Foundation; he that believes shall never be in panic. 17 I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line; and the hail shall sweep away your refuge of lies, and water shall overflow your hiding place. 18And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overwhelming scourge sweeps through, you shall be mowed down by it. 19As often as it comes, it shall carry you away; for morning by morning, and by day and by night shall it sweep through, and to understand this message shall bring terror. 20For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself out on it; and the covers too narrow to wrap up in.” 21For the LORD shall rise up as He did at Mount Perazim (2 Sam.5:20), He shall be aroused as in the valley of Gibeon (Joshua 10:10-12), that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act. 22Now stop your scoffing, or your chains will be made heavier; for I (Isaiah) have heard from the LORD God Almighty of the destruction that is determined upon the whole land.

23Listen, and hear my words; pay attention to what I say. 24Does the farmer always plow and never sow? Does he break open the clods of as he works his soil? 25When he has levelled the surface of it, does he not spread abroad the dill, the cummin, and sow the best wheat in rows and the appointed barley and the spelt (rye) in their place? 26For his God teaches him the right way. 27For the dill (fitches) is not threshed with a threshing instrument, nor is a cart wheel rolled upon the cummin; but the dill is threshed out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. 28Bread grain must be ground; because one would be forever threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor grind it with the hooves of his horses. 29All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, Whose wisdom is wonderful; and His counsel is excellent.

Isaiah 29