3. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under foot:
4. And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the early fruit before the summer; which when he that looks upon it sees it, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.
5. In that day shall the LORD of hosts be a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of his people,
6. And for a spirit of justice to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.
7. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and taken from the breasts.
10. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12. To whom he said,
13. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14. Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, that rule this people who are in Jerusalem.
15. Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with sheol are we at 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:
16. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,
17. Justice also will I make the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18. And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be beaten down by it.
19. From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a terror just to understand the report.