5. In that day the Lord of Hostsshall become a crown of gloryand a diadem of beautyto the remnant of His people,
6. a spirit of justicefor him who sits in judgment,and strengthto those who turn away the battle at the gate.
7. But they also have erred through wineand stagger from strong drink;the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink,they are confused by wine,they stagger from strong drink;they err while having visions,they stumble when rendering judgment.
8. For all the tables are full of vomitand filthiness so that there is no clean place.
9. “To whom shall He teach knowledge,and to whom shall He interpret the message?Those just weaned from the milkand drawn from the breasts?
10. For He says,‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,line upon line, line upon line,here a little, there a little.’ ”
11. For with stammering lips and foreign tongueHe will speak to this people,
12. He who said to them,“This is the rest. Give rest to the weary,”and, “This is repose,”yet they would not listen.
13. So the word of the Lord will be to 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,be broken, snared, and taken captive.
14. Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, Oscoffers,who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
15. because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,and with hell we are in agreement.The overflowing scourge shall not come to uswhen it passes through,for we have made lies our refugeand under falsehood we have hid ourselves.”
16. Therefore, thus says the Lord God: See, I lay in Zion a stone,a tested stone,a precious cornerstone, firmly placed;he who believes shall not act hastily.
17. I shall make justice the measuring lineand righteousness the plummet;then the hail shall sweep away the refuge of liesand the waters shall overflow the hiding place.