1 Look at|strong="H5921" Samaria!
2 Look|strong="H2009", the|strong="H3027" Lord|strong="H0136" has|strong="H0136" someone who|strong="H0776" is|strong="H0776" strong|strong="H2389" and|strong="H0776" brave.
3 The|strong="H7429" drunks of|strong="H5850" Ephraim|strong="H0669" are|strong="H7272" proud|strong="H1348" of|strong="H5850" their|strong="H7272" beautiful crown|strong="H5850",
4 That|strong="H0834" city sits on|strong="H5921" a|strong="H1961" hill with|strong="H5921" a|strong="H1961" rich valley|strong="H1516" around|strong="H5921" it|strong="H5921".
5 At|strong="H3068" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3068" LORD|strong="H3068" All-Powerful will|strong="H3068" become|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3068" “Beautiful|strong="H8597" Crown|strong="H5850".” He|strong="H1931" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3068" “Wonderful Crown|strong="H5850" of|strong="H3068" Flowers” for|strong="H3117" his|strong="H3068" people|strong="H5971" who|strong="H1931" are|strong="H3117" left|strong="H1961".
6 Then|strong="H7725" he|strong="H5921" will|strong="H7307" give|strong="H7725" wisdom to|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5921" judges who|strong="H3427" rule|strong="H3427" his|strong="H5921" people|strong="H3427". He|strong="H5921" will|strong="H7307" give|strong="H7725" strength|strong="H1369" to|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5921" people|strong="H3427" who|strong="H3427" are|strong="H4941" in|strong="H3427" battles|strong="H4421" at|strong="H3427" the|strong="H5921" city|strong="H8179" gates|strong="H8179".
7 But|strong="H1571" now|strong="H1571" those|strong="H0428" leaders are|strong="H0428" drunk|strong="H3196". The|strong="H4480" priests|strong="H3548" and|strong="H3548" prophets|strong="H5030" are|strong="H0428" all|strong="H4480" drunk|strong="H3196" with|strong="H1571" wine|strong="H3196" and|strong="H3548" beer|strong="H7941". They|strong="H0428" stumble and|strong="H3548" fall down|strong="H0428". The|strong="H4480" prophets|strong="H5030" are|strong="H0428" drunk|strong="H3196" when|strong="H4480" they|strong="H0428" see their|strong="H4480" dreams. The|strong="H4480" judges are|strong="H0428" drunk|strong="H3196" when|strong="H4480" they|strong="H0428" make their|strong="H4480" decisions.
8 Every|strong="H3605" table|strong="H7979" is|strong="H3605" covered|strong="H4390" with|strong="H4390" vomit|strong="H6892". There|strong="H1097" is|strong="H3605" not|strong="H3588" a|strong="H3588" clean place|strong="H4725" anywhere|strong="H3605".
9 \+w The|strong="H0853"\+w* people say, “Who|strong="H4310" does|strong="H1580" he|strong="H0853" think he|strong="H0853" is|strong="H4310" trying to|strong="H0853" teach|strong="H3384" and|strong="H2461" explain|strong="H0995" his|strong="H0995" message|strong="H8052" to|strong="H0853"? Does|strong="H1580" he|strong="H0853" think we are|strong="H4310" babies who|strong="H4310" were at their|strong="H0995" mother’s breast|strong="H7699" only a|strong="H0995" very short time ago?
10 \+w He|strong="H3588"\+w* speaks \+w to|strong="H8033"\+w* \+w us|strong="H3588"\+w* \+w as|strong="H3588"\+w* \+w though|strong="H3588"\+w* \+w we|strong="H3588"\+w* were babies:
11 So|strong="H3588" God|strong="H0413" will|strong="H3956" use this|strong="H2088" strange way|strong="H2088" of|strong="H8193" talking|strong="H1696", and|strong="H2088" he|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3956" use other|strong="H0312" languages|strong="H3956" to|strong="H0413" speak|strong="H1696" to|strong="H0413" these|strong="H2088" people|strong="H5971".
12 In|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" past he|strong="H0834" spoke|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" them|strong="H0413" and|strong="H8085" said|strong="H0559", “Here|strong="H2063" is|strong="H0834" a|strong="H8085" resting|strong="H4496" place|strong="H4496". Let|strong="H5117" those|strong="H0834" who|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" tired|strong="H5889" come and|strong="H8085" rest|strong="H5117". This|strong="H2063" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" place|strong="H4496" of|strong="H0559" peace|strong="H5117".”
13 So|strong="H4616" the|strong="H3068" LORD’S|strong="H3068" words|strong="H1697" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H1961" senseless|strong="H6673" sounds to|strong="H1961" them|strong="H1992":
14 You|strong="H0834" leaders in|strong="H3068" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" should|strong="H0376" listen|strong="H8085" to|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0834" LORD’S|strong="H3068" message|strong="H1697", but|strong="H0376" now|strong="H2088" you|strong="H0834" refuse to|strong="H3068" listen|strong="H8085" to|strong="H3068" him|strong="H8085".
15 You|strong="H3588" have|strong="H3588" said|strong="H0559", “We|strong="H3588" have|strong="H3588" made|strong="H6213" an|strong="H7760" agreement|strong="H1285" with|strong="H5973" death|strong="H4194". We|strong="H3588" have|strong="H3588" a|strong="H3588" contract with|strong="H5973" death|strong="H4194". So|strong="H6213" we|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" punished. Punishment will|strong="H3808" pass|strong="H5674" us|strong="H3588" without|strong="H3808" hurting us|strong="H3588". We|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3808" hide|strong="H5641" behind our|strong="H3588" tricks and|strong="H0935" lies|strong="H8267".”
16 Because|strong="H3651" of|strong="H0068" these things|strong="H3808", the|strong="H0559" Lord|strong="H0136" GOD|strong="H0136" says|strong="H0559", “I|strong="H2005" will|strong="H3808" put|strong="H0539" a|strong="H3808" rock|strong="H0068"—a|strong="H3808" cornerstone|strong="H6438"—in|strong="H0539" the|strong="H0559" ground in|strong="H0539" Zion|strong="H6726". This|strong="H3651" will|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" a|strong="H3808" very|strong="H3651" precious|strong="H3368" stone|strong="H0068". Everything will|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" built on|strong="H0068" this|strong="H3651" very|strong="H3651" important rock|strong="H0068". Anyone|strong="H2005" who|strong="H0559" trusts in|strong="H0539" that|strong="H3651" rock|strong="H0068" will|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" disappointed.
17 “Workers use a|strong="H7760" string and|strong="H4941" weight to|strong="H4325" show|strong="H7760" their|strong="H7760" work|strong="H7760" is|strong="H4941" straight and|strong="H4941" true. I|strong="H7760" will|strong="H4325" use justice|strong="H4941" as|strong="H4325" the|strong="H7760" string and|strong="H4941" goodness as|strong="H4325" the|strong="H7760" weight when I|strong="H7760" lay|strong="H7760" that|strong="H4325" foundation. But|strong="H4325" your|strong="H7760" safe places were|strong="H4325" built on|strong="H7760" lies|strong="H3577". So|strong="H7760" they|strong="H7760" will|strong="H4325" be|strong="H4325" destroyed and|strong="H4941" washed|strong="H7857" away|strong="H7857" when the|strong="H7760" troubles come against you|strong="H7760" like|strong="H7760" hail|strong="H1259" storms and|strong="H4941" floods.
18 Your|strong="H3588" agreement|strong="H1285" with|strong="H0854" death|strong="H4194" will|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" erased. Your|strong="H3588" contract with|strong="H0854" Sheol|strong="H7585" will|strong="H1961" not|strong="H3808" help|strong="H6965" you|strong="H3588".
19 He|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" come|strong="H1961" and|strong="H3117" take|strong="H3947" you|strong="H3588" away|strong="H3947". Your|strong="H3947" punishment will|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" terrible. Your|strong="H3947" punishment will|strong="H1961" come|strong="H1961" early|strong="H1242" in|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0853" morning|strong="H1242", and|strong="H3117" it|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" continue|strong="H1961" late into|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" night|strong="H3915".
20 A|strong="H3588" man tried to|strong="H3588" sleep on a|strong="H3588" bed|strong="H4702" that|strong="H3588" was too short for|strong="H3588" him|strong="H3588". He|strong="H3588" had|strong="H3588" a|strong="H3588" blanket that|strong="H3588" was not|strong="H3588" wide enough to|strong="H3588" cover him|strong="H3588". \+w The|strong="H3588"\+w* \+w bed|strong="H4702"\+w* and blanket were useless, and \+w so|strong="H3588"\+w* were \+w your|strong="H3588"\+w* agreements.”
21 The|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" fight as|strong="H3068" he|strong="H3588" did|strong="H6213" at|strong="H3068" Mount|strong="H2022" Perazim|strong="H6559". He|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" angry as|strong="H3068" he|strong="H3588" was|strong="H3068" in|strong="H3068" Gibeon|strong="H1391" Valley|strong="H6010". He|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" do|strong="H6213" what|strong="H4639" he|strong="H3588" must do|strong="H6213". It|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" what|strong="H4639" some stranger|strong="H5237" should|strong="H3068" do|strong="H6213", but|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" finish his|strong="H3068" work|strong="H4639". Yes|strong="H3588", this|strong="H3588" is|strong="H3068" a|strong="H3588" stranger’s job|strong="H5656".
22 Now|strong="H6258" don’t|strong="H0408" complain about|strong="H5921" these|strong="H3605" things|strong="H3605". If|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" fight against|strong="H5921" them|strong="H0853", you|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0776" only|strong="H3605" tighten the|strong="H3605" ropes around|strong="H5921" you|strong="H3588".
23 Listen|strong="H8085" closely|strong="H8085" to|strong="H8085" the|strong="H8085" message I|strong="H8085" am telling you|strong="H6963".
24 Does a|strong="H3117" farmer|strong="H0127" plow|strong="H2790" his|strong="H3605" field all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117"? No|strong="H3605", he|strong="H3117" doesn’t work the|strong="H3605" soil|strong="H0127" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117".
25 A|strong="H7760" farmer prepares the|strong="H6440" ground, and|strong="H6440" then|strong="H7760" he|strong="H0518" plants the|strong="H6440" seed. He|strong="H0518" plants different kinds of|strong="H6440" seeds different ways. He|strong="H0518" scatters dill|strong="H7100" seeds, he|strong="H0518" throws cumin seeds on|strong="H7760" the|strong="H6440" ground, and|strong="H6440" he|strong="H0518" plants wheat|strong="H2406" in|strong="H3808" rows. A|strong="H7760" farmer plants barley|strong="H8184" in|strong="H3808" its|strong="H7760" special place|strong="H7760", and|strong="H6440" he|strong="H0518" plants spelt|strong="H3698" seeds at|strong="H3808" the|strong="H6440" edge|strong="H6440" of|strong="H6440" his|strong="H7760" field.
26 Our|strong="H0430" God|strong="H0430" is|strong="H0430" using this to|strong="H0430" teach|strong="H3384" you|strong="H3256" a|strong="H3256" lesson. This example shows|strong="H3384" us|strong="H3384" that|strong="H0430" God|strong="H0430" is|strong="H0430" fair when he|strong="H0430" punishes his|strong="H3256" people.
27 Does|strong="H3808" a|strong="H3588" farmer use large boards with|strong="H5921" sharp teeth to|strong="H5921" crush dill|strong="H7100" seeds? No|strong="H3808", and|strong="H5437" he|strong="H3588" doesn’t|strong="H3808" use a|strong="H3588" wagon|strong="H5699" to|strong="H5921" crush cumin seeds. A|strong="H3588" farmer uses a|strong="H3588" small stick to|strong="H5921" break the|strong="H5921" hulls from|strong="H5921" these seeds of|strong="H4294" grain.
28 People|strong="H3808" grind grain|strong="H3899" to|strong="H3899" make|strong="H3588" flour, but|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" don’t|strong="H3808" grind it|strong="H3588" forever|strong="H5331". As|strong="H3588" God|strong="H3808" does|strong="H3808" in|strong="H3899" punishing people|strong="H3808", a|strong="H3588" worker might drive his|strong="H3588" wagon|strong="H5699" over the|strong="H3588" grain|strong="H3899" to|strong="H3899" remove the|strong="H3588" hulls, but|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" does|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" allow the|strong="H3588" horses|strong="H6571" to|strong="H3899" crush|strong="H1854" it|strong="H3588".
29 This|strong="H2063" lesson comes|strong="H3318" from|strong="H3318" the|strong="H3068" LORD|strong="H3068" All-Powerful, who|strong="H3068" gives wonderful|strong="H6381" advice|strong="H6098". He|strong="H3068" is|strong="H3068" very|strong="H1571" wise.