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1. Look at Samaria! The drunks of Ephraim are proud of that city. It sits on a hill with a rich valley around it. The Samarians think their city is a beautiful crown of flowers. But they are drunk with wine, and this "beautiful crown" is just a dying plant.
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1. Woe H1945 to the crown H5850 of pride H1348 , to the drunkards H7910 of Ephraim H669 , whose glorious H6643 beauty H8597 is a fading H5034 flower H6731 , which H834 are on H5921 the head H7218 of the fat H8081 valleys H1516 of them that are overcome H1986 with wine H3196 !
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2. Look, the Lord has someone who is strong and brave. He will come into the country like a storm of hail and rain. Like a powerful river of water flooding the country, he will throw that crown down to the ground.
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2. Behold H2009 , the Lord H136 hath a mighty H2389 and strong one H533 , which as a tempest H2230 of hail H1259 and a destroying H6986 storm H8178 , as a flood H2230 of mighty H3524 waters H4325 overflowing H7857 , shall cast down H5117 to the earth H776 with the hand H3027 .
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3. The drunks of Ephraim are proud of their beautiful crown, but that city will be trampled down.
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3. The crown H5850 of pride H1348 , the drunkards H7910 of Ephraim H669 , shall be trodden H7429 under feet H7272 :
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4. That city sits on a hill with a rich valley around it. But that beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant. It will be like the first figs of summer. As soon as someone sees a ripe one, they pick it and eat it.
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4. And the glorious H6643 beauty H8597 , which H834 is on H5921 the head H7218 of the fat H8081 valley H1516 , shall be H1961 a fading H5034 flower H6733 , and as the hasty fruit H1061 before H2962 the summer H7019 ; which H834 when he that looketh H7200 upon it seeth H7200 , while it is yet H5750 in his hand H3709 he eateth it up H1104 .
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5. At that time the Lord All-Powerful will become the "Beautiful Crown." He will be the "Wonderful Crown of Flowers" for his people who are left.
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5. In that H1931 day H3117 shall the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 be H1961 for a crown H5850 of glory H6643 , and for a diadem H6843 of beauty H8597 , unto the residue H7605 of his people H5971 ,
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6. Then the Lord will give wisdom to the judges who rule his people. He will give strength to the people who are in battles at the city gates.
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6. And for a spirit H7307 of judgment H4941 to him that sitteth H3427 in H5921 judgment H4941 , and for strength H1369 to them that turn H7725 the battle H4421 to the gate H8179 .
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7. But now those leaders are drunk. The priests and prophets are all drunk with wine and beer. They stumble and fall down. The prophets are drunk when they see their dreams. The judges are drunk when they make their decisions.
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7. But they H428 also H1571 have erred H7686 through wine H3196 , and through strong drink H7941 are out of the way H8582 ; the priest H3548 and the prophet H5030 have erred H7686 through strong drink H7941 , they are swallowed up H1104 of H4480 wine H3196 , they are out of the way H8582 through H4480 strong drink H7941 ; they err H7686 in vision H7203 , they stumble H6328 in judgment H6417 .
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8. Every table is covered with vomit. There is not a clean place anywhere.
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8. For H3588 all H3605 tables H7979 are full H4390 of vomit H6892 and filthiness H6675 , so that there is no H1097 place H4725 clean .
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9. {The people say,} "Who does he think he is trying to teach and explain his message to? Does he think we are babies who were at their mother's breast only a very short time ago?
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9. H853 Whom H4310 shall he teach H3384 knowledge H1844 ? and whom H4310 shall he make to understand H995 doctrine H8052 ? them that are weaned H1580 from the milk H4480 H2461 , and drawn H6267 from the breasts H4480 H7699 .
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10. {He speaks to us as though we were babies:} "Saw lasaw saw lasaw Qaw laqaw qaw laqaw Ze'er sham ze'er sham."
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10. For H3588 precept H6673 must be upon precept H6673 , precept H6673 upon precept H6673 ; line H6957 upon line H6957 , line H6957 upon line H6957 ; here H8033 a little H2191 , and there H8033 a little H2191 :
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11. So the Lord will use this strange way of talking, and he will use other languages to speak to these people.
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11. For H3588 with stammering H3934 lips H8193 and another H312 tongue H3956 will he speak H1696 to H413 this H2088 people H5971 .
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12. In the past, the Lord spoke to them and said, "Here is a resting place. This is the peaceful place. Let the tired people come and rest. This is the place of peace." But the people did not want to listen to him,
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12. To H413 whom H834 he said H559 , This H2063 is the rest H4496 wherewith ye may cause the weary H5889 to rest H5117 ; and this H2063 is the refreshing H4774 : yet they would H14 not H3808 hear H8085 .
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13. so the words from God were like a foreign language: "Saw lasaw saw lasaw. Qaw laqaw qaw laqaw. Ze'er sham ze'er sham." The people did what they wanted to do, so they fell back and were defeated. They were trapped and captured.
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13. But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 was H1961 unto them precept H6673 upon precept H6673 , precept H6673 upon precept H6673 ; line H6957 upon line H6957 , line H6957 upon line H6957 ; here H8033 a little H2191 , and there H8033 a little H2191 ; that H4616 they might go H1980 , and fall H3782 backward H268 , and be broken H7665 , and snared H3369 , and taken H3920 .
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14. You leaders in Jerusalem should listen to the Lord's message, but now you refuse to listen to him.
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14. Wherefore H3651 hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 , ye scornful H3944 men H376 , that rule H4910 this H2088 people H5971 which H834 is in Jerusalem H3389 .
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15. You have said, "We have made an agreement with death. We have a contract with death. So we will not be punished. Punishment will pass us without hurting us. We will hide behind our tricks and lies."
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15. Because H3588 ye have said H559 , We have made H3772 a covenant H1285 with H854 death H4194 , and with H5973 hell H7585 are we at H6213 agreement H2374 ; when H3588 the overflowing H7857 scourge H7752 shall pass through H5674 , it shall not H3808 come H935 unto us: for H3588 we have made H7760 lies H3577 our refuge H4268 , and under falsehood H8267 have we hid ourselves H5641 :
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16. Because of these things, the Lord God says, "I will put a rock�a cornerstone�in the ground in Zion. This will be a very precious stone. Everything will be built on this very important rock. Anyone who trusts in that rock will not be disappointed.
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16. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 , Behold H2009 , I lay H3245 in Zion H6726 for a foundation H3245 a stone H68 , a tried H976 stone H68 , a precious H3368 corner H6438 stone , a sure H3245 foundation H4143 : he that believeth H539 shall not H3808 make haste H2363 .
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17. "Workers use a string and weight to show their work is straight and true. I will use justice as the string and goodness as the weight when I lay that foundation. But your safe places were built on lies. So they will be destroyed and washed away when the troubles come against you like hail storms and floods.
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17. Judgment H4941 also will I lay H7760 to the line H6957 , and righteousness H6666 to the plummet H4949 : and the hail H1259 shall sweep away H3261 the refuge H4268 of lies H3577 , and the waters H4325 shall overflow H7857 the hiding place H5643 .
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18. Your agreement with death will be erased. Your contract with Sheol will not help you. "Someone will come and punish you. He will make you like the dirt he walks on.
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18. And your covenant H1285 with H854 death H4194 shall be disannulled H3722 , and your agreement H2380 with H854 hell H7585 shall not H3808 stand H6965 ; when H3588 the overflowing H7857 scourge H7752 shall pass through H5674 , then ye shall be H1961 trodden down H4823 by it.
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19. He will come and take you away. Your punishment will be terrible. Your punishment will come early in the morning, and it will continue late into the night. "Then you will understand this story:
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19. From the time H4480 H1767 that it goeth forth H5674 it shall take H3947 you: for H3588 morning H1242 by morning H1242 shall it pass over H5674 , by day H3117 and by night H3915 : and it shall be H1961 a vexation H2113 only H7535 to understand H995 the report H8052 .
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20. A man tried to sleep on a bed that was too short for him. He had a blanket that was not wide enough to cover him. {The bed and blanket were useless, and so were your agreements.}"
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20. For H3588 the bed H4702 is shorter H7114 than that a man can stretch himself H4480 H8311 on it : and the covering H4541 narrower H6887 than that he can wrap himself H3664 in it .
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21. The Lord will fight as he did at Mount Perazim. He will be angry as he was in Gibeon Valley. He will do what he must do. It will be what some stranger should do, but he will finish his work. Yes, this is a stranger's job.
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21. For H3588 the LORD H3068 shall rise up H6965 as in mount H2022 Perazim H6556 , he shall be wroth H7264 as in the valley H6010 of Gibeon H1391 , that he may do H6213 his work H4639 , his strange H2114 work H4639 ; and bring to pass H5647 his act H5656 , his strange H5237 act H5656 .
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22. Now don't complain about these things. If you fight against them, you will only tighten the ropes around you. The words I heard will not change. They came from the Lord All-Powerful, the ruler of all the earth, and these things will be done.
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22. Now H6258 therefore be ye not mockers H3887 H408 , lest H6435 your bands H4147 be made strong H2388 : for H3588 I have heard H8085 from H4480 H854 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 a consumption H3617 , even determined H2782 upon H5921 the whole H3605 earth H776 .
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23. Listen closely to the message I am telling you.
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23. Give ye ear H238 , and hear H8085 my voice H6963 ; hearken H7181 , and hear H8085 my speech H565 .
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24. Does a farmer plow his field all the time? No, he doesn't work the soil all the time.
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24. Doth the plowman H2790 plow H2790 all H3605 day H3117 to sow H2232 ? doth he open H6605 and break the clods H7702 of his ground H127 ?
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25. A farmer prepares the ground, and then he plants the seed. He plants different kinds of seeds different ways. He scatters dill seeds, he throws cumin seeds on the ground, and he plants wheat in rows. A farmer plants barley in its special place, and he plants spelt seeds at the edge of his field.
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25. When H518 he hath made plain H7737 the face H6440 thereof , doth he not H3808 cast abroad H6327 the fitches H7100 , and scatter H2236 the cummin H3646 , and cast H7760 in the principal H7795 wheat H2406 and the appointed H5567 barley H8184 and the rye H3698 in their place H1367 ?
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26. Our God is using this to teach you a lesson. This example shows us that God is fair when he punishes his people.
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26. For his God H430 doth instruct H3256 him to discretion H4941 , and doth teach H3384 him.
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27. Does a farmer use large boards with sharp teeth to crush dill seeds? No, and he doesn't use a wagon to crush cumin seeds. A farmer uses a small stick to break the hulls from these seeds of grain.
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27. For H3588 the fitches H7100 are not H3808 threshed H1758 with a threshing instrument H2742 , neither is a cart H5699 wheel H212 turned H5437 about upon H5921 the cummin H3646 ; but H3588 the fitches H7100 are beaten out H2251 with a staff H4294 , and the cummin H3646 with a rod H7626 .
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28. People grind grain to make flour, but they don't grind it forever. The Lord does the same thing when he punishes his people. He might frighten them with the wagon wheel, but he does not allow the horses to walk on them.
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28. Bread H3899 corn is bruised H1854 ; because H3588 he will not H3808 ever H5331 be threshing H1758 it , nor break H2000 it with the wheel H1536 of his cart H5699 , nor H3808 bruise H1854 it with his horsemen H6571 .
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29. This lesson comes from the Lord All- Powerful, who gives wonderful advice. He is very wise.
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29. This H2063 also H1571 cometh forth H3318 from H4480 H5973 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , which is wonderful H6381 in counsel H6098 , and excellent H1431 in working H8454 .
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