Yasha'Yahu (Isaiah) — 28

A Message about Samaria

1 What sorrow awaits the proud city of Samaria, the Esteemed crown of the drunks of Yashar'AL, It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but its awesome beauty will fade like a flower, It is the pride of a people brought down by wine.

2 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will send a mighty army against it, Like a mighty hailstorm and a torrential rain, they will burst upon it like a surging flood and smash it to the ground.

3 The proud city of Samaria, the Esteemed crown of the drunks of Yashar'AL will be trampled beneath its enemies’ feet.

4 It sits at the head of a fertile valley, but its awesome beauty will fade like a flower, Whoever sees it will snatch it up, as an early fig is quickly picked and eaten.

5 Then at last 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Tsaba'ut will Himself be Yashar'AL’s Esteemed crown, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will be the pride and joy of the remnant of His people.

6 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will give a longing for justice to their judges, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  will give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates.

7 But now presently, Yashar'AL is led by drunks who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol. The Kuhanym and Nabyms stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine, They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions.

8 Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.

9 “Who does 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH think we are?” they ask, “Why does He speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?

10 He tells us everything over and over, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!”

11 So now 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will have to speak to His people through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!

12 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has told His people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here, This is a place of quiet rest.” But they would not listen.

13 So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will spell out His message for them again, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall.    They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

14 Therefore, listen to this message from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, you scoffing rulers in Yahushalam.

15 You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave, The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”

16 Therefore, this is what  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Tsaba'ut Dabar: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Yahushalam, a firm and tested stone, It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on, Whoever believes will not be in haste.

17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness, Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down, Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.

18 I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death, and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave, When the terrible enemy sweeps through, you will be trampled into the ground.

19 Again and again that flood will come,    morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away.” This message will bring terror to your people.

20 The bed you have made is too short to lie on, The blankets are too narrow to cover you.

21 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Parazim and against the Amurites at Gibaun, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will come to do a strange thing; He will come to do an unusual deed:

22 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Tsaba'ut has plainly said that He is determined to crush the whole land, So scoff no more, or your punishment will be even greater.

23 Listen to me; listen, and pay close attention.

24 Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?

25 Does he not finally plant his seeds, black cumin, cumin wheat, barley, and emmer wheat, each in its proper way, and each in its proper place?

26 The farmer knows just what to do, for his 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH has given him understanding.

27 A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin; rather, it is beaten with a light stick, a threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.

28 Grain for bread is easily crushed, so he does not keep on pounding it, He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he does not pulverize it.

29 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Tsaba'ut is a wonderful teacher, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  gives the farmer great wisdom.