7 For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah his pleasant plant 3 and he looked for judg- ment, and behold oppression; for righteousness, and behold a cry.

6. ‘tabernacle,’ or, ‘booth,’ as i. 8; ‘pavilion,’ Ps. xviii. 11.1. ‘hill-top,’ lit. ‘horn.’2. ‘vine of Sorek’ perhaps=choice vine. Or, ‘hoped,’ ‘waited’ for to bring forth. ‘bring ’ lit. ‘make,’ same word as ‘do,’ ver. 4.5. Lit. ‘for a consuming’ (=burning, iv. 4)... ‘for a treading.’

8 Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay ﬁeld to ﬁeld, till there is no room, and ye are made to dwell alone in the midst of the earth!

9 In mine ears (said) the LORD of Hosts, If there be not many houses desolate, great ones and fair, without inhabitant!

10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield an ephah.

11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late in the dusk, while wine inflames them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are their banquet; but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, for lack of knowledge: and their glory are men of famine, and their abundance dried up with thirst.

14 Therefore Sheol hath enlarged her appetite, and opened her mouth without measure: and her honour, and her abundance, and her uproar, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into her.

15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be. humbled:

16 And the LORD of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy sheweth himself holy in righteousness.

17 Then shall the lambs feed as (in) their pasture, and the waste places of the fat ones shall sojourners eat.

8. ‘earth,’ or, ‘land.’9. ‘If there be not...’ (a threat)=There shall be many... &c10. ‘vield,’ lit. ‘make,’ cf. ver. 2. 4.11. Or, as Greek, ‘wine shall inflame them.13. Lit. ‘his glory,’ abundance.’14. “enlarged her appetite,’ lit. ‘made broad her soul.’ Cf. lvi. 10 So the Greek. Or, ‘and he that rejoiceth in her shall descend.’15. ‘mean ’...‘mighty man,’ Heb. adam ... ish.16. Or, ‘by,’ ‘through judgment.’

18 Woe, they that drag iniquity with cords of vanity, and (their) sin as it were with a cart rope:

19 That say, Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know;

20 Woe, they that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe, they that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe, they that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to ’strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the justice of the just from him!

24 Therefore as the tongue of ﬁre devoureth the stubble, and the dry grass sinketh down in ﬂame, their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have rejected the law of the LORD of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched ’ his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were as refuse in the midst of the open places. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: