Isaiah 5:7-17

7The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.

8What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field, until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.

9But I have heard the Lord of Heaven’s Armies swear a solemn oath: “Many houses will stand deserted; even beautiful mansions will be empty.

10Ten acres of vineyard will not produce even six gallons of wine. Ten baskets of seed will yield only one basket of grain.”

11What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.

12They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.

13So my people will go into exile far away because they do not know me. Those who are great and honored will starve, and the common people will die of thirst.

14The grave is licking its lips in anticipation, opening its mouth wide. The great and the lowly and all the drunken mob will be swallowed up.

15Humanity will be destroyed, and people brought down; even the arrogant will lower their eyes in humiliation.

16But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice. The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness.

17In that day lambs will find good pastures, and fattened sheep and young goats will feed among the ruins.