Liketangledthorns,And like those who are drunkenwith their drink,They are consumedAs stubblecompletelywithered.
Absalomcommandedhis servants,saying,"Seenow,when Amnon'sheartis merrywith wine,and when I sayto you, 'StrikeAmnon,'then puthim to death.Do not fear;have not I myselfcommandedyou? Be courageousand be valiant."
They surroundedme like bees;They were extinguishedas a fireof thorns;In the nameof the LORDI will surelycutthem off.
As smokeis drivenaway,[so] drive[them] away;As waxmeltsbeforethe fire,[So] let the wickedperishbeforeGod.
"And in the greatnessof Your excellenceYou overthrowthose who riseup against You; You sendforth Your burninganger,[and] it consumesthem as chaff.
So the peoplescatteredthrough allthe landof Egyptto gatherstubblefor straw.
"I havenowrath.Should someonegiveMe briars[and] thornsin battle,[Then] I would stepon them, I would burnthem completely.
"Behold,they have becomelike stubble,Fireburnsthem; They cannotdeliverthemselvesfrom the powerof the flame;Therewill be nocoalto warmby [Nor] a fireto sitbefore!
Therefore,as a tongueof fireconsumesstubbleAnd drygrasscollapsesinto the flame,So their rootwill becomelike rotand their blossomblowawayas dust;For they have rejectedthe lawof the LORDof hostsAnd despisedthe wordof the HolyOneof Israel.
"Come,"[they say], "let us getwine,and let us drinkheavilyof strongdrink;And tomorrowwill be like today,only moreso."
For wickednessburnslike a fire;It consumesbriarsand thorns;It even setsthe thicketsof the forestaflameAnd they rollupwardin a columnof smoke.
"When they becomeheatedup, I will serve[them] their banquetAnd makethem drunk,that they may becomejubilantAnd may sleepa perpetualsleepAnd not wakeup," declaresthe LORD.
"I will makeher princesand her wisemendrunk,Her governors,her prefectsand her mightymen,That they may sleepa perpetualsleepand not wakeup," Declaresthe King,whose nameis the LORDof hosts.
The bestof them is like a briar,The most uprightlike a thornhedge.The daywhen you post your watchmen,Your punishmentwill come.Thentheir confusionwill occur.
You toowill becomedrunk,You will be hidden.You toowill searchfor a refugefrom the enemy.
"For behold,the dayis coming,burninglike a furnace;and allthe arrogantand everyevildoerwill be chaff;and the daythat is comingwill setthem ablaze,"saysthe LORDof hosts,"sothat it will leavethem neitherrootnorbranch."
Then Abigailcameto Nabal,and behold,he was holding a feastin his house,like the feastof a king.And Nabal'sheartwas merrywithinhim, for he was verydrunk;so she did not tellhim anythingat alluntilthe morninglight.
