Parable of the Vineyard

1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved

A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.

My well-beloved had a avineyard on 1a fertile hill.

2 He dug it all around, removed its stones,

And planted it with 1the achoicest vine.

And He built a tower in the middle of it

And also hewed out a 2wine vat in it;

Then He bexpected it to produce good grapes,

But it produced only 3worthless ones.

3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

aJudge between Me and My vineyard.

4 “aWhat more was there to do for My vineyard 1that I have not done in it?

Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce 2worthless ones?

5 “So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:

I will aremove its hedge and it will be consumed;

I will bbreak down its wall and it will become ctrampled ground.

6 “I will alay it waste;

It will not be pruned or hoed,

But briars and thorns will come up.

I will also charge the clouds to brain no rain on it.”

7 For the avineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel

And the men of Judah His delightful plant.

Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bbloodshed;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.