² He broke up the soil, cleared it of stones,
and planted it with the finest vines.^(A)
He built a tower in the middle of it
and even dug out a winepress there.
He expected^(B) it to yield good grapes,
but it yielded worthless grapes.^(C)

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of Armies
is the house of Israel,^(A)
and the men^[a] of Judah,
the plant he delighted in.
He expected justice
but saw injustice;
he expected righteousness
but heard cries of despair.