Hosea 5

1 “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.

Give ear to this, O priests; give attention, O Israel, and you, family of the king; for you are to be judged; you have been a deceit at Mizpah and a net stretched out on Tabor.

2 The rebels are deep in slaughter; but I will chastise them all.

They have gone deep in the evil ways of Shittim, but I am the judge of all.

3 I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.

I have knowledge of Ephraim, and Israel is not secret from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have been false to me, Israel has become unclean.

4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God, for a spirit of prostitution is within them, and they do not know the LORD.

Their works will not let them come back to their God, for a false spirit is in them and they have no knowledge of the Lord.

5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.

And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; and Ephraim will have a fall through his sins, and the fall of Judah will be the same as theirs.

6 They go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they do not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

They will go, with their flocks and their herds, in search of the Lord, but they will not see him; he has taken himself out of their view.

7 They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.

They have been false to the Lord; they have given birth to strange children; now the new moon will make them waste with their fields.

8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!

Let the horn be sounded in Gibeah and in Ramah; give a loud cry in Beth-aven, They are after you, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

Ephraim will become a waste in the day of punishment; I have given knowledge among the tribes of Israel of what is certain.

10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.

The rulers of Judah are like those who take away a landmark; I will let loose my wrath on them like flowing water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.

Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit.

12 So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.

And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

When Ephraim saw his disease and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king; but he is not able to make you well or give you help for your wound.

14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the children of Judah; I, even I, will give him wounds and go away; I will take him away, and there will be no helper.

15 Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

I will go back to my place till they are made waste; in their trouble they will go after me early and will make search for me.